Zion Williamson Doing Wonders for His Trade Value With Recent Form

The New Orleans Pelicans star looks as athletic as he has been in years.

Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Lost in the disastrous New Orleans Pelicans season has been Zion Williamson's impressive physical and athletic transformation. Because the team has not been winning too many games, what Williamson has been doing has largely gone under the radar. For those paying attention, however, the 25-year-old power forward is looking more explosive than he has looked in years, creating a fascinating dilemma for the Pelicans ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.

Williamson's highlight reel in Sunday's win over the Spurs is proof that he is back. His chasedown block against De'Aaron Fox in the first half, bullyball finishes over Victor Wembanyama, and transition dunk in traffic in the fourth quarter were all vintage Zion Williamson plays. He went on to finish the game with 23 points, ten rebounds, four assists, and a block, and the Pels won his minutes by 17 points.

Zion Williamson 24 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 1 BLK, 10/18 FG, 4/5 FT, 59.4% TS vs Spurs https://t.co/UVqPAyzkDc pic.twitter.com/N5i48ylkpV

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) January 26, 2026

Pelicans Must Consider Selling High on Zion Williamson

Not only does Williamson look almost as athletic as ever in recent weeks, but he has also been consistently healthy. After returning early from his adductor strain in December, Williamson hasn't missed a single game, playing in 21 straight games. Having suited up in 32 games this season, he has already surpassed last year's total.

After seemingly having lost a step in the last few seasons, Williamson is clearly feeling better physically, attacking the basket and putting pressure on defenses with his relentless driving. As a result, he is taking 70% of his shots at the rim, up from 60% last season, and making 67% of his rim attempts, per Cleaning the Glass. This percentage is as high as his second season in the league when he became an All-Star. He is also averaging a career-high free-throw attempt rate with 56.6%, showing how difficult it has been to stop him.

This obviously changes the calculation ahead of the trade deadline. The Pelicans have reportedly not been too interested in moving Zion Williamson, but he is rumored to have a few suitors around the league, including the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. This recent stretch of availability and high-level production should increase the return in the trade packages for the Pelicans. If the price goes up to multiple first-round picks, the Pelicans will find it hard to turn it down, considering where they are as a franchise.

Trading Zion Williamson while he is looking as good as he has in recent years is certainly not an easy decision. Yet, rebuilding teams like the Pelicans have to make uncomfortable decisions for the future of the organization. Selling high on Williamson may be risky, but the Pelicans may have to take advantage of the recent stretch and make the tough decision.