Michael Jackson wrote:I honestly think Zion is eating his way out of New Orleans more than the league. I really don't think he wants to be there or at least the outside influences want him out of there. They want a bigger market, maybe not NY or LA or Chicago but even a Philly, Houston or Boston. I mean you can't trade him yet, but maybe something around Simmons would be smart for both parties, not that him and Embiid could co exist either, just that NOP could build around Simmons, Ingram and what other assets they could get plus simmons. They can't but they could cut the losses before it turns ugly with him. Maybe to Boston to I don't know wherever. They can get a lot for Zion pretty much anything (like AD hahahaha). I just don't think he is ever going to reach near potential there for various reasons, although he might on some new team and they will look stupid. Tough spot to be in IMHO. Can they trade him to the Pistons for the whole team? Ah well the Zion sweepstakes has not been a big win for them so far.
While your scenario about him not being happy there and wanting out may be true, but is that the type of player/person you want as your franchise player in that case? By all accounts, he seems like a good kid, but if he is willing to put his own health at risk, just for the sake of not wanting to be there, and put his career on the line by playing overweight at the risk of a serious injury, I'm sorry but he needs to get his head out of his backside.
It's one thing to not play as hard, or even demand a trade, but it's another to sabotage your entire career by eating yourself out of a team. But I don't think it's that - I think that the franchise is so scared of losing him, that they aren't willing to tell him the truth and just biting their tongue allowing him to do whatever he wants, which is the opposite of what you should be doing to a young impressionable person.
I'll say this, as talented as he is, even if he were available, or hell, even if he were to demand a trade to the Bulls, unless we could basically steal him for nothing, I would not be interested, because I honestly think this is going to be an ongoing issue and like I said, I think he will eventually be out of the league before he even hits 30. I hope I'm wrong, because for the league to lose a talent like him, would suck for the fans and the league as a whole, but I get the feeling that this league just may not be for him.