Zion Williamson homecoming: Should the Hornets pursue the Pelicans star this offseason?

The Charlotte Hornets have a predicament. Do they continue building up the current roster that centers around LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, and Miles Bridges? Or do they tear it down and start over with one or two of those players?

If they do the former, Zion Williamson is a name that has been connected to Charlotte for a while. He's from South Carolina and played at Duke, so there's a link.

Is that a good idea? Ultimately, it depends on how good this current roster can be. Sure, adding Williamson fills out the starting lineup and gives them, on paper, a quality five of Ball, Miller, Bridges, Williamson, and Williams.

The problem is that the current lineup, including the injured Miller, just hasn't looked very good. The Hornets didn't get much run out of the main starting five this year due to injuries, but they didn't inspire much hope when they were on the court together. Even four of the five together have just not produced much this season.

Jan 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looses the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Therefore, it's probably not a good idea to continue adding players. Williamson is a star and would raise their floor significantly, but he's also injury-prone and expensive. The Hornets should really be looking to the future, and while Williamson isn't old, he's a win-now addition, not a rebuilding addition.

It remains to be seen what the front office will do, but their trade deadline activities suggest that they're in rebuild mode, and adding Williamson isn't really aligned with that. If this team can be competitive with that lineup, it would be an excellent addition. They just can't seem to be competitive at all, and that's not a nucleus that's worth adding a star to.

Williamson would be a fantastic addition next to Ball. He's a perfect lob threat and a secondary facilitator. Unlike even Bridges and Miller, Williamson would certainly draw more defensive attention off of Ball.

However, that gives the Hornets two players making more than $35 million per season. A team projected to finish with at least the third-worst record in the NBA shouldn't really have that on its books.

Williamson is also under contract until the 2028-29 season, which means any trade would be costly. The Hornets need their assets, so they shouldn't send them to the Pelicans. A deal like that would probably entail parting with Williams or Miller as a young centerpiece as opposed to picks, but that's just not worth it.

The idea of pairing Williamson with Ball seems like a match made in heaven, but it wouldn't pan out like that given the cost, the timeline, and the fact that the Hornets need to tear down not build up right now.

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