New Orleans Pelicans fans are no strangers to seeing Zion Williamson involved in trade rumors, and that won't change any time soon, but people may be forgetting just what the star is actually worth.
Williamson, despite his vast injury issues, is one of the top pure talents that basketball has to offer. He's getting paid like it, too. The Pelicans won't be letting him go unless it is the best of the best on the table.
Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World floated a potential trade with the Los Angeles Lakers that would be near disaster levels for New Orleans.
This projected deal would see the Pelicans send Williamson to the Lakers in exchange for Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2031 fist round pick.
That is the type of return the Pelicans would get two years from now if Williamson is already a completely lost cause. Los Angeles may have been able to steal a superstar from the Dallas Mavericks, but not every front office will fall for it.
There have been criticisms to have about what new president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has done since come to New Orleans, but one thing is clear. He is being aggressive in trying to win now.
Hachimura would be the best player coming back to the Pelicans in this trade. He hasn't been the picture perfect example of health throughout his career either. It may not be to the extreme of Williamson, but he has only missed less than 20 games twice in his six years.
The 27-year-old has turned his career around with the Lakers, but not enough to interest New Orleans right now. Hachimura averaged 13.1 points per game, five rebounds and 1.4 assists. He's not a volume three-point shooter, but chooses his shots well.
There is room for Hachimura on winning teams, but not with the Pelicans right now, especially after losing Williamson.
Vanderbilt is almost a defense-only pickup by now. He averaged 4.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 16 minutes per game last year. He has also been dealing with injuries.
A 2031 first rounder is what a team would want from Los Angeles right now, but even their future seems solid with Luka Doncic in town.
While Williamson may be moved this season, it would only be in a deal that brings in another potential franchise cornerstone. Dumars has already traded away the 2026 first round pick, unprotected, so tanking makes zero sense for this year's New Orleans squad.