Zion Williamson was already in the midst of a frustrating start to the season. After missing 52 games last season with hamstring and back injuries, Williamson began the 2025-26 season missing further time with more hamstring issues. Just as he made his comeback and played five of the last seven games, he was ruled out for an extended period of time with an adductor strain. He is set to be re-evaluated in three weeks, which generally means that it will be a little longer than that before he can return to action.
When Zion is ready to make his return, however, there is a good chance that it won’t be with the Pelicans. New Orleans is 3-19 and is already multiple games behind the second-worst team in the Western Conference. They are going nowhere and are in desperate need to kickstart the new era of Pelicans basketball. There is very little incentive for them to bring Williamson back, especially after eventually building more team chemistry without Zion under James Borrego. Is there really a point in taking the ball out of the hands of Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Trey Murphy to give it to Williamson, just so that the Pelicans can win 25 games instead of 20?
Trading Zion Williamson Will Send the Right Message to the Rest of the Pelicans
It behooves the Pelicans to look for ways to move Williamson between now and the trade deadline. It may be difficult to trade him while he is out with an injury but it wouldn’t be the first time an injured player gets traded. Teams share medical reports with other teams when engaging in trade discussions, anyway.
If the Pelicans can’t find Williamson a new home right away, they should still seriously consider not playing him even after his return. There may be an incentive to showcase him as a healthy, productive player before the deadline, but this carries a risk of further injury. Instead, the Pelicans should do everything in their power to move on from Williamson, almost regardless of the return package.
Having Williamson on the team prevents the Pelicans from fully embracing the new era. If you have Zion in the lineup, you have to give him the ball and feature him. It’s not like he is a good off-ball player and a defender who can elevate the team in a lesser role. To fully send the message to Fears, Queen, and Murphy that this is their team, the Pelicans should ensure that Williamson has played his final game in New Orleans.
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