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The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of another potentially painful situation. After dealing with Anthony Davis throughout 2019 and eventually trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Pelicans now could face a similar situation with Zion Williamson. After his first full season, playing 61 games, Williamson is yet to feature this season. His reluctance to initially reach out to CJ McCollum earned him the criticism of former teammate JJ Redick. As the situation progresses forward, the Pelicans might be forced to cut their losses and trade the big man. In such a situation, one team that could be very interested would definitely be the Sacramento Kings. Here are two reasons why the Kings must trade for Zion Williamson this offseason.
Kings Zion Williamson Trade Breakdown
Getting out of the reputation of NBA's laughing stock
The NBA has 30 franchises and most go through periods of success and failure. Yet, one that is almost synonymous with failure and instability is the Sacramento Kings. They did have some good periods, especially around the mid-2000s, but they have been abysmal since. Constant coaching changes, roster overhauls, and losing seasons earned the Kings the reputation of NBA's laughing stock. If they want to turn this around, they need to pounce on the opportunity to get Zion Williamson in a trade, should he become available.
The Kings are not in a good place with their roster right now, although they do have some pieces that are worth looking over. De'Aaron Fox is still a borderline All-Star when hyped up to play, Davion Mitchell looks like the real deal, while the newest acquisition Domantas Sabonis is a former two-time All-Star that can be an elite player at times. However, the Kings are still not considered close to the level of other NBA franchises, especially in the Western Conference. This season could have been a chance to really attack the postseason, with the Lakers and Clippers crippled by injuries, but the Kings are 12th in the conference with a 22-40 record.
They also do not have any vision towards the future, or it seems so when looking over their situation. They fired Luke Walton after a 6-11 start and their new coach Alvin Gentry has joined former Kings player Tristan Thompson in criticisms of the franchise and the roster. The Kings cannot have long-term stability in these conditions, but just like in any other sport, getting a marquee player changes the situation dramatically and it is a quick fix.
With all due respect to the duo of Fox and Sabonis, neither are on the level of Zion Williamson. Williamson would bring positive attention, something the Kings need more than anything in the world. It would help regain some stability, as Williamson is a young player that is expected to remain there long-term, as no team would trade for a player who is unwilling to be there. The Kings cannot get a player of his magnitude in free agency and there could be no player of Williamson's skill level and potential available for trade in the near future. Getting Williamson, if he is available, would be the best fix for Kings' troubles right now and in the future.
Potential of very exciting basketball
The basketball world that closely follows the Kings was baffled when the team brought in Sabonis. This was mostly because they gave the Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton, a player widely expected to be the future of the franchise. However, one more reason to be baffled by the decision was that Sabonis is an old school big. Most of his points come from moves in the paint, where he would take the ball and burn a ton of the clock establishing himself in the middle. Of course, this is a good strategy, but it is not in line with the skillset of Fox, the presumed cornerstone of the franchise.
Fox is a fast-paced, explosive guard who is best in the open floor. If given a chance to run, Fox can get a ton of points up by blistering cuts and slashes to the basket. That does not work, in theory, with Sabonis for two reasons. If the Kings are playing fast basketball, Sabonis cannot keep up, he is simply a different kind of player. Also, Fox is not an outside shooter and relies on getting to the basket, which can be very difficult with Sabonis clogging up the lane. With Williamson in the middle, that could be very different.
Williamson is not much of an outside shooter, but he is incredibly athletic. He does not necessarily need to be in the lane, clogging up space for his guards and wings and their drives. Even if he is given the ball at the perimeter, he will use his weight and athleticism to get to the middle without any problems. Thus, his pick and roll with Fox, especially if the Kings' guard becomes at least an average three-point shooter, opens up a ton of chances for Sacramento.
Of course, there are multiple factors in this situation. If the Pelicans are even willing to deal Zion Williamson, they will likely have many chances to trade him to other teams. Still, the Kings should make a valiant effort to bring him to northern California. He is a perfect fit next to Fox, he would be a turning point for the franchise, and the NBA would have to take these Kings seriously.
