NBA insider Shams Charania recently reported that the Pelicans are going after Scoot Henderson, one the top three talents of this year’s NBA Draft which will take place next week. In order to get that kind of talent, New Orleans might need to include Zion Williamson in a trade.
According to another NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the teams around the league are watching closely if the 2019 number one overall pick is made available by the Pelicans.
“I think it’s fair to say based on my conversations there’s an eye being kept towards whether the Pelicans would make Zion Williamson available trying to get into that top top end of the draft,” Windhorst said on ESPN, via HoopsHype.
Windhorst adds that the current Williamson’s contract makes him an attractive trade target, considering his long history of injuries.
“The contract that he signed could potentially be viewed as an asset because it protects the Pelicans or whatever team inherits it from being stuck in a deal if he gets injured into a severe degree later on in his career,” he said. “But there is a robust conversation in the league right now about what Zion’s true value is at this point.”
This past season Williamson appeared in 29 regular season games for the Pels averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 33 minutes per game.
