Should the Pelicans Trade Zion Williamson?

Time to Rebuild for NOLA

What to do if you’re the New Orleans Pelicans? One of the biggest disappointments of the 2024-25 season, NOLA ended March with a record of 21-54 through 75 NBA games and missed its fifth NBA postseason in the last seven. This after a 49-win season in 2024-25.

Enter the case of Zion Williamson, who was selected first overall out of Duke in 2019. He was supposed to join CJ McCollum as cornerstones of the franchise. It’s not been easy in the Big Easy with Williamson, both oft-injured and oft-chunky during his career. 

NOLA hasn’t won a postseason series since the arrival of Williamson.

As of this writing at the beginning of April, Williamson was ruled out over the season’s final month, shut down with a bone contusion in his lower back. He hadn’t played since mid-March.

With injuries to his right knee, right foot, and right hand, Williamson hasn’t appeared in as many as 71 games in any of his six seasons, having missed all of 2021-22 after surgery on his foot.

To put it another way, he has played in at least 30 games in an NBA schedule just twice as a pro.

When the Pelicans have the 6-foot-6, paint-filing 24-year-old (25 in July) Williamson on the floor, he has averaged between 22½ and 27 points per game (while shooting nearly 59 percent) each season. So, the stats and the did not plays (DNP’s) are both there in abundance.

Williamson is in the midst of a five-year, close to $200 million pact signed in 2022, with no guarantees on the back end (beginning in ‘25-’26) due to those aforementioned injury, appetite, and punctuality issues. There’s also the matter of his inclination to stay right where he is.

Whether Williamson remains in the Crescent City next season is not certain, as there are suitors (Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Portland Trail Blazers, reportedly, among them) who might take both him and his maladies, too.

What Is the NBA Season?

Perhaps the best way to describe the NBA season is a grind. Despite the fat salaries, charter flights, and first-class hotels, there’s still an 82-game regular season that traverses the United States (and Toronto) beginning in late October. Come mid-April, 20 of the league’s 30 teams begin the NBA playoffs, with “bottom-feeding” qualifiers starting with a play-in round.

Once the playoffs start in earnest, it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder (+175) and defending champion Boston Celtics (+185) as clear favorites to win the title, according to NBA betting odds. Note that these numbers are fluids, so check the board before making any wagers.

Where Is Game 7 Played in the NBA? 

While the 82 NBA games during the regular season are equally divided between playing at home and on the road, the postseason is a different animal. Once past the play-in round, each of the full series is best-of-7.

Since the victor gets the spoils, it’s the higher-seeded (better record) team getting home-court advantage in any series. Hence, any seventh and deciding game is hosted by that club.

Does BetUS Offer Constant Updates on NBA Games Odds?

NBA picks and predictions include a plethora of props on which to wager, led by “who is going to win the next title?”

That’s the tunnel vision of players, coaches, fans, and bettors at the start of the playoffs, but not a concern of anyone associated with the New Orleans Pelicans.

As was mentioned, it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder (+175) and Boston Celtics (+185) as clear favorites among NBA games’ betting odds to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy as champions of the league. The only other team under double figures was the 5-1 (+500) Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Remember (again) the odds are fluid both through the mid-April end of the regular season and through the rounds of the postseason, so don’t forget to check before making any wagers.

Any Final Thoughts?

NBA news as well as NBA rumors have involved Zion Williamson and his possible change of venue ahead of next season. It’s not farfetched to link the Pels draft to whether Williamson is available, but don’t dismiss the scenario out of hand.