RealGM

Assuming Charlotte picks #5 or worse in the draft lottery (there is a 14.8% chance at #5, 26% chance at #6, and a 7% chance at #7)

Hornets trade:

2025 1st
Josh Green (2 years $28M)
Grant Williams (2 years $28M)
Jusuf Nurkic (1 year $19M)

Pelicans trade:
Zion Williamson
Kelly Olynyk (likely flipped to a 3rd team for a wing or PG)

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Charlotte pays up to add a big interior presence on a team sorely lacking one. It's [another] injury risk on a team full of injury risks, but one that could pay off for the Hornets who just need talented players wherever they can find them. If this poll from late February is to be believed, a 5th-7th pick is a fair price to pay.

The Pelicans start over with two picks in the top 7, and build around those, Herb, Murphy, Missi, etc. With new leadership in the front office coming in, this is a pretty good starting point to build something.

Should probably send bridges out instead? Dont think he and zion is good fit together

Godaddycurse wrote:Should probably send bridges out instead? Dont think he and zion is good fit together

based on every comment ever from other teams about Bridges, probably not. We need the shot creators, and can deal with fit later. Grant's knee exploded in November and we absolutely under no circumstances will miss Josh Green

Maybe New Orleans thinks that the fifth or sixth pick in this draft is a sufficient return for Zion. Maybe. But I can't imagine they'd take back that cast of non-productive players, with a big chunk of salary stretching into 2026-27. in return.

Since Zion only played 30 games this year, I believe his contract for next year would only be 20% gtd at max, if he met all 6 weigh in goals this season. I think you’d have to take out Olynyk, and change either Green or Grant (NO’s choice) to Nick Smith or something (or just completely removed) just to be palatable for them financially?

I know there’s reports that NO might wish to trade Zion. I’m just still on the train that Zion should still hold value. He’s SOO infinitely talented.

Zion is obviously a huge risk but this still feels light for NO unless the pick lands in the top 3. If it's #1 then CHA wouldn't trade Flagg for Zion but Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper seems fair

Random thought experiment, but how many future lottery protected firsts is the #3 pick worth?

JMAC3 wrote:Random thought experiment, but how many future lottery protected firsts is the #3 pick worth?

Dunno, but it's like trading AAPL for pink sheets.

JMAC3 wrote:Random thought experiment, but how many future lottery protected firsts is the #3 pick worth?

More than a team can trade

Scoot McGroot wrote:Since Zion only played 30 games this year, I believe his contract for next year would only be 20% gtd at max, if he met all 6 weigh in goals this season. I think you’d have to take out Olynyk, and change either Green or Grant (NO’s choice) to Nick Smith or something (or just completely removed) just to be palatable for them financially?

I know there’s reports that NO might wish to trade Zion. I’m just still on the train that Zion should still hold value. He’s SOO infinitely talented.

I think his value is probably higher than we all think too. But honestly, if it required one of the future Dal/Miami picks and swapping out Miles with Grant or adding NSJ, I don't see any of that getting in the way of such a trade. Nurk being included offers value to NOLA in terms of a $20m expiring contract for the following off-season but I can see multiple ways of matching salary. It depends on what NOLA favors more (young players, cap relief, picks). I think you can get 2 of those 3 things for Zion. Charlotte does not have a lot of prospects of value to include (unless you wanted to take a flyer on Salaun). NSJ is promising too, would hate to see him go actually but in no world is he going to be the hang up on such a deal.

I might be the most pro trade Zion pelicans fan and I would be pissed at this return....

Godaddycurse wrote:Should probably send bridges out instead? Dont think he and zion is good fit together

Agreed.