As the No. 1 overall pick from the 2019 NBA draft, Zion Williamson is a supremely talented young player for the New Orleans Pelicans. Now 22 years old, Williamson averaged 26.0 points (60.8% FG, 36.8% on 3-pointers), 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game last season.
The problem, however, is durability. Based on a variety of injuries and health issues, the 22-year-old has played in less than 30 games during three of his four NBA seasons to date.
Despite those health concerns, Williamson’s trade value should still be high thanks to the combination of his age and the reality that he’s now under contract through the 2027-28 season, which represents an immense amount of club control. From the perspective of the Pelicans, that could make it an opportune time to sell high on Williamson, if they’re concerned about his future durability.
Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that New Orleans appears interested in trading up to No. 2 or No. 3 in the 2022 NBA draft to select Scoot Henderson, and he suggested that Williamson could potentially be a part of those discussions.
With that in mind, could the Rockets make a bid of their own involving the No. 4 pick? Rafael Barlowe, a longtime draft analyst and host of Locked On NBA Big Board, writes on his blog:
In my conversations, the name Zion Williamson has come up as a potential trade target for Houston. The Rockets hold the No. 4 pick in the draft, are already one of the youngest teams in the league and are potentially interested in moving the pick for a win-now player (or players).
New from @Barlowe500 this morning:
“The Rockets hold the No. 4 pick in the draft, are already one of the youngest teams in the league and are potentially interested in moving the pick for a win-now player (or players).
In my conversations, the name Zion Williamson has come up…
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) June 13, 2023
Assuming the Rockets are interested in gambling on Williamson’s health for the sake of his obvious talent, the question is whether Houston likes him enough to satisfy the demands of the Pelicans.
The No. 4 pick appears fairly likely to be Amen Thompson, who isn’t viewed quite as favorably as Henderson in the eyes of many draft evaluators. Thus, for New Orleans to take Thompson instead of Henderson, the Rockets would presumably have to incentivize them in other ways — i.e. by paying a premium on top of the No. 4 pick.
Would a future first-round draft pick be enough? Or would the Pelicans also demand a player from Houston’s existing young core of prospects like Jabari Smith Jr., Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Tari Eason? And would the Rockets agree to pay a premium of that extent, considering the obvious questions surrounding Williamson?
It’s at least possible and an interesting thought exercise, though the odds are inherently stacked against it coming to fruition. At a bare minimum, it’s a storyline to watch as the June 22 draft nears. With about $60 million in salary cap space this offseason, the Rockets do have the financial means to easily accept Williamson’s salary.
