West Notes: Pelicans, Zion Williamson, LeBron James, Spurs, Warriors

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson leads ESPN’s projection of big names who could be the next to request a trade.

To be clear, there’s no indication Williamson is about to bolt. But his tenure in New Orleans has been rocky, and ESPN notes that his stay might have been extended only because of the front office shakeup that put Joe Dumars in charge of basketball operations over David Griffin.

If Williamson gets off to a healthy, dominant start, it is fair to wonder whether he eventually decides he wants out of a franchise that feels stuck in neutral.

LeBron noise has gone quiet: Remember when LeBron James’ camp rattled cages right after he exercised his $52.6 million player option? Since then, it has been crickets. ESPN notes that James and agent Rich Paul know how complicated any trade would be.

He’s 40 years old, the highest-paid player in the league, and holds the right to veto any deal. Even if there were a pathway, moving James would be as messy as it gets. For now, it’s all quiet in Los Angeles.

Spurs viewed as breakout candidate: ESPN has the Spurs pegged as the team most likely to make a leap. San Antonio hasn’t made the postseason since 2019, but after four straight years of top-10 draft picks, the roster looks ready to end that drought.

It starts with back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, now joined by No. 2 pick Dylan Harper. Add in veterans Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk, and coach Mitch Johnson suddenly has a mix of youth and experience that could finally put the Spurs back in the playoff mix.

Warriors expected to make a move: The Warriors top ESPN’s list of teams most likely to pull the trigger on a big trade before February.

As ESPN’s Anthony Slater writes, Golden State’s two-year, $45 million offer to Jonathan Kuminga looks like it was built with trade flexibility in mind. The franchise has been signaling all offseason that it expects to get something done at the deadline.

With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler all on the back nine, the Warriors are running out of time. If they want one more shot at contention, adding another veteran or two may be the only route left.

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