The New Orleans Pelicans are rumored to be interested in trading for the No. 2 or No. 3 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. New Orleans reportedly would like to draft Scoot Henderson, which explains their interest in acquiring one of the two picks. Trading for either pick would be a steep price though. Some have wondered whether or not the Pelicans would trade Zion Williamson to a team like the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 3 overall selection.

However, we are going to take a look at why Portland must not trade the No. 3 overall pick in the draft for Williamson.

Zion Williamson's injury history

Zion Williamson is a good player. He has the ceiling to be an NBA superstar. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game though, and they've played a major role in Williamson's career so far.

It needs to be remembered that he's still just 22-years old. There's plenty of time for him to work hard and potentially limit his injuries moving forward. That said, it is concerning that such a young player has already missed a significant amount of time due to injures. The Blazers would be risking the entire future of their franchise by making this trade.

Throughout Williamson's four NBA seasons, he's appeared in more than 60 games once, coming during the 2020-21 season. In 2019-20, he played in 24 games. Following the aforementioned 2020-21 season, he missed all of 2021-22 with an injury. Williamson returned to play 29 games during the 2022-23 campaign before being forced to miss more time.

Again, we aren't blaming Williamson for any of this. But the Blazers need to be honest about the situation and realize the amount of risk involved. If they opt to keep the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft, they will be guaranteed a chance to select either Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson, both of whom feature high-ceilings.

Dame and Zion… is it enough?

Even if the Blazers traded for Zion Williamson and paired him with Damian Lillard, would it be enough for Portland to compete for a championship in the West?

Related Portland Trail Blazers NewsArticle continues below
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) moves the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first half at United Center.
Nike’s Phil Knight gives final word on possibly buying Blazers’ franchise
Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) shoots a jump shot during the second half against the Golden State Warriors at Moda Center.
Blazers rumors: Portland to explore Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant trade markets

Lillard is facing trade rumors of his own. Assuming Portland would keep him in the event of a Williamson trade, the Blazers would instantly become playoff contenders. However, they still likely wouldn't be able to keep pace with teams like the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference.

Williamson's presence could lead to other players being interested in joining the Blazers. Portland could possibly build a championship contender within the next few years. But Lillard is going to turn 33-years old prior to the 2023-24 season. Although he hasn't shown signs of slowing down, decline is something to monitor.

Overall, a Lillard-Williamson duo just doesn't seem like the best idea for the Blazers right now.

Blazers No. 3 pick potential

As discussed earlier, drafting either Henderson or Miller would be a win for Portland. No, they aren't going to get the opportunity to select Victor Wembanyama. Nevertheless, landing Henderson or Miller would give the Blazers an exciting core of players. Portland's No. 3 pick would join Anfernee Simons as the future of the Blazers. Learning from Damian Lillard is something that can't be ignored either.

Every draft pick comes with a decent amount of risk. However, it can certainly be argued that selecting a player in this year's draft is a much safer option than trading for Zion Williamson.