{"id":109713,"date":"2024-11-29T13:42:21","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T18:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=109713"},"modified":"2024-11-29T13:42:41","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T18:42:41","slug":"zion-williamson-hornets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/29\/zion-williamson-hornets\/","title":{"rendered":"Pelicans Star Brings Some “Showtime” Basketball to the Hornets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trade rumor season is here, offering fans of middling NBA franchises a glimmer of hope. One trade proposal, authored by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report<\/em><\/a>, envisions Zion Williamson<\/a> teaming up with LaMelo Ball<\/a> and Brandon Miller<\/a> on the Charlotte Hornets<\/a>. This deal could create a dynamic core for the future while giving the New Orleans Pelicans<\/a> a fresh start.<\/p>\n

Pelicans Star, Zion Williamson Brings Some “Showtime” Basketball to the Hornets<\/h2>\n

Trade Details<\/h3>\n

Charlotte Hornets receive<\/strong>: Zion Williamson<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans receive<\/strong>: Tidjane Sala\u00fcn<\/a>, Grant Williams<\/a>, Cody Martin<\/a>, Vasilije Mici\u0107<\/a>, a 2027 first-round pick (top-two protected, via DAL), a 2027 first-round pick (lottery-protected, via MIA), and a 2025 second-round pick (their own).<\/p>\n

Circumstances Surrounding the Trade<\/h3>\n

The Pelicans entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations. Their offseason included sacrificing<\/a> Dyson Daniels<\/a> and two first-round picks to acquire Dejounte Murray<\/a>. However, Murray\u2019s opening-night hand fracture<\/a> set the tone for a disappointing, injury-riddled<\/a> campaign. With the team buried<\/a> in the Western Conference standings, the Pelicans may need to reset their approach.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Hornets have shown flashes of competitiveness under new head coach Charles Lee.<\/a> Despite ranking 19th<\/a> in defensive rating, they play with identity and effort. Lee\u2019s influence is evident in their style, inspired by his time with the Boston Celtics<\/a>. Yet, their offensive struggles remain glaring.<\/p>\n

Why This Trade Works for the Hornets<\/h3>\n

The Hornets sit 26th<\/a> in offensive rating, averaging just 108.2<\/a> points per game. Their paint scoring is especially problematic, ranking second-worst in the NBA at 40.4<\/a> points per game. Zion could immediately fix this issue.<\/p>\n

Williamson thrives in the paint, attempting 980<\/a> shots from 8 feet or closer last season. He converted 60.1% of those attempts, a level of efficiency the Hornets desperately need. His presence would elevate their offense, particularly in close games.\u00a0The Hornets also provide the ideal environment for Williamson\u2019s game. They attempt<\/a> the second-most three-pointers in the league (44.4 per game), making 36.4% of them. This spacing would allow Williamson to dominate inside without facing constant double-teams.<\/p>\n

On the boards, the Hornets rank fifth in rebound percentage<\/a> (51.7), compensating for Williamson\u2019s underwhelming rebounding numbers. Even without<\/a> their top centers, Mark Williams<\/a> and Nick Richards<\/a>, they remain competitive on the glass.\u00a0LaMelo\u2019s passing brilliance would perfectly complement Williamson\u2019s skill set. Ball\u2019s pinpoint alley-oops to Miller have already wowed fans. Adding Williamson to the mix would create an electrifying trio, bringing excitement to a franchise long stuck in mediocrity.<\/p>\n

Why This Trade Works for the Pelicans<\/h3>\n

For the Pelicans, this trade could represent a clean break. Williamson\u2019s trade value has declined due to his injuries, but it remains high enough to fetch a strong return.<\/p>\n

The incoming package includes veterans and draft capital, which could be flipped for additional assets. This flexibility would allow the Pelicans to commit fully to a post-Zion retool. A poor season could position them for a top pick in the 2025 lottery<\/a>, potentially landing a franchise-altering prospect. By moving Williamson, the Pelicans could shed the uncertainty surrounding his health and focus on building a more reliable core.<\/p>\n

Zion Williamson Brings Excitement to the Tortured Hornets Franchise<\/h3>\n

This trade offers significant benefits for both teams. The Hornets would pair LaMelo with a legitimate co-star in Williamson, forming a high-ceiling trio with Miller. Williamson\u2019s paint dominance would address Charlotte\u2019s offensive woes, while Ball, Miller, and co. provide the necessary shooting and rebounding support.<\/p>\n

The Pelicans, on the other hand, gain flexibility and assets for a new era. While parting with Williamson is difficult, his persistent injuries<\/a> make a fresh start appealing.\u00a0If Williamson stays healthy, Charlotte could emerge as a legitimate contender. For fans tired of mediocrity, this trade would bring the excitement and energy the Hornets have long lacked. Eric Collins, the team\u2019s exuberant broadcaster, would surely thrive in the Williamson era. The risks are clear, especially considering Zion’s injury history, but the potential rewards make this deal an intriguing possibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trade rumor season is here, offering fans of middling NBA franchises a glimmer of hope. One trade proposal, authored by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, envisions Zion Williamson teaming up with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on the Charlotte Hornets. This deal could create a dynamic core for the future while giving the New Orleans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":109740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,7,33],"tags":[4731,49160,49781,1262,4605,1491,823,4044,1382,2978,49238,49356,1684],"class_list":["post-109713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-hornets","category-pelicans","tag-brandon-miller","tag-charles-lee","tag-cody-martin","tag-dejounte-murray","tag-dyson-daniels","tag-grant-williams","tag-lamelo-ball","tag-mark-williams","tag-nba-trade","tag-nick-richards","tag-tidjane-salaun","tag-vasilije-micic","tag-zion-williamson"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}