NBA Trade Proposal Pairs Zion Williamson With $197 Million Star

One NBA trade would pair former AAU teammates as future teammates on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Nov 25, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) talk during free throws during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

After a horrific 21-61 year for the New Orleans Pelicans, the organization made immediate changes to the front office, firing former executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin just one day after the season ended. He was replaced by former Detroit Pistons executive Joe Dumars, who was largely responsible for dominant Pistons' teams from the early 2000s.

Dumars must now improve a roster that features an often-injured Zion Williamson, who again spent more time on the sidelines than on the court last season. Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley recently published a trade proposal to pair Williamson with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant in New Orleans to form a dynamic duo.

Ja and Zion share a moment before Grizzlies-Pels game 🤝 pic.twitter.com/yn2li1LX3b

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 20, 2023

Buckley's trade proposal sends Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, and a 2026 first-round draft pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for the two-time all-star. Memphis has contended they have no intention of trading Morant, but the league just saw former Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, so anything is possible. The article highlights why a deal makes sense for the Pelicans.

"While New Orleans could probably be talked into trading Zion Williamson at the right price, the Pels still seem intrigued by his what-if possibilities should he ever manage to avoid the injury bug. And if they ever coax a healthy campaign out of him, they have to make the most of it. So, why not lean even more into these boom-or-bust hopes by reuniting Williamson with his old AAU teammate?"

Dec 26, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during overtime at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

"If they could just stay upright, they'd destroy defenses in transition and overpower them on pick-and-rolls. There is legitimate three-headed-monster potential with those two and Trey Murphy III, plus New Orleans would still have a solid supporting cast around it."

Morant and Williamson will forever be linked after being drafted No. 1 and No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft. The duo were formerly AAU teammates in South Carolina and have always maintained mutual respect for each other on and off the court.

Injuries have derailed both players' careers up to this point, but if both could stay healthy, they would cause tremendous damage to opposing defenses in the NBA. In fact, the oddsmakers trends would lead heavily to the Pelicans being a contender in the Western Conference with that duo.

Zion went through Ja like a knife through hot butter pic.twitter.com/8KXPlndXJv

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 4, 2020

Memphis finished the year as the eighth seed in the Western Conference but was swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Morant was injured in that series and missed the final game of the series loss.

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