This offseason, the Golden State Warriors may look to pivot their win-now window from veteran acquisitions to high upside younger stars.
An interesting name on the Warriors’ radar is New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson. The 25-year-old forward is an addition that will certainly bolster the roster built around Stephen Curry.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Eddie Bitar, there is a specific trade framework that would send Williamson to the Bay Area.
In the deal, the Warriors would receive Williamson, while the Pelicans would get Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, the Warriors’ 2027 first-round pick, and their 2032 first-round pick.
The Warriors finished the 2025-26 season in the second play-in game as the No. 10 seed. That is not a welcome approach to a team aiming for contention.
How Warriors Can Land Williamson
GettyZion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on during an NBA game.
The Warriors will have to match salaries to get Williamson. The Pelicans star is currently on a five-year $197 million extension that runs through the 2027-28 season. His salary for the remaining years includes non-guaranteed portions tied to playing time and weight milestones, offering the Pelicans some flexibility but also making him a calculated risk.
His salary next season will go over the $40 million mark for activating some of those guarantee clauses. The Warriors already have significant commitments tied to Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. Adding Williamson will push them over the luxury limit.
As such, this proposed deal sends out Green’s contract as well as a potential extension deal for Podziemski. The Warriors will still have to shed some more space to fit Williamson’s salary but they won’t need to sacrifice more depth.
The Pelicans can view this as a chance to cash in on their former No. 1 pick and build something new. For Golden State, it can hope that Williamson’s best years are yet to come and, if it all goes as planned, the franchise can get a future star for the post-Curry era.
Williamson’s Fit in Golden State With Steph Curry
GettyGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry shoots the ball. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Getting Williamson will be an ideal fit for Golden State with his explosive game. In Steve Kerr’s system, he could thrive as a rolling threat and secondary creator, drawing defenses away from the perimeter while punishing mismatches inside.
“Zion’s power and inside scoring would bridge the gap between mid-tier ceiling and championship threat, with Kuminga still in tow,” Bitar wrote. “It’s daring in that signature Warriors couture: splashy, bold, but potentially transformative… If healthy, it elevates Golden State from fringe to Finals contender overnight.”
Note that Kuminga has since been dealt by Golden State after this proposal was made.
Williamson’s biggest irk has always been his health, he has played above 60 games only three seasons in his career. But one of those seasons is this year and the hope is that his past injury woes are behind him.
Williamson is yet to show his prowess in the playoffs and the Warriors could be an enticing option for him as he would be contributing to a win-now roster.
Of course, this has to depend on whether the Pelicans decide to engage in any trade for Williamson. But he could do with exploring his talents in a more competitive setting than New Orleans.
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