NBA Trade Rumors Heating Up As Zion Williamson Looks To Be Staying In New Orleans

NBA trade rumors are heating up as the NBA Finals are progressing, which means teams are planning for what they want to do in the offseason.

One team that really needs to evaluate its team is the New Orleans Pelicans, due to them having a 21-61 record last year after having not just playoff aspirations but championship aspirations, as last year they went 49-33 and made the playoffs as the eight seed and loss in the first round to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are now going to the NBA Finals.

Before the start of this season, they traded for star guard Dejounte Murray. With Murray, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans were looking to improve on their 2023-2024 season.

After many injuries to Murray and Williamson, the Pelicans traded Ingram at the trade deadline to the Toronto Raptors, and the Pelicans finished their season in disappointment.

It looks like the Pelicans plan to keep Williamson as an integral piece to build around, as he was the Pelicans’ on-stage representative for the NBA Draft Lottery. Teams don’t send players they are about to trade to represent their franchise for something that is important for the building process of their team. Will Guillory of The Athletic has been hearing Williamson will stay put this summer.

“All parties feel pretty good about where things stand with the Pelicans-Williamson marriage heading into the season,” Guillory said.

Williamson has had numerous health issues that have allowed him to play only 30 games this year, but when he is on the court, he puts up monstrous numbers. Williamson averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game when he was healthy. The Pelicans are hoping Williamson can play more than 60 games this season, which would make the front office look like geniuses for keeping him as the primary building block of the franchise.