The biggest decision for the Portland Trail Blazers head of the 2023 NBA Draft is not what they should do with the No. 3 pick, as face of the franchise Damian Lillard has all but given them an ultimatum ahead of his 12th NBA season.

Yet, while the Blazers have been willing to dangle the No. 3 pick in hopes of acquiring a star, opposing teams will have understandably been reluctant to surrender their marquee players just to help Dame and Portland. After all, many of those teams are hoping to win an NBA championship themselves, especially with there being more parity than ever; leveling a playing field that had become overweighed with superteams.

However, with the news that the New Orleans Pelicans have interest in acquiring the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, new possibilities have emerged. What the Pelicans are willing to surrender in order to acquire the pick is currently unknown.

Nonetheless, given the recent drama surrounding Zion Williamson and the Pelicans seeming as if they're no longer interested in mollycoddling the young star, the former first overall pick could theoretically be on the table given the timing.

If so, the Blazers will finally be in prime position to acquire the 22-year-old star.

The trade Pelicans must offer Blazers to get No. 3 pick

Blazers receive: Zion Williamson, future first-round pick (via Pelicans)

Pelicans receive: No. 2 pick, No. 3 pick, No.  23 pick

Hornets: Anfernee Simons, Herb Jones, No. 14 pick

Why the Blazers make the trade

As a team that needs to focus on the present moment, adding a superstar talent in Zion Williamson to a projected starting lineup of Damian Lillard, Jerami Grant, Jusuf Nurkic and Shaedon Sharpe allows the Portland Trail Blazers to make real noise in the Western Conference.

While the durability of Williamson will always be a concern, much like Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis or Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, the risk is worth the trouble. Especially with seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard basically letting them know he will ask for a trade if they keep the No. 3 pick and fail to put together a championship-roster.

One of the most dominant interior scorers the game has ever seen, Williamson averages 25.8 points per game over his career while shooting 60.5 percent from the field. However, Zion isn't just a one-trick pony, shooting 36.8 percent from 3-point range and averaging 4.6 assists per game last season.

A player of his caliber simply doesn't grow on trees. So, for as much talent as Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson and others may possess, Lillard and the Blazers will likely see a healthy Zion as the key piece to their championship puzzle.

I mean, can you imagine having to guard Dame from 30 feet out and Williamson from three feet in? Defenses would quite literally be stretched thin.

Why the Pelicans make the trade

In the case of the New Orleans Pelicans, winding up with the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 23 pick in exchange for Zion Williamson and defensive stud Herb Jones isn't a bad haul.

Especially as they would have six first round draft picks between the 2023 and 2024 NBA Draft. Even more so because Herb Jones is entering a contract year, not long after a more financially restricting CBA would leave the Pelicans with some difficult decisions to make.

That being said, there are two reasons that the Pelicans having the No. 2 and No. 3 pick matter.

The first of which is obvious. With those picks, New Orleans could build around wings CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram properly, likely adding G League Ignite standout Scoot Henderson in the process. With the No. 3 pick, the Pelicans could go any number of directions. However, Villanova forward Cam Whitmore could make the biggest impact as a scorer off the bench, helping New Orleans contend with the high-octane offenses dispersed throughout the league.

Especially if they surrender Jones, a superb defender that will difficult to replace. That being said, of the prospects that could play an important role defensively while raising the level of the offense, Whitmore may be the best may for the job.

Why the Hornets make the trade

Trading the No. 2 pick for Anfernee Simons, Herb Jones and the No. 14 pick is a great haul for a team in limbo. Especially if they're able to keep veteran guard Terry Rozier.

To keep it simple, the additions simply give them more flexibility than they would have had with the No. 2 pick, both now and in the future.

In the immediate future, veteran wing Kelly Oubre Jr. will enter free agency, and should have multiple suitors. Furthermore, just like with the New Orleans Pelicans, a more restrictive CBA will lead to difficult decisions for the Hornets. However, rather than with Jones, it'll be with restricted free agent Miles Bridges and impending free agent P.J. Washington. Jones could replace both or either as a starting forward, replacing them in their 3-and-D roles.

In the case of Simons, Charlotte acquires a player that's proven himself to be a more than capable scorer thanks to his craftiness and shooting touch. While his defense has left plenty to be desired, the Hornets will have retained the option of starting Rozier and bringing Simons off the bench. In either case, Charlotte will always have a backcourt threat.

Even still, with Simons listed at 6-foot-3, he could theoretically play in-between Rozier and face of the franchise LaMelo Ball and what would be a formidable three-man group offensively.

With the No. 14 pick, the Hornets will be in position to select a draft steal; a player that may have lottery talent but has yet to put the tools together, like South Carolina forward GG Jackson.