Why Nets Could Realistically Land Zion Williamson in Trade With Pelicans

Before Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama, Zion Williamson was the generational talent penciled in as the first-overall pick before his freshman season at Duke had even concluded.

Six years later, things haven't quite gone the way most expected. Injuries have plagued Williamson's career thus far, but he's been a dominant force when able to stay on the court. His health issues have long been documented, but the New Orleans Pelicans mantain that he'll be the franchise's face going forward.

After firing GM David Griffin in May, New Orleans brought in Joe Dumars to become the new president of basketball operations, creating the narrative that the Pelicans could look to start over—dealing Williamson along the way. Dumars has since quieted this chatter, but one beatwriter believes the Brooklyn Nets could come up with a package enticing enough to pry Williamson away from the organization that drafted him.

Vishwesha Kumar of Fadeaway World proposed a mock deal in which the Nets trade two starters and two first-round draft picks to New Orleans in exchange for the 24-year-old forward. Kumar structures the deal as follows:

Brooklyn Nets Receive: Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Nicolas Claxton, Cameron Johnson, 2025 No. 19 pick, 2025 No. 26 pick

Kumar managed to put together a realistic transaction that truly does make sense for both sides. New Orleans gains two players who could be utilized in separate trades, while adding two late first-round draft choices this year. The Pelicans essentially commit to starting over and looking toward the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.

For Brooklyn, this accomplishes exactly what the Nets have wanted to do for months now—just at a much cheaper price. No, this is not comparing Williamson to Giannis Antetokounmpo, as the latter is a proven two-time MVP and NBA champion. However, the injuries leave good reason to believe Williamson has yet to reach his full potential, and could prove that if given a change of scenery.

This move would be well worth the risk, especially considering what Brooklyn would've had to wager for a player like Antetokounmpo. In this hypothetical scenario, Williamson joins the Nets' young core, perfectly fitting into the team's timeline while being allowed to blossom into the generational talent he was once thought to be.