NBA Insider Thinks Pelicans' Zion Williamson Wouldn't Mind 'A Change of Scenery'

Having just wrapped up the second-worst season in franchise history, the New Orleans Pelicans could be a team to keep an eye on as they evaluate their long-term direction.

On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 54:51 mark), ESPN's Tim MacMahon noted Zion Williamson wouldn't object to "a change of scenery."

The Pelicans are beginning a new era with Joe Dumars taking over as president of basketball operations. His introductory press conference on Tuesday was notable because he didn't really offer any insight into what the plans for Williamson might be.

"At the league office, I’ve had to talk to Zion a few times," Dumars said. "I won’t go into those conversations. But we talked since then, and I’ve talked to Zion since I became the EVP here, and we had exceptional conversations on the phone."

Dumars also said there are "no edicts" from Pelicans ownership to trade Williamson, so anything that might be in the offering is being kept close to the chest right now.

Williamson has one of the most unique contracts in the NBA. His salary for the next three years is non-guaranteed until July 15 of that year. For example, he will be owed $39.4 million in 2025-26 if he's on a roster on July 15. His 2026-27 salary will become guaranteed on July 15, 2026.

Even with the non-guaranteed money on his contract, Williamson would likely be difficult to trade because he's so unreliable due to his injury issues. The 24-year-old has played 219 out of a possible 472 regular-season games since entering the league in 2019.

This season saw Williamson limited to just 30 games. He was effective when he played, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest.

There might be a team willing to bet on Williamson's talent and health all coming together, especially knowing they could get out of his contract without financial penalty after each season.

The Pelicans could be in line for a full-blown rebuild coming off a 21-61 record. C.J. McCollum could draw trade interest with a $30.7 million expiring contract next season.

New Orleans has the fourth-best odds in the draft lottery to win the No. 1 overall pick. If things work out for the franchise, it would be easy to move on from Williamson knowing they will have a new young cornerstone player to build around.