Should the Atlanta Hawks pursue a trade for Zion Williamson?: Would be less than favorable from the Pelicans point of view
Perhaps the obvious question is what motivation the Pels would have to sign off on such a franchise-altering move. This is especially true so soon after moving on from Davis and seeing how that turned out. Watching the player you featured for seven seasons win a ring in his first year away can’t leave a good taste behind.
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The trade of Buddy Hield for Demarcus Cousins, which preceded the Davis move, looked promising but ultimately yielded no fruit either.
Now, after they were thought of as one of the up-and-coming rosters just a year ago, the sting of failing to make the postseason has turned up the heat on New Orleans. What they do next is huge for the future of this franchise.
But they’re trying to win now.
Moving Zion avoids any potential ugliness from delaying a move if that is truly what he wants.
But, for all that he can do, Collins is nowhere near the draw that Williamson is. That has to be a big factor in any decision to trade him or not because players with his kind of star power don’t come around often.
Without him, the Hawks would (again, presumably) be sending the 20th pick in this year’s NBA Draft and, since teams can’t trade first-round picks in consecutive years, a ‘23 first along with a first from OKC in ‘22.
Is that enough to sweeten the pot that they’d take back a couple of the Hawks young pieces not named Collins?
Swapping Capela for Adams certainly doesn’t seem like enough to alter any decision.
And with all the other uncertainty facing this organization at the moment, having a bonafide seat-filler in Williamson is a guaranteed selling point. Because in case we’ve all forgotten, they’re still looking for a replacement for Van Gundy.
Ultimately, all of that could be what pushes Williamson right on out of the door and into a team (let’s say the Hawks) arms. Though another team offering more is more likely.