<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/why-zion-williamson-wizards-trade-makes-sense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why a Zion Williamson Wizards trade makes too much sense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Why-a-Zion-Williamson-Wizards-trade-makes-too-much-sense.jpg"></figure><h1>Why a Zion Williamson Wizards trade makes too much sense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T18:04:33-08:00">December 11th, 6:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T18:24:17-08:00">December 11th, 6:24pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s only a matter of time before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-zion-williamson-situation-beyond-repair-pelicans-open-trade-offers">New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson</a> plays for another team, and the Washington Wizards should use him to advance their rebuild.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/cj-mccollum-wizards-culture-standard-young-core">Wizards are developing their young core</a> as they lose enough games to make sure they keep their top-eight protected 2026 first-round draft pick, but this season has shown that they desperately need a point guard. They’ve utilized <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-cj-mccollum-bub-carrington-hawks">second-year guard Bub Carrington</a> in that role, but he has yet to show enough consistency to nail down the job long-term.</p><p>The bright side is that the 20-year-old, who entered the NBA as a combo guard, still has plenty of time to adjust and improve. However, Washington ranks last in basketball with a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?dir=A&amp;sort=OFF_RATING" rel="noopener">108.3 offensive rating</a> (per NBA Advanced Stats), which is one of the main reasons why it has already lost nine games by 20-plus points and two by 19 despite playing just 22 contests thus far. It’s one thing to secure next summer’s lottery pick, and it’s another to waste valuable game minutes for emerging talents like second-year center Alex Sarr, second-year wing Kyshawn George, and rookie guard Tre Johnson by constantly getting blown out.</p><p>The Wizards must thread the needle better between accomplishing their draft capital goal and also using competitive losses to help their young talent develop in the meantime. Getting a veteran point guard by the Feb. 5 NBA Trade Deadline would help accomplish that, as their offense would improve with better facilitation.</p><p>Williamson isn’t a point guard, but they could get one from the Pelicans as payment for absorbing his contract.</p><h2><b>Option 1: Trade for Zion Williamson in-season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Zion-Williamson-1-reacts-to-a-play-against-the-San-Antonio-Spurs.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The conservative option would be to wait until after the 2026 NBA Draft, when Washington would possibly have players like Kansas point guard Darryn Peterson or Louisville point guard Mikel Brown Jr.. But that would subject Sarr and company to a full season without a consistent facilitator to get them open looks, as previously stated.</p><p>Enter Dejounte Murray. The 29-year-old is rehabbing from an Achilles tear and is expected <a href="https://twitter.com/ProPelsTalk/status/1970942625252508034" rel="noopener">back around New Year’s</a>, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shams with an update on Dejounte Murray stating a likely return at the end of 2025. </p><p> <a href="https://t.co/mc3BU0sZKT">pic.twitter.com/mc3BU0sZKT</a></p><p>— Justin (@ProPelsTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProPelsTalk/status/1970942625252508034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Pelicans no longer need Murray after drafting Jeremiah Fears No. 7 overall this past summer, right after the Wizards snagged Johnson at No. 6. Fears is an on-ball player while Johnson is best off-ball, which is why Washington still needs a consistent on-ball threat.</p><p>Here’s a trade that would work for both sides:</p><p><b>Wizards get:</b></p><ul><li>F Zion Williamson</li><li>G Dejounte Murray</li><li>C Yves Missi</li><li>2030 second-round pick</li></ul><p><b>Pelicans get:</b></p><ul><li>G Bilal Coulibaly</li><li>F Khris Middleton</li><li>G Corey Kispert</li><li>C Marvin Bagley III (can’t get traded until Dec. 15)</li><li>2026 first-round pick (least favorable of OKC, HOU, or LAC)</li><li>2026 second-round pick (via PHX)</li><li>2027 second-round pick</li></ul><p>This deal would not only put a band-aid on the Wizards’ point guard issue, but it would also net them Missi as a long-term backup to Sarr. The 21-year-old finished with 9.1 points per game on 54.7 percent shooting with 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks across 26.8 minutes as a rookie last season, but his counting stats are down this year due to decreased playing time.</p><p>Meanwhile, Washington would move off of the oft-injured Coulibaly, who is extension-eligible this offseason. The 21-year-old is the team’s best perimeter defender, but he’s on the <a href="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/1999257245553430842" rel="noopener">injury report again</a> with an oblique strain after not reaching 65 games played in either of his first two seasons, per the team’s social media. His shooting efficiency is also worrisome, as he’s down to a 37.4 percent field goal clip (26.8 percent 3-point) after shooting 43.5 percent (34.6 percent 3-point) and 42.1 percent (28.1 percent 3-point) in each of the last two campaigns, respectively.