Proposed Blockbuster Trade Lands Nets Zion Williamson for All-NBA Guard

Getty Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on from the bench during a timeout against the Miami Heat.

The Brooklyn Nets made a blockbuster move at the 2022 trade deadline, acquiring Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future first-round picks from the Philadelphia 76ers for James Harden and Paul Millsap.

Harden told Nets general manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai that he wanted a trade to the Sixers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, and the Beard got his wish.

The Nets’ core for this season is now made up of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Simmons, Curry, Drummond, Patty Mills, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Claxton and Goran Dragic. Brooklyn signed Dragic after the lefty agreed to a buyout agreement with the San Antonio Spurs.

With Durant, Irving and Simmons leading the way, the Nets have championship aspirations. However, if they struggle in the 2022 playoffs, Marks could make another bold trade in the offseason and Fletcher Mackel of WDSU New Orleans has a trade proposal involving the Nets and New Orleans Pelicans.

Mackel Comes up with Trade Involving Zion Williamson

Shamit Dua, who is the lead writer for Bourbon Street Shots, asked a fascinating question on Twitter regarding the future of Zion Williamson. The Duke product, who hasn’t played a game this season and could miss the entire year due to a broken right foot, is eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer, but there have been reports he’s not happy in New Orleans.

“Let’s assume Zion doesn’t play a single minute this season,” Dua wrote on Twitter. “How many teams would give up significant value for him this summer in trades? Let’s define significant as some combination of either all-star caliber player or promising young players and picks.”

When Mackel saw Dua’s tweet, he went to the ESPN trade machine and came up with a trade involving the Pelicans and Nets. Brooklyn would get Williamson, Devonte’ Graham and Garrett Temple, while New Orleans would get Simmons.

“After spitballing with Shamit…here’s an idea/follow up on his Twitter question,” Mackel wrote on Twitter. “If Brooklyn exits playoffs early, would Nets pivot off Simmons? NOLA 5 of Simmons, CJ, BI, Herb & Jonas gives Pels 2 elite defenders, playmaking, a KD/Kyrie light duo in CJ/BI + versatile big.”

Both Williamson and Simmons are lefties who were drafted No. 1 overall. The former has career averages of 25.7 points and 7.0 rebounds, but he’s only played in 85 games. Meanwhile, the latter averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists with the Sixers.

Simmons won the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year Award and the 2019-20 steals title. The LSU product has also made three All-Stars teams, one All-NBA team and two All-Defensive teams. He has yet to play with the Nets since getting traded from the Sixers.

Simmons’ play has dropped in the postseason since he doesn’t have a perimeter game. The Melbourne native has only attempted two 3-pointers in 34 postseason games and was scared to shoot the ball against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals.

Simmons finished the Hawks series with averages of 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists while shooting 33.3% from the free-throw line. He also passed up a wide-open dunk attempt in Game 7, a contest the Sixers lost by seven.

Williamson has never played in the postseason. He’s been a dominant scorer in the paint when he’s played, shooting 60.4% from the floor. However, he’s already undergone two major surgeries since getting drafted by the Pelicans.

Williamson had knee surgery in 2019-20 and foot surgery in the summer of 2021. According to Christian Clark of the Times-Picayune, Williamson may need a second surgery on his right foot, although nothing has been decided.

If Simmons proves to be a poor fit with the Nets and Williamson makes it known privately or publicly that he’s not happy playing for the Pelicans, the trade Mackel proposed may work for both sides.

Williamson-Simmons Trade Could Be Win-Win for Both Nets and Pelicans

In the summer of 2021, Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and William Guillory of The Athletic reported that certain family members want Williamson on another team. The All-Star’s game is meant for a big market like New York since he’s a high-flier who defies gravity whenever he dunks the ball.

Williamson’s two teammates at Duke, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish, are on the New York Knicks, but the Knicks don’t have the assets to acquire him.

A Simmons-for-Williamson trade could be a win-win for both the Nets and Pelicans if Simmons doesn’t play well for Brooklyn in the 2022 playoffs. Williamson would get a fresh start in a big market and get to play with Durant and Irving, while Simmons would join a talented Pelicans team led by Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum and fill the team’s point guard void. He would also face less scrutiny in New Orleans since the fans in the Big Easy aren’t ruthless like the fanatics in Philadelphia and Brooklyn.

Again, this is a hypothetical trade created by Mackel. The odds of it happening in the offseason are extremely low. However, never say never in the NBA.