NBA rumors: Pelicans 'highly unlikely' to trade Zion Williamson
01/03/2025 01:50 PM
Zion Williamson has not played a game for the New Orleans Pelicans since the beginning of November after suffering a hamstring injury. With the constant injury problems with Williamson continuing through his career, there had been rumors that the Pelicans may be looking to trade him, but it’s unlikely that they’ll happen, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
“Amid rapid speculation that the Pelicans may finally put an end to their constant struggle with Williamson, that doesn’t appear to be the case inching closer to February,” Siegel wrote. “Zion remains one of the faces of this organization, and the Pelicans still believe that he is one of their best chances of finding success on the court as long as he can remain healthy. That has been the problem through the years, which is why Williamson’s contract is structured the way it is with certain team opt-out clauses.
“Unless they are blown away by a trade package that comes their way for him, which is highly unlikely at this juncture, Williamson will remain in New Orleans through the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, sources said. The Pelicans are not going to be looking to dump Williamson for a low price, and they haven’t given any indications to rival teams that they would seriously entertain the idea of moving Zion before the trade deadline.”
Williamson has shown that when he’s on the floor, he can take over a game by himself, the only problem is staying healthy. It’s obvious that the Pelicans believe in him, and they’re going to continue to try and keep him a part of the team’s future.
Zion Williamson close to returning to court
Zion Williamson seems close to returning to playing after he was recently seen in practice getting some work in. The Pelicans have been dealing with injuries all season, and he’s not the only player who has been working to get back on the floor. Brandom Ingram has been out since the start of December with an ankle injury, and the hope is that he’ll be back soon as well.
Williamson has only played in six games this season and averaged 22.7 points per contest. When he’s on the floor, he impacts the game with the work he does in the paint with his physicality. Injuries have truly held him back from showing what he can do consistently, and hopefully, when he comes back, he can stay healthy for the remainder of the season.
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