NBA Insider: Michael Jordan, Hornets Wouldn't Do Zion Williamson Trade for No. 2 Pick

The Charlotte Hornets "would reject such overtures" if presented with a Zion Williamson trade that meant sending the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft to the New Orleans Pelicans, a "league observer" told NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein noted that Williamson is signed to Jordan Brand, giving him a clear connection to Hornets team governor Michael Jordan. Still, he argued that wouldn't outweigh the risk in flipping a top-five pick for the two-time All-Star.

It's telling as to Williamson's value that packaging the No. 2 overall selection in a swap isn't considered a no-brainer. As good as Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller are, neither is thought of as a can't-miss franchise cornerstone in the same way Victor Wembanyama is or how Williamson was viewed entering the 2019 draft.

Not to mention, adding major stars on Williamson's level is much easier said than done in a non-marquee market such as Charlotte.

Imagine going back three or four years and telling an NBA fan that the Charlotte Hornets would waffle on a hypothetical trade for Zion Williamson.

But that's the reality of the situation.

The 22-year-old has been every bit as good as advertised when healthy. Through 114 career appearances, he's averaging 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals. He's also shooting 60.5 percent from the floor while occasionally spacing the floor (23-of-67 on three-pointers).

Staying healthy has been a persistent issue, which underscores the concerns when he was coming out of college about how his 6'6", 284-pound frame would hold up in the NBA. His work ethic away from the court has come into question as well.

Williamson's upside is still through the roof. The door isn't closed on him becoming a perennial All-NBA player.

Because they aren't a legacy organization or play in a major market, the Hornets' margin for error on a trade of this magnitude is nonetheless minute.

If this didn't work out, then it would set Charlotte back for years. Not only would the team have leveraged part of its future to land Williamson, but his five-year, $194.3 million extension would become a millstone on the payroll. The front office's flexibility will already be somewhat limited moving forward assuming LaMelo Ball gets a max or near-max extension ahead of his restricted free agency in 2024.

A Williamson trade is the ultimate boom-or-bust play right now, so you can understand why a team in the Hornets' position would be balking at the prospect.