Subscribe
Follow Us
NBA fans have often debated who should have gone first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft between Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. Back in 2019, Williamson was taken with the number one pick by the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Memphis Grizzlies snagged Morant at pick two. At the time, Williamson was viewed as one of the greatest prospects of all time, but injuries have prevented him from reaching his fullest potential. Even so, the freakishly athletic power forward has been dominant on the offensive end when he has actually been on the court.
Morant, meanwhile, has been more reliable, and he even established himself as one of the best players in the NBA. The point guard from Murray State has been far from perfect, though. Morant has been suspended twice, and his production has been down over the last two seasons. Morant has picked up his play in recent months, but he has toed the line of getting in trouble yet again because of the gun/violence-related celebrations that he hasn't been able to stop doing.
Regardless of these two players' flaws, there is no denying just how talented they are, and considering that they will be forever connected because of the 2019 NBA Draft, it would be fun to see them play together. Changes are coming in Memphis because they fired their coach, Taylor Jenkins, and Williamson is one of the best players on the trading block this offseason. Perhaps the Grizzlies could make a move for Williamson to pair him up with Morant.
Grizzlies trade proposal for Zion Williamson
Grizzlies receive: Zion Williamson
Pelicans receive: Desmond Bane, 2027 first-round pick
The Grizzlies had a far-from-ordinary end to their regular season. Jenkins was fired late in the season because he reportedly lost the locker room and because the Grizzlies struggled against fellow playoff teams. They finished the season as the eighth-seed, so they will play the Golden State Warriors in the Play-in Tournament.
If the team continues to struggle, then personnel changes could be on the horizon this offseason. Morant averaged 26.2 points per game as recently as 2022-23, but he missed all but nine games due to injury and suspension last season, and his numbers regressed to 23.2 points per game this season. He struggled, especially as a shooter, for the first half of the season, and many believed after the Jenkins' firing that the Grizzlies may end up trading him.
Morant finished the season off strong, though, and now a Morant deal looks to be less likely. Williamson would be an interesting trade target to pair with the point guard, though, considering a move of some sort does seem inevitable in Memphis.
Morant is one of the most explosive players in the NBA. Pairing him with a fellow elite athlete like Williamson would be a scary thought for opposing defenses, few of which would have the personnel to slow the duo down. The former number one and number two overall draft selections would be particularly deadly in the pick and roll. If defenses focus on Morant, then Williamson would be there for the alley-oop, but if they take away Williamson, then Morant can finish on anybody in the painted area.
This deal would require the Grizzlies to part with Desmond Bane. Bane has been a great third option for the Grizzlies because he can scale up or down depending on who he is playing with, and his 3-point accuracy arguably compliments Morant's skillset better than anything Williamson does. However, trading Bane and only one first-round pick isn't bad when adding someone with as much potential as Williamson. After all, the Duke product has averaged 24.7 points per game for his career.
This is a high-risk, high-reward move for the Grizzlies. Williamson is the piece that could take the Grizzlies to the next level, but he nor Morant are the most reliable players. Memphis has regularly been near the top of the Western Conference standings in recent years, and this deal could blow up in the team's face. Williamson hasn't done much of anything to prove that he can play close to 82 games a season. Still, something might have to change in Memphis, and Williamson would certainly elevate that team's ceiling.
Should the Pelicans trade Zion Williamson?
The Pelicans' decision to draft Williamson first overall in 2019 was one of the most important decisions in franchise history. It was a no-brainer and a move that was supposed get the team to perennial contention status. Instead, it looks like a huge mistake.
In Williamson's six seasons, the Pelicans have only made the playoffs twice, and they lost in the first round during both occurrences. The team may finally be ready to cut their losses and move on from the once-promising prospect. As of now, the Pelicans have the fourth-best odds to land the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Those are even better odds than when they leapfrogged to the first pick in 2019.
The player at the top of this draft is Cooper Flagg, a power forward who plays the same position as Williamson. Flagg and Williamson happen to be two of the four freshmen who were named the college basketball national player of the year. If the team ends up with the first pick, then trading Williamson might become a necessity. Even if they don't get the first pick, Williamson's value is only going downhill. If they hold onto him, they risk him never becoming a reliable player despite the fact that they are paying him close to or more than $40 million per season for the next three years. A trade this offseason would still net a solid return.
Injuries haven't been the only issue with Williamson. He has also struggled with weight management and conditioning. At some point, the Pelicans will say enough is enough, and it is very possible that conclusion will come this offseason. While the trade return from the Grizzlies might appear a little underwhelming, Bane is an uber-reliable player who can fit with whoever the team adds to be the face of the franchise going forward. Considering the Grizzlies have had their own problems recently, adding a 2027 first-rounder from the team isn't a bad idea, either.
For the price that the Grizzlies are willing to offer in this deal, it probably makes more sense to hold onto Williamson and hope that he becomes a more reliable star. After all, he is still only 24 years old. Even so, Zion Williamson will be one of the most frequently talked about trade candidates this offseason.