</p><p>Additionally, the Wizards would take a low-risk bet on Williamson, who averages 24.6 points on 58.5 percent shooting (31.7 percent 3-point) with 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists over his career. The 25-year-old has played 65-plus games in a season just once since he entered the NBA in 2019 and is currently out with an adductor ailment, but that’s why the remaining <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4913537/2023/12/21/zion-williamson-contract-guarantees/" rel="noopener">two-and-a-half years of his contract</a> are non-guaranteed, per The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov. He must hit certain games played and weight benchmarks to receive all of the money he’s owed, so it wouldn’t hurt Washington’s pockets if his health doesn’t improve. If it did, he would add star power to an organization that needs it.</p><p>As for Murray, he averaged 17.5 points on 39.3 percent shooting (29.9 percent 3-point) with 6.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists over 31 games for New Orleans before going down last season. The former Washington Huskie has a combined $63.5 million cap hit over the next two seasons before a $30.7 million player option in the 2027 offseason, but the Wizards could trade him after the upcoming draft if they land one of the point guards.</p><p>The Pelicans would get a first-round pick back after giving an unprotected 2026 first to the Atlanta Hawks for rookie center Derik Queen this past summer, although it will likely be at the end of the round at the pace the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-1) are on. Adding Coulibaly to their young core would be risky, but his defense gives him enough upside to gamble on.</p><p>Finally, Washington shedding Middleton and Bagley’s expiring contracts as well as Kispert would <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" rel="noopener">make the money work</a> in this deal, per Fanspo’s NBA Trade Machine.</p><h2><b>Option 2: Trade for Zion Williamson after drafting point guard</b></h2><p>If the Wizards refrain from big trades this season and draft a point guard, they could still get Williamson to add to the frontcourt. In that case, the Pelicans could keep Murray, and Washington could send a package for Williamson and Missi centering around Coulibaly.</p><p>On the other hand, a Williamson deal would be redundant for the Wizards if they draft a premier forward like Duke’s Cameron Boozer, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, or North Carolina’s Caleb Love. If they land one of those prospects after doing Option 1, they could try to trade Williamson before his contract expires.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why a Zion Williamson Wizards trade makes too much sense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-bill-simmons-floats-hail-mary-trade-idea-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bill Simmons floats Clippers’ Hail Mary trade idea for Zion Williamson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Clippers-13.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bill Simmons floats Clippers’ Hail Mary trade idea for Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-10T07:56:30-08:00">December 10th, 7:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-10T07:56:30-08:00">December 10th, 7:56am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Clippers are running out of time. Bill Simmons believes they may have reached the moment for a franchise-altering swing. On <i>The Bill Simmons Podcast</i>, the longtime NBA commentator <a href="https://youtu.be/etqqN4IcBY0?t=701" rel="noopener">pitched</a> what he called a “Hail Mary” trade idea. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-steve-ballmers-insane-addiction-derailing-rebuild-says-insider">Clippers rolling the dice</a> on former No. 1 pick Zion Williamson.</p><p>Simmons <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-exec-floats-clippers-trade-theory-that-will-interest-thunder">argued that the Clippers, despite a miserable 6-18 start</a>, remain only a handful of losses away from the Western Conference’s final play-in spot. That, paired with the franchise’s limited future flexibility, makes them a candidate to chase high-risk, high-reward talent. Williamson, Simmons said, fits that profile better than anyone.</p><p>With the New Orleans Pelicans sinking to a league-worst 3-22 and lacking their own 2026 first-round pick, Simmons believes the franchise is primed for a reset. Williamson has played just 10 of New Orleans’ 25 games and is expected to miss more time, adding to long-standing concerns about his availability. Simmons openly questioned whether the Pelicans “want to be in the Zion business anymore.”</p><h2><b>Would Zion Williamson thrive with the Clippers?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Clippers-23.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Clippers, he said, have the pieces to make the math work: expiring contracts in John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic, plus the most coveted item in any rebuild. An unprotected future first-round pick. Simmons suggested including the Clippers’ 2030 first. That’s a move that could tempt a New Orleans front office starting fresh under Joe Dumars. If the Clippers’ aging core falters, that pick could become a franchise-changing asset for the Pelicans.</p><p>For Los Angeles, the gamble is obvious. They do not control their near-term draft future. That means losing this season only benefits Oklahoma City. With Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Bradley Beal, and Ivica Zubac already in place, Simmons argued that adding Williamson could raise the Clippers’ ceiling enough to salvage their postseason hopes and extend their competitive window.