New Orleans Pelicans Boss Hints At Zion Williamson Still Being Open For Trade

Just to get out of the way: the odds that the New Orleans Pelicans trade Zion Williamson this offseason aren't particularly high, but they also aren't zero.

As the New Orleans Pelicans introduced new head coach Jamahl Mosley on Tuesday, it gave local media a chance to catch up with president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.

Per usual, it didn't take too long for the topic of Zion Williamson to come up. Trade talks will always be persistent, even if the 

"We haven't changed our opinion on Zion. I'd love to see Jamahl coach Zion. I'd love to see him get Zion to defend, and let's see what we have here," said Dumars.

That statement alone doesn't exactly scream "we're going to trade him right now," but it also doesn't necessarily rule it out.

The phrasing of "I'd love to see Jamahl coach Zion" is interesting. Mosley is the coach, so all that would have to happen is for nothing to change. However, Dumars was also adamant that the Pelicans are going to be willing to listen to anyone who might be interested in the star.

He was also asked about playing Williamson and Queen together, as they seems fairly unavoidable in the way that this team is being built. The early numbers weren't great together, but Dumars has also been adamant that the sample size of data wasn't enough to make a final ruling on if they can play together.

"You have to let it play out and we'll let it play out some here, but I'm just open to whatever comes. Whatever call comes in. I'm not dogmatic to the point where we can't talk about it," said the PBO.

He also reiterated that after a season where they won just 26 games, they'd be foolish to rule anything out.

As of where things currently stand, it would be a massive shock to see Williamson moved before the season begins. However, should things not go smoothly out of the gate, New Orleans will not shy away from shopping him around.

Heading into his eighth season as a member of the Pelicans, this appears as though it could actually be his last chance to make it stick. 

The 25-year-old made a ton of strides last season in his off-the-court approach to help him stay on the floor longer. His actual game, though, has yet to really expand.

Seeing him continue this recent trend of staying healthy and playing through smaller issues, while also finally expanding his offensive bag, would go a long way in earning him an extension in New Orleans. If things revert again, then he'll likely be moved.