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The New Orleans Pelicans missed out on the NBA Playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 21-61 record. Since then, rumors have swirled that the front office may opt to trade star power forward Zion Williamson. However, it sounds like Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars is humming a different tune.
Dumars claims that he read reports that he was given a mandate to trade the 24-year-old forward. The Pelicans' executive denied those reports with a simple comment, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic.
“I read that last week (that I was given a mandate to trade Zion Williamson). If I did, nobody told me.”
The Pelicans may or may not trade Williamson this coming offseason. But the team needs to make some changes. New Orleans has only made three playoff appearances in the past 10 seasons, with two of them coming in the past four.
It also doesn't help that Williamson has played minimal games throughout most of his career due to injury. Despite averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 56.7% from the field and 65.6% from the free throw line, the two-time All-Star only participated in 30 contests for the Pelicans this season.
To make matters worse, Williamson has played in 30 games or fewer in three of the five seasons he has played. He missed the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign due to injury. When it comes down to it, he just isn't playing enough games. But when healthy, Williamson is one of the more dominant forwards in the NBA.
The Pelicans traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors ahead of the trade deadline, who also dealt with injuries of his own in 2024. Joe Dumars and general manager Bryson Graham certainly could make some trades this coming offseason. It may depend on how the NBA Draft Lottery shakes out. The Pelicans are projected to own the No. 4 overall pick in what is supposed to be a loaded 2025 class.
