NEW ORLEANS — In a surprising twist to start the NBA offseason, 2019 No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson is rumored to be available as the New Orleans Pelicans re-evaluate their core of players and pursue G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson at the top of the draft.
Locked On Pelicans host Jake Madison joined the Locked On Sports Today podcast to break down the Pelicans’ options and where they are headed this summer.
Most importantly, Madison noted, these rumors indicate Williamson is gettable.
“It shows you that he’s not necessarily an untradeable guy,” he said on the podcast. “It shows you he could be on the move, but this is not the Pelicans shopping him.”
While moving Williamson or his co-star Brandon Ingram are not a priority for New Orleans, they have begun to consider such a move because of how much they believe in Henderson’s ability to become a star in his own right.
“Early on the Pelicans identified they really liked Scoot Henderson in this draft,” Madison said. “They view him as a Russell Westbrook type of lead guard who can carry a team, lead a team.”
However, any move is unlikely. Shaking up a team’s foundation is never as simple as it seems, and the Pelicans have been highly competitive the past two seasons with even one of Williamson or Ingram healthy. If both return to the court, it’s easy to imagine a strong season.
But if the Pelicans are aggressive and pull off a trade, Ingram would be the most likely player to move.
“If I had to pick between the two, I think they’re leaning toward keeping Zion Williamson,” Madison said. “It’s more likely if a deal gets done that it would include Brandon Ingram.”