</p><p>The logic is blunt. If the Clippers are already pot-committed, they might as well chase the kind of swing that could reshape everything. Simmons believes Zion is that swing. With the organization facing cap scrutiny and uncertain long-term stability, boldness may be their only path forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bill Simmons floats Clippers’ Hail Mary trade idea for Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-zion-williamson-situation-beyond-repair-pelicans-open-trade-offers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sources: Zion Williamson’s situation beyond repair with Pelicans open to trade offers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Sources-Zion-Williamsons-situation-beyond-repair-with-Pelicans-open-to-trade-offers.jpg"></figure><h1>Sources: Zion Williamson’s situation beyond repair with Pelicans open to trade offers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-03T14:11:03-08:00">December 3rd, 2:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-03T14:11:22-08:00">December 3rd, 2:11pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><b><i>ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel also contributed to this report</i></b></p><p>The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves at a crossroads, with a once-promising era centered around <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-admits-whats-frustrating-amid-injury-return">Zion Williamson teetering on the edge of collapse.</a></p><p>What began as a story of untapped potential has devolved into a saga of constant uncertainty, trade rumors, frustration, and reevaluation. League sources indicate that the tide has fully turned in the Crescent City, marking a pivotal shift in the season’s direction.</p><p>What once felt like a franchise carefully orbiting around an All-World wonder now resembles an organization preparing for life after him.</p><p>Saying <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-where-pelicans-sit-with-willie-green-entering-brutal-five-game-homestand">goodbye to Willie Green</a> was only the first necessary yet largely symbolic step in what many believe is the beginning of a full house-cleaning. The Pelicans (3-19) just cannot buy a lucky bounce, and it’s showing up in the standings. From suffering through demoralizing blowouts without half the roster available to Williamson walking to defend gut-wrenching game-winners for opponents, the blown opportunities are numerous.</p><p>All of the misfortunes to begin the year have also taken a toll on the team’s overall morale.</p><p>With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-miss-extended-time-with-adductor-injury">Williamson sidelined for another three weeks</a> with a right adductor strain, calls for a definitive split are growing louder, both inside and outside the Smoothie King Center. The next major domino, resulting in Williamson’s departure, is all but inevitable, multiple league sources told ClutchPoints.</p><p>It’s all starting to leak out as well. Joel Meyers did everything but release a name-dropping mixtape during a recent broadcast, after all.</p><p>One league source expressed a belief to ClutchPoints that “the first decent, reasonable offer” made for Zion will be acceptable. The same source noted that the haggling with Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver would be “minimal” at this point, so long as there is some tangible return.</p><p>However, the path to a deal likely requires the Pelicans to sweeten the pot with their most-coveted role players. That will take some finesse, and it seems everyone is being cautious about a very hard-to-calculate gamble.</p><p>Williamson’s diminished value is common knowledge throughout the league, yet no team has rushed forward with an offer.</p><p>The Pelicans find themselves with minimal leverage, a reality that has left Dumars and Weaver hesitant to aggressively shop their former cornerstone player before Dec. 15. Including defensive stalwart Herb Jones, along with pieces like Yves Missi or Jose Alvarado, may be the necessary cost to exit the Zion business altogether.</p><p>Alvarado is one of the few Pelicans’ role players who has <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/siegels-scoop-latest-ja-morant-trade-intel-grizzlies-drama">generated trade interest</a> during the early portion of the season, sources said.</p><h2><b>Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III connected to Zion Williamson trade rumors</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Herbert-Jones-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Herb Jones has been one of the most coveted two-way wings in the league, and the Pelicans have turned down multiple trade offers for him through the years.</p><p>The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are among a handful of Western Conference contenders actively exploring ways to acquire Jones, league sources told ClutchPoints.</p><p>JJ Redick and Steve Kerr have <a href="https://x.com/ATLjohnson18/status/1865184314536730808" rel="noopener">never been shy</a> about their appreciation for the avid fisherman from Alabama. Likewise, while Williamson’s market is cold, the trade value for Trey Murphy III remains robust and unchanged, a testament to his clear fit on a contender and All-Star potential.