Gilbert Arenas admits the New Orleans Pelicans need to take a different direction with Zion Williamson

Arenas believes the Pelicans should end the Williamson project

For the past six years, Williamson has been the Pelicans’ priority. They tried to work with Williamson and Brandon Ingram‘s partnership, but it did not work out. Now, Ingram is playing for the Toronto Raptors, a team that has been a welcome surprise in the 2025-26 season.

With Williamson continuing to struggle with injuries, it might be time for the Pelicans to treat him the same way as Ingram. Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas thinks it is the right time to cut ties with Williamson and find the best trade.

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Considering the Pelicans already have promising players, such as Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, and Trey Murphy III, it might be the best decision. It will be a complex decision, but Arenas and many members of the NBA community think it’s the right thing to do.

“We need to go in a different direction; we can’t put all of our resources around Zion anymore if he can’t be healthy. Obviously, you would love for him to be a part of this little trio that they have at the four or five, but you know, he just can’t stay healthy,” Arenas said on his Gil’s Arena show.

“If you can get something back for him that can add to your roster that can help them two (Queen and Fears) build on their confidence, build their game, you gotta make that. I mean, this is the time to do it because you got two guys who are future stars.”

The Pelicans still have a promising future without Williamson

Arenas raises a great point with the Pelicans’ draft picks from the 2025 Draft. Many scoffed at the idea of getting Queen because he was a costly selection. However, he has proven he can be a star in his rookie year with a tremendous feel for the game and a superb skill set.

Fears is another promising player with upside as a playmaker and scorer. The Pelicans see that potential, as he is already thriving as one of the top point guards on the roster. It is wise to build around the younger players, especially if they are as promising as Queen and Fears.

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In the long run, building around a one-two punch is better than relying on Williamson, who has a history of injuries. He is amazing when he is healthy, but that is rare for the Pelicans over the past six years.

Williamson’s longtime teammates, Herbert Jones and Murphy, are reliable enough to remain with the team for the long term. That does not rule out a potential trade that involves them, but the Pelicans might have a brighter future if they stick with what they have sans Williamson.