Faced with a potential franchise-altering decision of whether to keep or trade Zion Williamson, JJ Redick weighed in on what the Pelicans should do this offseason on Wednesday’s episode of First Take.
New Orleans has been heavily involved in trade rumors since reports surfaced that the organization has been attempting to move up into the top three of next week’s NBA draft, with eyes on G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on Get Up Wednesday the possibility that Williamson could be involved in a trade package around the draft.
Asked about the potential of moving Williamson or Brandon Ingram this offseason, Redick opined that the Pelicans would be better off holding onto what he referred to as a “generational talent” in Williamson and building around a current young core that also features the likes of Herb Jones and Trey Murphy.
“They are not that far away with a healthy Zion,” Redick said. “If I’m the Pelicans, I don’t understand the thought process of trading a generational talent in the hopes that you can get, potentially, another generational talent.”
.@jj_redick weighs in on Zion Williamson's future in New Orleans:
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 14, 2023
"[The Pelicans] are not that far away with a healthy Zion. He's that good. ... I think he's a generational talent when he's on the basketball court. ... If he's in shape, I'm not moving him." pic.twitter.com/LdTaxPrXV1
Of course, Williamson’s health has been a substantial issue since he entered the league. In the four years since he was drafted in 2019, Williamson has played in 114 of 308 possible games, and in the last two seasons has suited up for just 29 total games.
But, as Redick points out, the Pelicans were in the thick of the Western Conference race when Williamson went down, trailing the Nuggets by just one game at 23–14 before limping to a 19–26 mark the rest of the way. There’s a real case for running it back, allowing a young nucleus (four of New Orleans’ top six scorers last season were 25 or younger) and hoping for a breakthrough, just as the Nuggets did before finally getting one in 2023.
That plan does come with one big caveat: Williamson’s health. Redick believes the only reason to move him now is if he is still not back in shape after the hamstring injury that sidelined him for the second half of last season.
“He’s had five months since the initial injury, he’s had four months since the re-aggravation in early February,” Redick said. “As of right now, coming off a hamstring injury, he should be strong, he should be fit, he should be back on the court. And if you’re still not seeing that level of commitment, well yeah, at that point, you have to look at moving him.”
