The Pelicans need Scoot Henderson. Would they commerce Zion Williamson to get him?

NBA groups are nonetheless grappling with the ramifications of the brand new Collective Bargaining Settlement, however one of many primary takeaways up to now has been stiffer penalties for groups paying the luxurious tax. Parity was rampant all through this season, and that’s the way in which the NBA needs it. The superteam period actually is perhaps over.

Towards this backdrop comes the latest and hottest rumor of NBA draft season. The New Orleans Pelicans have their eyes on level guard Scoot Henderson, and so they’re prepared to commerce up into the top-three to get him, in keeping with league insider Shams Charania. With French tremendous prospect Victor Wembanyama set to go No. 1 general to the San Antonio Spurs, the Pelicans must pull off a cope with the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2 or the Portland Path Blazers at No. 3 to land Henderson. Try our newest NBA mock draft for a full first spherical projection.

Right here’s the complete report from Charania:

We now have Henderson projected to go No. 2 general to the Hornets proper now, however that’s one thing of a sizzling take. The consensus lower than two weeks from the draft is that Charlotte is favoring Alabama wing Brandon Miller, which would depart Henderson on the board for the Blazers at No. 3.

Portland is in an enchanting spot coming into the draft: famous person guard Damian Lillard needs the group to go all-in to win proper now, but it surely feels just like the group is a couple of transfer away from competition. Is the Portland entrance workplace on the identical web page as Lillard, or would they like so as to add a premier younger expertise to the roster via the draft?

Along with being an incredible level guard prospect, buying the rights to Scoot Henderson comes with one other profit: he’s low-cost. NBA rookies play on cost-controlled contracts for his or her first 4 years earlier than they’ll money in, and second contracts are extra modest than third contracts.

That brings us to the dilemma the Pelicans are at the moment in. Whereas New Orleans is not any superteam — they didn’t make the playoffs this 12 months — the Pelicans’ roster is about to get costly, as detailed by group beat author Shamit Dua. Dua hypothesized the Pelicans could possibly be trying to break up their Massive 3 — Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and C.J. McCollum — to swap in a younger expertise with extra punitive tax penalties looming. Days later, the group’s curiosity in Henderson was reported.

McCollum just isn’t touchdown you Scoot Henderson in a commerce. So: would the Pelicans deal Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram? Which might have extra worth to groups across the league?

Would Pelicans commerce Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram to maneuver up in NBA draft?

If the Pelicans need Henderson, they probably must half with Williamson or Ingram.

Williamson was hyped as a generational prospect within the 2019 NBA Draft because the No. 1 general choose. Since then, he hasn’t performed a lot basketball: he performed 24 video games as a rookie, he missed the 2021-22 season solely with a foot harm, and he performed solely 29 video games final season. Williamson is electrical when he’s on the court docket — he averaged 27 factors per recreation on astounding 65 % true taking pictures in his age-20 season again in 2020-21. It simply doesn’t imply a lot if he can’t play.

Ingram has two years, $70 million remaining on his present deal. He simply completed his age-25 season the place he averaged 24.7 factors and got here fairly near pulling off a 50/40/90 taking pictures splits from the sphere, three-point line, and free throw line (he completed 48.4/39/88.2). Ingram has additionally struggled to remain on the court docket, taking part in solely 100 mixed video games over the past two seasons. Nonetheless. he appears downright sturdy in comparison with Williamson.

Zion has extra upside — maybe MVP upside. Ingram is a safer guess who profiles extraordinarily properly as a second star. A brand new wrench was thrown into this query when Williamson began trending for all of the mistaken causes final week. You may make an argument for New Orleans to incorporate both in a commerce for Henderson, however the true query is who the Hornets or Blazers would really need.

Would Charlotte or Portland go for Ingram or Williamson?

The Hornets might need the least proficient roster within the league. LaMelo Ball is a franchise star, however there’s nearly nothing round him. Given how distant Charlotte is from contending, it could make sense if the franchise simply wished to draft Miller or Henderson and concentrate on long-term group constructing.

Nonetheless: if Williamson is on the desk, it could be rather a lot to consider. Ball and Williamson can be an extremely dynamic younger pairing if they’ll each keep on the ground. Williamson is a South Carolina native, too.

Let’s say the Hornets resolve to go together with Miller — one thing of a younger Brandon Ingram in my eyes — at No. 2. Portland might now be sitting fairly at No. 3 with the Pelicans sending of their finest affords for Henderson.

It might make sense if the Blazers wished Ingram — a seemingly great second star to pair with Lillard. Perhaps Portland might even leverage New Orleans for sharpshooting wing Trey Murphy in that deal, too. Williamson is the extra engaging gambit, although. If the Pelicans are actually sick of Williamson by no means taking part in, swapping him out for Henderson can be the blockbuster deal for the summer season.

Buying and selling a premium choose like No. 3 general for Williamson is a brilliant dangerous deal for either side. The Blazers have an out if it doesn’t work, although: they’ll all the time commerce Lillard a 12 months or two from now for a boatload of picks, and begin constructing from the bottom up once more.

And if it really works? Lillard and Williamson can be a tremendous pairing. On the point of his twenty third birthday, Zion’s finest ball ought to nonetheless be in entrance of him .. however he wants to remain wholesome.

Personally, I wouldn’t commerce Williamson for Henderson if I used to be the Pelicans. Williamson is a greater expertise than Henderson for my cash. The Pelicans know Zion higher than anybody, although, and it wouldn’t come as an enormous shock in the event that they did resolve to deal him for an additional younger star. There have already been loads of Williamson commerce rumors in his younger profession. If I used to be Charlotte or New Orleans, I’d be throughout making an attempt to commerce for Williamson, as a result of his upside continues to be so excessive. It doesn’t make a lot sense for Charlotte to pursue an Ingram deal, however it could work higher for Portland — particularly if you may get New Orleans to throw in extra property. Nonetheless, the choice right here for the Blazers can be a Zion deal.

What a method to begin NBA draft rumor season. That is going to be one explosive offseason.