Mar 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Zion Williamson to the Hornets? Charlotte should have zero interest in oft-injured star

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated May 25, 2025 1:07 PM ET

Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson has a crucial summer ahead of him. After finding out that the Hornets lost out on the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, the steps to get Charlotte out of the NBA's basement got a little tougher.

From now until the day the Hornets are on the clock, there will be a lot of speculation as to whether or not the Hornets will make the pick. If we're going purely based on how the team is currently constructed, Peterson will likely stay put and continue to build this thing through the draft.

At some point, though, the Hornets need to take the next step and become a perennial playoff team in the Eastern Conference. To do so, it may mean swinging a deal for a proven player who has been in the league for a handful of years.

Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate for the Hornets for quite some time, but it's way too big of a risk for the Hornets to take.

Charlotte has its own injury issues with key players such as LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams all missing significant time early in their respective careers. Not to mention key bench pieces like Tre Mann and Grant Williams. The last thing the Hornets need to do is add another injury-prone player to the roster. Zion has appeared in 30 or fewer games in four of his six seasons in the NBA. Betting on those injury issues to come to an end isn't very smart.

Secondly, you would essentially be trading for a less durable version of what you already have on the roster in Miles Bridges. Williamson has averaged 24.5 points and 6.6 rebounds over the last three seasons, while Bridges has posted 20.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Is it really worth the extra two buckets per game? Not really, especially when you know Bridges will give you 65+ games a season.

To swing a deal with New Orleans, the Hornets would have to trade away the No. 4 pick, possibly a future first, and two players. That's a massive haul for a guy who has an archetype similar to one of your most reliable players.