The best landing spots for New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson continues to have lumpy NBA career.

Injuries continue to hamper Williamson’s career, as he played in just 191 of a possible 482 regular season games. On the other hand, Williamson, a two-time All-Star who is averaging 24.6 points per game in his career, is a force to be reckoned with off the dribble, can play in isolation, sky above the rim and is one of the more aggressive players in the league. . Meanwhile, the Pelicans (7-31) have the worst record in the Western Conference.

Now could be the time for the Pelicans to entertain a move for the still-24-year-old Williamson, who recently returned from a hamstring injury and is in the second season of a five-year, $197 million deal.

Here are the top three trade destinations for Williamson.

3. Portland Trail Blazers

It’s been an uphill battle for the Trail Blazers, who are a combined 94-188 over the past four seasons. While they have some building blocks, Portland’s entrenched rebuild needs a boost, which Williamson would provide.

Shaedon Sharpe becomes the driving force; Scott Henderson has the tools to be a tantalizing offensive player; beginner center Donovan Clingan can be a physical force in color at both ends of the floor. If Williamson joins the game, he becomes head coach Chauncey Billups’ leading scorer.

Williamson gives Portland a player that opposing teams must game plan for, given the variety of ways he can score. The former No. 1 overall pick can also re-establish himself on a team in need of an identity and one that doesn’t necessarily have a franchise player — yet. Williamson, who gets most of the attention, takes the pressure off Sharpe and Henderson, who, among others, primarily comes off the bench.

Portland could send Deandre Ayton, Chris Murray and a future first round draft pick to New Orleans for Williamson. The Pelicans get a new starting center in Ayton and a skill player in Murray, while the Trail Blazers tighten up their starting five.

All that said, Portland could instead opt to see Ayton and Klingan play out the season and make a key decision about their frontcourt after a larger sample.

2. Detroit Clips

JBC Bickerstaff took the Pistons from the worst team in the NBA to a legitimate playoff contender in one year. Detroit is on the right track, but Williamson could catapult it right away.

Cade Cunningham has continued to improve and has a case for being an All-Star this season; Poor Ivey was more efficient, shooting 46.0/40.9/73.3; Jalen Duren is an immovable object in the paint. Williamson adds another dynamic scoring option to the mix for the Pistons.

While Cunningham likely remains the focal point of Detroit’s offense, given both his scoring and ball-handling prowess, Williamson is an equal-scoring threat that could create a powerful one-two punch. Both Cunningham and Williamson can score off the dribble, in isolation and occasionally from distance.

Detroit has a blossoming core, but Williamson could be the player that makes up a credible core that becomes a conference contender over the next two years. Stir in the improved Ivey, Ausar Thompson and veterans like Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., and the Pistons have something cooking in the oven.

Detroit could send Isaiah Stewart, Tobias Harrishis first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 and a pair of second-rounders to New Orleans for Williamson. The Pelicans potentially get their new starting center in Stewart and regain future draft capital, while the Pistons upgrade and balance the top of their frontcourt rotation and keep most of their young core.

Still, Detroit might prefer to use its current roster, keep the good vibes going and evaluate an emergency trade in the offseason.

1. Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are 8-27, on pace to finish with less than 30 wins for the third straight season and have just one winning season in their last nine if they finish with a loss this season. Robert California once explained to his future Dunder Mifflin subordinates that it was a matter of the object, not the steamroller, whether it would be flattened. Time for the Hornets to stop messing around and play for Williamson.

Injuries are still limited LaMelo Ballbut, when healthy, he is one of the top scorers in the NBA, averaging 29.9 points per game this season. Brandon Miller is a well-rounded scorer with the shot, size and speed to be a future All-Star. Mark Williams is an underrated and respectable NBA center. But the proof is in the pudding with the Hornets: more is needed.

Williamson gives the Hornets a third player who can drop 30 points on a nightly basis while boosting them in the paint. The ball wouldn’t have to hero play the ball from distance as much, because there would be another proven scorer to rely on. Meanwhile, Ball and Williamson co-creating Charlotte’s offense would take attention away from Miller, who can continue to thrive in a supporting role. Furthermore, the Hornets enter Thursday 29th in the NBA in scoring (106.1 points per game). Williamson’s arrival changes that figure.

Charlotte could send Grant Williams, Nick Richards, Josh Green and his first rounder to New Orleans for Williamson in 2027. The Pelicans get two starter-caliber players in Williams and Richards, a quality scorer in Green and an unprotected first-rounder in the near future.

Any team trading for Williamson is taking a huge risk, but the Hornets have to make a shot at some point. They have therefore a lot of young players and a healthy arsenal of draft picks, which at some point is simply redundant when the roster is loaded with former first-rounders.

At worst, the Hornets fail to climb the Eastern Conference ladder and try to trade Ball and Williamson for a high draft pick in two years. Or, that’s the worst case scenario actually just rotting at the bottom of the conference and doing nothing about it?

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