- The New York Knicks take a risk on an injury-prone Zion Williamson
- Zion Williamson raises the current ceiling of the team
- The New Orleans Pelicans get a solid package and get a fresh start
The New York Knicks made the playoffs this season, finishing as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. While they clearly have a solid team as of right now, most people would agree that they aren’t a championship contender at this moment.
One of the things that the New York Knicks lack as of right now, is the presence of a true superstar-level player. Generally, most championship teams require that sort of player to win. One player that has consistently been linked with the Knicks in the past was Zion Williamson, and there is no doubting the forward’s ability when he is on the court. Here is a potential trade framework that could send Williamson to New York.
New York Knicks Receive: Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Julius Randle, Immanuel Quickley, 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2025 First-Round Pick (NYK)
This would definitely be a high-risk, high-reward trade for the New York Knicks. Though there are definitely potential drawbacks to this move, here is why the New York Knicks should consider making this deal.
The New York Knicks Take A Risk On Zion Williamson’s Talent
When he is healthy, there is no doubt that Zion Williamson is an All-NBA, fringe MVP-level talent. He is extremely dominant near the rim and has shown that he can will a team to victory by himself. The New Orleans Pelicans were the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference with Williamson at the helm during the 2022-23 season but slid down the rankings once the power forward injured his hamstring.
This past season, Zion Williamson averaged 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 4.6 APG for the New Orleans Pelicans, while shooting 60.8% from the field. However, the drawback here is clearly the fact that Williamson is only averaging 28.5 games a season since entering the NBA. Williamson is clearly one of the most talented players in the league, but his durability makes him a risk for anyone trading for him. Williamson is almost a lock to miss time. Meanwhile, the two outgoing players in this deal, Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley played 77 and 81 games respectively.
With that being said, the risk is worth taking for the New York Knicks. They do not have a single player that is a top 10 player in the league right now, but Zion Williamson is clearly at that level or close to it when healthy. If the Knicks want to be a true championship contender, then they must take this risk on a talented player. If they don’t trade for Williamson and stay the same, then they can be a solid second-round team. But it is Williamson’s talent that can take them from a quality playoff team to a bonafide contender.Â
The reason to give up Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley in this deal is obvious: both players struggled in the playoffs. Quickley is also up for a contract at the end of the 2023-24 season, and perhaps the franchise would move Quickley to avoid giving him a big payday.
The New Orleans Pelicans Get A Solid Package With Durable Players
The Zion Williamson era in New Orleans has largely been a disappointment: the team has only made the playoffs once since drafting the power forward, and even that playoff appearance came without Williamson’s presence on the court. Perhaps a fresh start would be best for everyone involved, and the New Orleans Pelicans could definitely make the playoffs with the players from this package.
Julius Randle made the 2022-23 All-NBA Third Team this season, after averaging 25.1 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 4.0 APG for the New York Knicks. Though he is clearly a solid regular-season player, it is fair to say that he does struggle in the playoffs. However, that shouldn’t necessarily matter to the New Orleans Pelicans: the team struggles in the regular season, and before a team starts thinking about making a deep playoff run, they should be able to consistently make the playoffs. Randle can definitely help them in that regard, especially if they retain CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram.
Immanuel Quickley was a solid Sixth Man of the Year candidate this season, after averaging 14.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 3.4 APG for the New York Knicks. Quickley has shown that he can provide shot creation off the bench. Quickley could also potentially succeed in a starting role, and his shooting would definitely create more spacing for the team’s stars.
On top of the two players that the New Orleans Pelicans would receive in this deal, they would also get two first-round picks from the New York Knicks. This would add more picks to their stockpile, and those picks could eventually be packaged with one of their big contracts to get the team another superstar. In theory, the Pelicans would have the package to outbid almost every other team in the event a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo wants out.
Overall, this deal for the New Orleans Pelicans would be about becoming a team who can get to the postseason consistently. Though moving Zion Williamson would ultimately decrease the ceiling of what the team can be, the addition of consistent regular-season performers such as Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley would allow them to take a step forward.
This Deal Is Boom Or Bust For The New York Knicks
This deal, from the New York Knicks perspective, would definitely be one that is extremely risky but could also end up being rewarding. If Williamson ends up being unhealthy and injury-prone, then the New York Knicks would end up wasting assets. However, if he manages to have a few healthy seasons, then the Knicks have a realistic championship window.
We will see whether Zion Williamson will end up on the New York Knicks in the future, but he could definitely be the right player to take the Knicks to the next level. Perhaps the Knicks and the Pelicans can come together on a deal with this framework in the future, and it could benefit both sides.
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