</p><p>There is a growing belief that Murphy III will be pushed as the face of the franchise, akin to the public MVP campaigning former EVP David Griffin once made for Jrue Holiday. Dumars was “ridiculous” with other front offices this summer, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-pelicans-not-completely-shutting-door-herb-jones-trey-murphy-iii-trades-nba">asking for the reported Desmond Bane trade package</a> in exchange for the 25-year-old sharpshooter, as one source said in June.</p><p>Multiple first-round picks, a veteran contract, and a decent prospect are the starting points in any bidding for Murphy III’s services. That is a price that has not changed and likely won’t anytime soon.</p><p>The presence of scouts from the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Atlanta Hawks in recent weeks underscores the league-wide anticipation of a fire sale. This shift points toward a full rebuild, a process this city understands deeply.</p><h2><b>Zion Williamson trade is a matter of time</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Zion-Williamson-1-reacts-to-a-play-against-the-San-Antonio-Spurs.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>New Orleans embraces a committed rebuild involving ugly demolition and ground-floor finagling better than most, as evidenced by the recovery post-Katrina. Conversely, half-measures have always haunted the Pelicans (and the New Orleans Saints), with unfinished projects and unfulfilled promises lingering like tattered blue tarps on forgotten rooftops.</p><p>Similarly, Williamson’s game is an unfinished product.</p><p>On-court issues haven’t improved in six seasons. The Duke alum still refuses to shoot threes. The midrange game, something he once worked on intensely with Teresa Weatherspoon for years, remains absent. Williamson’s scoring is efficient but predictable. Defenses know what’s coming.</p><p>In the modern NBA, predictability from your max-salary star is a ceiling you can’t coach your way through. Every title contender recognizes why Williamson will not work with their system.</p><p>Finding someone needing to swing for the fences, to take that chance without burning bridges or costing anyone jobs, is a delicate matter for a front office being laughed at through the national press. Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver may be burning the midnight oil, but meaningful negotiations have yet to materialize.</p><p>Behind the scenes, there’s a sense that the Pelicans still want to see what comes their way, but they have yet to aggressively shop their star to teams. Still, tides have turned, not with a wave, but with the slow, inexorable pull of an organization choosing to move on, even if it means paying to make the pain stop.</p><p>The question is whether the Pelicans will embrace a true reset or remain trapped in the late-lottery section of the NBA standings, maybe making the play-in tournament once or twice here and there.</p><p>For a franchise and a city that deserve better, the time for one of the most difficult decisions a front office must make has arrived.</p><p>The only question that remains is whether the Pelicans will have the courage to make them decisively, in December or January, or whether this will become yet another half-finished project in a city that has seen too many already — scraps at the trade deadline <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-news-pelicans-trade-brandon-ingram-nba-deadline">akin to the Brandon Ingram trade.</a></p><p>New Orleans is finding out that moving a star at his lowest value is both painful and expensive.</p><p>Unfortunately, the question is no longer <i>if</i> the Zion era ends… it’s <i>when</i> and <i>how much</i> it costs New Orleans to break free.</p><p>The hesitant, cautious, and increasingly attentive trade market understands the moment is coming. The Pelicans wanted the prep phenom to be the center of everything. Instead, Williamson’s uncertainty became the center of a whole bunch of nothing, at least when considering personal or postseason successes.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Sources: Zion Williamson’s situation beyond repair with Pelicans open to trade offers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-miss-extended-time-with-adductor-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson to miss ‘extended time’ with adductor injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Zion-Williamson.jpg"><figcaption>John Hefti-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson to miss ‘extended time’ with adductor injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-02T13:23:11-08:00">December 2nd, 1:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-02T13:37:27-08:00">December 2nd, 1:37pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-trey-murphy-rout-warriors-elbow-injury">New Orleans Pelicans have been</a> among the most disappointing teams in the league this year, currently sitting at 3-18 ahead of Tuesday night’s game vs the Minnesota Timberwolves. As is typically the case, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-admits-whats-frustrating-amid-injury-return">Zion Williamson has already</a> missed significant time due to injury, and on Tuesday, the team got <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1995963386677645765" rel="noopener">a rough update</a> regarding his availability moving forward.</p><p>“New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss extended time with a right adductor injury, sources tell ESPN. