Better Late Than Never? Knicks Land Zion Williamson in Trade Idea

The New York Knicks were denied Zion Williamson's services at the top of the 2019 NBA Draft, but land them in a proposed trade deal.

Zion Williamson's career with the New Orleans Pelicans has been anything but a Big Easy and the New York Knicks are potentially poised to take advantage.

Williamson has lingered in the NBA news cycle for reasons beyond basketball (namely a relationship with adult film star Moriah Mills) but his on-court future is in question as well: with the Pelicans mired in mediocrity since he arrived as the top pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, some believe they could hit the reset button and trade the oft-injured Williamson for foundational pieces, hoping one of their competitors will buy into the lingering hype around his legend.

In listing four "ideal" trade scenarios, Jason Burgos of Sportsnaut lists the Knicks as one of four contenders for his services, suggesting a trade that would send Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, and two first-round picks in 2024 down south. 

"While many Knicks fans will have flashbacks of Amare Stoudemire in a deal for Williamson, his upside is undeniable," Burgos writes, referencing an oft-injured superstar of the past. "Furthermore, it may also be their best chance to finally move Julius Randle, a former Pelican who might appeal to New Orleans now due to his durability over the last few seasons."

Randle, fresh off his second career All-Star season, played for the Pelicans in the final season before Williamson's arrival. He signed with the Knicks after that single campaign and has become one of their most renowned faces for better and worse.

Even with Randle's upside, it may be a lot to ask the Pelicans to take on the $117 million contract extension he's working with. Burgos says that parting ways with Quickley, the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, could sweeten that end of the bargain and convince the Pelicans to embrace a relative reset.

"If the Knicks added bench star Immanuel Quickley and a couple of first-rounders next year in the deal, that could be enough to part with the oft-injured star," Burgos declares. 

Of course, would the Knicks be interested in making such a deal? Williamson's potential alone is tempting and, set to turn 23 in July, there's plenty of upside to work with. It would also fulfill the prophecy that kept Knicks fans sane during the brutality of a 17-win season in 2018-19. Their top odds wound up meaning nothing, as they fell to the third slot behind New Orleans and Memphis (who chose Ja Morant) and wound up picking RJ Barrett instead.

Williamson's health, again, is the one knock upon him. He has played more than 30 games in a season only once in four outings and partook in only 29 last year after missing the prior campaign entirely with a foot injury. Is it worth dealing an established All-Star, flawed as he may be, and a valuable depth star for sheer name-brand value alone? 

---

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Knicks? Click Here.

Follow AllKnicks.com on Twitter.