If the Warriors want a young superstar to pair with Steph Curry, Zion Williamson may be the best option.
The Golden State Warriors current roster sure looks far from title contention. With the trade deadline right around the corner, speculation about the next trade the Dubs front office could make is at an all-time high. Warriors’ brass has rightfully faced criticism for an extremely hesitant approach that has kept them from parting with valuable young pieces until they have lost most of their value. However, their patience could be rewarded if a recent report by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks speculating about the future of New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson’s future comes to fruition.
According to MacMahon and Marks, “Williamson and the Pelicans could be approaching a crossroads.” Williamson has been sidelined for most of the season and New Orleans has floundered to a league-worst 5-28 record. Per the report, though, the Pelicans are hoping to get Williamson back on the floor soon with hopes to “‘ramp him up and create value for him,’ a source said, ‘whether that’s with the Pelicans or another team.’”
If the Pelicans do decide to shop Williamson, Marks and MacMahon listed two teams that came up in conversations with league executives: the Warriors and Chicago Bulls. While the Bulls are in a very different position, a general manager wondered if Zach LaVine could be an intriguing enough piece to get New Orleans to pull the trigger on a swap. It’s worth noting that the execs MacMahon and Marks talked to seemed skeptical that New Orleans would want to make that deal.
“ESPN talked to two team executives at the recent G-League showcase in Orlando and both pointed to Golden State as a logical fit for Williamson,” wrote MacMahon and Marks.
Unlike Chicago, the Warriors have several avenues to a potential package. The Warriors have roughly $40 million in expiring contracts, which could match Williamson’s salary and give New Orleans long-term salary flexibility. They also have three tradeable future first-round picks and valuable young players like Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
While it seem less likely that the Warriors would be interested in parting with Andrew Wiggins or that the Pelicans would be interested in Wiggins’ sizable contract, it’s worth noting that his deal does create a more simplified path to a potential salary-matching trade as well.
It’s no secret that betting the Warriors short and long-term future on Williamson would come with significant risk. Williamson has put up incredible numbers, averaging 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steal per game, and clearly been an impact player when healthy. However, the 24-year old has only appeared in at least 30 games in a season just twice in his six-year career.
Given Williamson’s unique situation, execs did speculate that the best offer the Pelicans would get would actually come from a rebuilding team hoping to jumpstart their contention window by betting on Williamson. Still, it’s hard to imagine a team without proven talent betting their presumably top draft picks on that. If Williamson ends up on the block, the Warriors seem like the team that should be the most desperate and should have several avenues to getting a deal done.