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks,” reported Shams Charania of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨 Zion Williamson will miss extended time with a right adductor injury and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a>. <a href="https://t.co/tUAOQLpaq1">pic.twitter.com/tUAOQLpaq1</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1995968534871159145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Charania also noted that “Williamson returned Nov. 19 after missing just over two weeks with a hamstring injury, playing in five of the Pelicans’ past seven games before sustaining this adductor strain — which will sideline him for a much longer period.”</p><p>Injuries have been the defining storyline of Williamson’s career thus far, as the star has missed more games than he’splayed during his NBA tenure. The injury bug has ravaged the Pelicans as a whole so far this year, with Dejounte Murray still yet to play a game this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles he suffered last season.</p><p>Still, even when Williamson has been on the floor so far this year, the Pelicans have been a disaster, with the team recently making the decision to fire head coach Willie Green. Making matters even worse for the Pelicans is the fact that their lottery pick, which is looking like it could be extremely valuable, will go to the Atlanta Hawks next summer due to a puzzling trade orchestrated by New Orleans on draft night, when they drafted Derik Queen.</p><p>In any case, the Pelicans and Timberwolves are slated to tip off on Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm ET from New Orleans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson to miss ‘extended time’ with adductor injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-admits-whats-frustrating-amid-injury-return');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson admits what’s ‘frustrating’ amid injury return');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Pelicans-forward-Zion-Williamson-1-dribbles.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson admits what’s ‘frustrating’ amid injury return</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-25T04:45:24-08:00">November 25th, 4:45am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-25T01:08:43-08:00">November 25th, 1:08am</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-herb-jones-jordan-poole-latest-injury-updates-leave-shorthanded">shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans finally snapped</a> their nine-game losing streak on Monday night in a 143-130 takedown of the Chicago Bulls. Zion Williamson did lead the team in scoring, looking like the healthy version of himself once more. In only his third game back after a lengthy absence brought forth by a hamstring strain, Williamson recorded 29 points on 8-14 shooting from the field in a performance that can only be seen as promising for their future prospects.</p><p>However, Williamson is clearly not yet at the peak of his powers. The Pelicans forward even <a href="http://twitter.com/PelsFilmRoom/status/1993161466548306426" rel="noopener">expressed his frustration</a> regarding a certain limitation imposed upon him even though he’s already played three games upon his return from a hamstring injury.</p><p>“I feel great. I felt great tonight. Minutes restriction is frustrating but I will make it happen with the minutes I have,” Williamson said in his postgame interview, via Pelicans Film Room on X (formerly Twitter).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I felt great tonight. Minutes restriction is frustrating but I will make it happen with the minutes I have"</p><p>— Zion Williamson on his return from injury <a href="https://t.co/S3lNfwkhad">pic.twitter.com/S3lNfwkhad</a></p><p>— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelsFilmRoom/status/1993161466548306426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It’s quite interesting that, despite playing 30 minutes on Monday, Williamson was apparently still under a minutes restriction. Not too many teams would have given him that many minutes considering how injury-prone he’s been his entire career; one could simply look at Paul George’s situation with the Philadelphia 76ers and recognize that Williamson is not quite under a strict minutes restriction.</p><p>Be that as it may, these <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-receives-injury-status-hawks">frustrations seem to be just bringing the best out of Williamson</a>. If Williamson keeps up this level of play and manages to stay healthy, expect the Pelicans to lift that minutes restriction soonest.</p><h2><b>Pelicans are simply being cautious with Zion Williamson</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Williamson has played in 70 games in a single season just once in his career. And during that campaign, he ended up suffering an injury during the play-in tournament. That’s how pitiful Williamson’s injury history has been.</p><p>Thus, it should not come as a surprise to anyone that the Pelicans would be cautious with Williamson. The 3-15 Pelicans do need to turn things around considering that they’re going to fork over their first-round pick in 2026 to the Atlanta Hawks, but preserving Williamson’s long-term health should remain the priority for them moving forward.</p><p>The Pelicans will look to keep the winning ways going on Wednesday when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies in NBA Cup action.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
21.4	6.1	4.3	0.3	2.0

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
21.4	6.1	4.3	0.3	2.0

Zion Williamson

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Pelicans’ Zion Williamson to miss ‘extended time’ with adductor injury

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson admits what’s ‘frustrating’ amid injury return

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