Veteran agent Bill Duffy, who is representing Zion Williamson after the Pelicans forward parted with CAA earlier in the season, doesn’t intend to push New Orleans to move his client before this season’s trade deadline, sources tell Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks of ESPN.
The focus for both the Pelicans and Williamson’s camp, according to MacMahon and Marks, is to get the 24-year-old back on the court in the coming weeks for the first time since a hamstring strain sidelined him on November 6. The former No. 1 overall pick went through some non-contact work on Monday, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic, and the team announced last week that he’s expected to begin practicing in full very soon.
“Let’s ramp him up and create value for him,” a source said, “whether that’s with the Pelicans or another team.”
Within their deep dive into Williamson’s situation, MacMahon and Marks consider whether a trade would be a viable option for the Pelicans, exploring what the forward’s value on the market would be and what teams might be interested. According to ESPN’s duo, executives trying to come up with a logical landing spot for the former Blue Devil suggested he might make sense for a veteran team seeking another star, like the Warriors, or a retooling club looking to move off big contract of its own, like the Bulls with Zach LaVine.
A rebuilding team looking to roll the dice on a player with star potential at a discounted price could also be a fit, some of ESPN’s sources suggested. One Eastern executive who spoke to ESPN called Williamson’s trade value “the hardest question to answer in the NBA” at the moment.
“It’s really hard to see anybody paying a ton for him right now, but there are a very limited number of players in the league when healthy who are at or near the franchise-player tier,” that exec said. “The only way you win at the highest level is to have a guy who can do the type of things he can do if he’s healthy.
“I would probably do something stupid to get him if it were me making decisions.”
Here’s more on Williamson and the Pelicans:
- Williamson’s 2025/26 salary of $39.4MM will likely become at least 20% guaranteed, since he’s on track to meet the weight benchmarks in his contract, sources tell MacMahon and Marks. However, he has missed too many games to reach the 61-game threshold, which means no more than 80% of his total salary for next season will be guaranteed entering the summer. Assuming he passes his required weigh-ins, Williamson can increase his partial guarantee to 60% by playing in at least 41 games or 80% by playing in at least 51.
- Despite the structure of his contract, which will remain non-guaranteed beyond ’25/26, the Pelicans don’t consider waiving Williamson in the offseason in order to generate cap flexibility to be a feasible path to improving their roster, per MacMahon and Marks, given that the team still wouldn’t have maximum-salary cap room and New Orleans has never been a free agent destination anyway.
- Finding a trade for forward Brandon Ingram remains the top priority for the Pelicans’ front office in the short term, sources tell ESPN. Ingram is on an expiring deal and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025 if he’s not extended before then.
- William Guillory of The Athletic fields several hypothetical trade ideas from Pelicans fans, evaluating each suggestion and considering whether the Pelicans or their proposed trade partner is more likely to pass on each offer.
Warriors need Williamson like a hole in the head.
Pelicans year has been terrible they currently have the equal worst record in the league. Any kinda return for Ingram and/or Zion is going to be based around young players with potential. They can’t wait 5 years on draft picks and they don’t really want over the hill win now players.
Considering Ingram in on an expiring deal, he’s got injury history and even this season he’s been out with another injury you’re hardly going to get back great value.
I’d try target Ingram for Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale and Cam Whitmore.
Houston doesn’t play Landale so he’s just straight salary matching, Cam has massive potential but doesn’t get minutes behind Thompson and Eason. Which leaves Dillon Brooks who doesn’t have the best deal and is just a vet role player.
Houston can treat this deal as a try before you buy and if they don’t like it then you can easily pivot to someone else in FA, you can make a sign and trade, the worlds your oyster but your not giving up much for an all star calibre player.
For Nee Orleans, Brooks is a good culture guy, he’s a good role player and he’s someone you can either start or bring off the bench. Landale isn’t getting time in Houston but the Pelicans needs centre minutes so he could actually be handy.
But lastly the reason you make the deal Cam Whitmore. He’s a very solid young scorer who can slot in at SG or SF. He’s also got good potential on defence and has continued to improve since being drafted. He’d pair really well with Trey Murphy and Herb Jones as the young 3 and D forwards for this side.
Zion because he’s on a decent contract I think should play himself into having good value then try cash in on him for a good role player and draft picks when the time is right.
So now Zion went back on his words??? These dudes are so wishy washy…
Kobe Bufkin to New Orleans for Jose Alvarado would be perfect for both teams
Why Pels have Hawkins
The Pels desperately want a clean, fresh start after this season, which, IMO, increases odds that Zion is gone.
But like the article says, his value is no greater than a late FRP and filler.
Would be fun to see him with Lamelo
If its only 1 first w Bridges, Martins expiring and 1 of the cheap C’s (Willams or Richards) Cha has certainly done worse this century
Zions contract can be sapped at any time moving forward with no penalties, might be worth the 1st just in ticket sales. I actually had New Orleans poking in on Lamelo last offseason as something that could have been interesting
Actually Zion for Zach would make sense for the Bulls. Not sure for the Pels but hey their season is already over. The Bulls could have PWill as a backup to both Buzelis and Zion, if they can keep their pick and off load the other vets they might have an interesting roster with potential.
Zion will be moved. It is time to start over with their top pick. Zion will do great with the Warriors!