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The New Orleans Pelicans will be without Zion Williamson for the foreseeable future. The 25-year-old All-Star is once again dealing with injuries that will keep him sidelined for at least the next three weeks. Considering where the Pels are at this season, it is possible that Williamson has played his final game in New Orleans. With little incentive to bring him back for the second half of the season, the Pelicans will likely look to move on from Williamson before the trade deadline.
Making the decision to trade Williamson is one thing. Finding a suitor mid-season is another. Williamson doesn’t have the albatross of a contract that some players of his caliber do, but with injury and on-court fit concerns, he is not the easiest player to trade during the season.
Finding matching salary for $39.4 million could be a challenge, but Williamson’s contract for the next two seasons is not guaranteed. The team acquiring him could easily not guarantee his salary for either 2026-27 or 2027-28 season, and treat him like an expiring contract. But, what team would actually be interested in acquiring Williamson? And do they have a trade package that makes sense for both sides? Let’s explore the most realistic landing spots for the former first-overall pick.
Charlotte Hornets
Williamson is a North Carolina native and a return to his home state could make sense for everyone involved. The Hornets want to be relevant and competitive once again and have a hole at power forward.
Trading Williamson for LaMelo Ball works financially, but makes very little sense for the Pelicans. What is more plausible, however, is a trade centering around the expiring contract of Collin Sexton and a combination of Grant Williams, Josh Green, and Pat Connaughton to make the salaries work. Charlotte could throw in a draft pick or two to entice the Pels. The financial flexibility it provides the Pelicans could be worth it.
Sacramento Kings
Acquiring Zion Williamson seems like the perfect Sacramento Kings move. They are desperate for more talent and have been in talent accumulation mode without any thought going into chemistry and fit. It has not worked so far as they are headed to the lottery with a 5-16 record.
The Kings have a ton of trade chips they can use to make this deal. Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis works as matching salary. A combination of DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, and Dennis Schroder also works. The Pelicans would almost certainly be acquiring negative-value contracts in a deal with the Kings, but it’s still worth it to end the Zion Williamson era.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have been a surprise team this season, playing well above expectations. They may be hesitant to mess with the team, but owner Mat Ishbia’s love for star talent is well-documented. If he hasn’t lost his appetite for star power, Williamson is one of the few All-Star level talents in his prime that they can acquire. The Suns are bereft of trade assets, so the chance to bring in someone like Zion won’t come around often for them.
This deal would almost certainly have to be constructed around Jalen Green and his $33.5 million salary. Straight up Green-for-Williamson trade would presumably be the best offer the Pelicans get for their mercurial star.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have been stuck in Play-In purgatory for years. They refuse to bottom out and rebuild. They want to stay relevant and competitive, which gets them to a near .500 record year in and year out. What better way to take a big swing to get out of their mediocrity than trading for a two-time All-Star still in his prime?
Chicago has a big hole at power forward and have a ton of matching salary. The salaries of Zach Collins and Patrick Williams are enough to make a deal work for Williamson. It’s not the most exciting offer for the Pelicans, but some draft capital could be enough to make it worth their while. For the Bulls, acquiring Williamson without giving up a core piece of their future may be appealing.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are in the midst of a slow and patient rebuild. They don’t seem too interested in speeding up the process by bringing in a high-salaried All-Star that will get the ball out of the hands of their young playmakers. At the same time, they have plenty of matching salary that is not going to be a part of their future.
A deal involving Nic Claxton and Terance Mann allows them to bring in a high-end talent without sacrificing any of their assets and future flexibility. Building around Michael Porter Jr. and Zion Williamson for a year or two when neither player has too many years left on their contracts could be an interesting gamble. They could also try to revive Williamson’s trade value and move him again, which could make sense as a low-risk gamble.