This summer has been filled with some fascinating rumors of potential blockbuster trades involving superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James. But another name has now surfaced as a prime candidate for a ‘superstar’ on a team to request a trade.
Zion Williamson, the former No. 1 overall pick, has played for the Pelicans his entire career. But his time with the Pelicans has been marred by injuries and lottery pick finishes.
According to ESPN’s latest Insiders’ Poll on several controversial subjects around the league, Zion Williamson is believed to be the next ‘superstar’ to most likely demand a trade from their team. The poll featured names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Trae Young, and Ja Morant as well.
But Williamson was the clear favorite with 10 votes in his name, followed by Antetokounmpo at seven votes, James at six votes, and Young and Morant with one vote each.
As per the Insiders, the growing belief around his frustrations is centered around the inability of the Pelicans to give him a consistently winning team, combined with his own injury history.
Williamson has missed the equivalent of three NBA seasons in his career due to injury alone. The Pelicans will have patience, probably only for so long, before they pivot to building around a more consistent player.
They have drafted some intriguing young talent this year in Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, and they also have promising young players like Trey Murphy III, Jordan Poole, and Dejounte Murray. Therefore, the Pelicans have a lot of options to pivot to if they lose faith in Williamson.
And if Williamson sees that the Pelicans are no longer looking to serve his best interests, he would likely demand a trade to a team where he could potentially get more playing time.
We have explored multiple potential landing spots for Zion Williamson, including proposed trades with the Warriors, 76ers, and the Hornets. The Warriors currently have a disgruntled young player in Jonathan Kuminga who reportedly does not even want to wear a Warriors uniform in 2025-26. A trade for Williamson could solve both teams’ issues.
The 76ers and the Hornets are two teams that have a tremendous amount of patience with talented players struggling with injuries, and could take the risk on a player like Williamson to potentially change their franchise at a low cost.
It can be undoubtedly said that if Zion Williamson joins either of these teams and he stays healthy, then he has the ability and skills to propel them to the next level. Let’s not forget, he is a two-time All-Star who can wreak havoc on teams if he is healthy.
He played only 30 games this season, where he averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. A healthy Zion Williamson could be a franchise-altering player for many teams. Considering that he might be available for a low cost due to his injury history, teams could be willing to take a risk on him if he demands a trade.
