Zion Williamson is one of the most talented players in recent memory because he combines supreme explosiveness and power at 6'6" and over 280 lbs. A player at Zion's height normally doesn't weigh that much, but he brings a ton of bulk and power to his game which could be affecting his joints. Regardless, he is an excellent all-around player who made his second All-Star Team after averaging 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 4.6 APG on 60.8% shooting from the field. These are superstar numbers, and when healthy, Zion is a superstar player.
However, it seems that the 2019 No. 1 overall pick wants a trade out of New Orleans and the fact that his contract is no longer fully guaranteed means that a trade could be brewing. Williamson is only 22 years old yet has two All-Star Teams under his belt and a career average of 25.8 PPG and 7.0 RPG is certainly impressive. Unfortunately, Zion does not seem to be motivated to compete for the New Orleans Pelicans franchise, and the team could be looking for a way to get out from under the often-injured star forward.
There could be three surprising teams that could land Zion Williamson in a blockbuster trade. It is not often a 22-year-old superstar with elite impact ends up on the trading block, but the reality is that Williamson could be available for a trade before the 2023 NBA Draft. These three teams have a great chance to acquire one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history, and we could be seeing the powerful forward play for a new franchise next year.
Atlanta Hawks
The first major destination for Zion Williamson is Atlanta with the Hawks. The Hawks already have an All-Star point guard in Trae Young, but adding a superstar forward would take this team to the top while giving New Orleans a rebuilding roster.
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, No. 15 Overall Pick, 2024 First-Round Pick from Sacramento Kings
Atlanta Hawks: Zion Williamson
The Atlanta Hawks made the playoffs on the back of All-Star point guard Trae Young, who posted 26.2 PPG and 10.2 APG in the regular season. However, the Hawks did not have much of a chance against the favorite Boston Celtics, and they lost in the first round despite Young posting 29.2 PPG and 10.2 APG. Young is clearly a star on the offensive side of the court, but the Hawks need to give him a better teammate to actually create efficiently. Remember, the Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2020-21 season but have not built on that.
No doubt, a duo of Trae Young and Zion Williamson would be almost impossible to stop. Young has the range to hurt defenses (35.1% career 3-PT FG) but also the passing ability to feed Zion off the pick-n-roll. It will be picking your poison for defenses in terms of closing out on Young or protecting the rim against a rampant Williamson. There is no doubt that Young and Zion would create the best pick-n-roll duo in modern memory, possibly since John Stockton and Karl Malone.