Pelicans Scoop

2x All-NBA Star's Strong Statement On Zion Williamson's Injury Health

Ex-Pelicans center Demarcus Cousins thinks Zion Williamson should be traded to the Miami Heat

Terry Kimble

Oct 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Oct 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images
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The New Orleans Pelicans' 5-22 record is the worst in the Western Conference. After last season's 49-win mark, the Pelicans may already be thinking about their future and which players align with that vision. A recent report suggested New Orleans is open to trading many core players, except Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Yves Missi.

That would include star forward Zion Williamson, who is again out with a hamstring injury. The former No. 1 overall pick has played only six games this year and is shooting a career-low 45% from the field. It's unclear what his value in the market is for such an injury-prone player, but one former All-NBA player thinks it's time for the Pelicans to move on from Zion.

Demarcus Cousins, who played on the Pelicans during his NBA career, gave his thoughts on the Run It Back show on FanDuel TV about the dangerous game of keeping a player like Zion around.

"Zion is good enough to get you fired," Cousins revealed. "If I'm a GM, I'm moving on and making it somebody else's responsibility."

The former four-time All-Star said he hopes the trade is with a team like the Miami Heat, which is strict about health and training so that Williamson can reach his full potential. Since New Orleans drafted Zion in 2019, the two-time All-Star has yet to play in a playoff game, and he's missed over 50% of all Pelicans' games played.

Williamson signed an extension with the Pelicans in 2022 that included clauses requiring him to meet specific weight standards. It also stipulated a specific amount of games he needed to play to secure guaranteed money. With Williamson missing most games, the Pelicans could cut him with little financial obligation tied to them. The more likely scenario would be New Orleans trading the former Duke standout for future assets.

The Pelicans travel to Houston to face the Rockets on Thursday evening.

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Terry Kimble
TERRY KIMBLE

Pelicans Scoop Writer

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