Zion Williamson Trade Rumors Addressed by Pelicans' Joe Dumars Ahead of NBA Free Agency

The New Orleans Pelicans "have no intentions" of trading star Zion Williamson this offseason.

Executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told reporters Tuesday that teams may inquire about the veteran forward, and those conversations could get reported on. But the Pelicans remain firmly committed to Williamson:

Dumars also spoke positively about Williamson's growth during the 2025-26 season:

The two-time All-Star is signed for two more seasons and eligible to get an extension starting this summer.

This is the period of time when organizations and star players need to be aligned on their futures. If the player doesn't want to sign a new contract or is waffling, the team has to seriously weigh a trade because the star's value will never be higher.

Yahoo Sports' Yaron Weitzman reported on April 1 that some executives around the NBA believe Williamson "will soon be on the market."

Part of that rationale is predicated on the fact the Pels invested a lot in rookie Derik Queen, and Queen needs to be really good to justify what a lot of people considered to be a one-sided trade.

The trouble for New Orleans is that it's almost impossible to get equal value back when trading an established star. There are factors specific to Williamson that could lead teams to driver a harder bargain.

Zion Williamson Throws It Down

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"Right now he's a borderline All-Star who makes a lot of money," one Western Conference executive told Weitzman. "Right now he's a borderline All-Star who makes a lot of money."

Williamson making 62 appearances doesn't erase the long-running concerns over his durability. He played in 70 games in 2023-24 and then was on the floor just 30 times the following year.

The perspectives on the 6'6" forward's performance have shifted as well.

When a 20-year-old averages 27.0 points on 61.1 percent sooting along with 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists, you inevitably get excited and wonder about the player he can become.

Those same kind of projections aren't baked in when Williamson is putting up 21.0 points, 5.7 boards and 3.2 assists at the age of 25. Maybe he still has some untapped potential, but his ceiling is lower now than it was five years ago.

The Pelicans can probably find a taker if the sole objective is to get Williamson out of New Orleans. Finding a trade that works for the team and one Dumars can sell to the fanbase is a different matter.

Simply maintaining the status quo is a better alternative.