The New Orleans Pelicans have been fairly successful in their offseason trade dealings. Having acquired Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney, the Pelicans have provided their stars, Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray, with solid reinforcements to enhance their core.
But considering Williamson’s limited availability, there have been several rumors claiming that the organization has attempted to offload the forward.
To facilitate this, Bleacher Report’s Thomas Beecher presented a wild trade idea on the “NBA Show” that would send Williamson to the Charlotte Hornets. He said:
“Zion to the Hornets, this has been something that I’ve felt like makes sense for a little while now. The Hornets feel like a team that is ready to try and be more competitive, that might be willing to take a chance on a Zion Williamson.”
Beecher’s proposed package was centered around Miles Bridges, supported by additional assets and draft compensation. He added that the draft capital should be limited and low in value, with one of them being protected. This was primarily because of how injury-prone Williamson has been. Let’s take a look at the proposed package.
Proposed Trade Details
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Miles Bridges, Grant Williams, Nick Smith Jr., two first-round picks
This deal is interesting, given that it allows the Pelicans to offload Williamson’s contract by acquiring young contributors and depth pieces with upside. Meanwhile, the Hornets might find merit in this because of what Williamson brings to the table.
Hornets Create A New Star Duo
The acquisition of Zion Williamson allows the Charlotte Hornets to pair LaMelo Ball with another young star. With two immensely talented players on the same team, the combination could prove to be an exciting one.
Williamson’s style of play complements Ball’s offensive approach. Although both are traditionally ball-dominant, the forward has shown some potential to be able to play without the ball.
The forward’s strength and athleticism allow him to dominate in the low post and the paint. Meanwhile, Ball’s creativity and versatile passing skills make him a playmaking threat on the perimeter. Their skill sets create a balanced offensive dynamic.
Last season, Williamson averaged 24.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, and Ball averaged 25.2 points and 7.4 assists per game. If they can establish chemistry early on, the two players could positively play off of each other to transform Charlotte into a more competitive team in the East.
The Pelicans Add Significant Roster Depth
While recreating Williamson’s productivity will be a challenge for the Pelicans, the addition of players like Miles Bridges and Grant Williams, along with Nick Smith Jr. and the two first-round picks, could help them shore up their roster.
The addition of Miles Bridges could be an effective replacement for Williamson in the starting rotation. Bridges is an athletic forward who is very capable of scoring in a variety of situations. Last season, he put up 20.3 points and 7.5 rebounds, while shooting 43.1% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range.
Although his perimeter shooting could be better, Bridges makes up for it by contributing on defense and being available on the floor. This could significantly enhance New Orleans’ overall consistency.
Similarly, Williams also provides solid defensive upside along with some depth in the frontcourt. With an average of 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, the forward can be productive for the team off the bench. However, he is expected to miss significant time, as he continues to recover from an ACL injury.
While Nick Smith Jr. wouldn’t be a primary rotation player in this scenario, he provides some scoring depth in the backcourt. With an average of 9.9 points per game last season, he can bolster the bench scoring if called upon to do so.
Given the Pelicans’ roster makeup, the addition of these players would give them a lot of squad depth, allowing them to be much more competitive in the West.
The Hornets Would Be Taking A Risk
It is quite evident that this deal has more benefits for the Pelicans than it does for the Hornets. Although Charlotte would acquire another franchise player in this trade scenario, he happens to be one of the most injury-prone players in the league.
Williamson’s career has been plagued by injury. With weight issues often being cited as a reason for it, the 25-year-old forward has missed significant portions of multiple seasons, which has affected his team’s performance.
When paired with another star known for his durability concerns, like Ball, the Hornets could see several patches in the season without featuring either player. Needless to say, this would be devastating for their regular-season campaign.
Additionally, it seems unlikely that the Pelicans will pursue this deal, surprisingly, due to the franchise’s faith in their star forward. Although he has been mentioned in several trade rumors, New Orleans has shown an inclination to keep him for the future. This effectively nullifies any possibility of a trade.
