Zion Williamson Gets Honest About Trade Rumors

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson spoke on the NBA trade rumors.

Mar 30, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks on against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

On Tuesday night, the New Orleans Pelicans lost 104-97 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the bigger story was the return of star forward Zion Williamson, who missed the last 27 games with a hamstring injury. The two-time all-star played 28 minutes, scored 22 points, and electrified the crowd with some highlight-worthy dunks.

New Orleans' loss dropped them to 7-30 on the season, and for all intents and purposes, their postseason aspirations are already gone. After finishing the year with 49 wins a season ago, many believed this team could compete at the top of the Western Conference. Injuries derailed those hopes early on, with Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram, and Trey Murphy III missing significant time early on.

Jan 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

With the trade deadline approaching next month, lingering questions remain about whether a horrendous start like this means changes to personnel moving forward. Williamson was asked postgame about some of the outside chatter surrounding the Pelicans over the last couple of weeks.

"As a professional, the only thing I can do is come in to work everyday, work hard, and have fun", Williamson told reporters postgame. "At the end of the day, I get to play basketball for a living. I love hooping. Me and Dejounte talk about it a lot, not taking this for granted."

"As a professional, the only thing I can do is come in to work everyday, work hard, and have fun. At the end of the day, I get to play basketball for a living. I love hooping. Me and Dejounte talk about it alot, not taking this for granted"

-- Zion Williamson on trade rumors pic.twitter.com/3fJeWLd7lg

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) January 8, 2025

Williamson's extensive injury history calls into question his future in New Orleans. Can the Pelicans hitch their wagon on a player whose ability is great but whose availability leaves much to be desired? His teammate, Brandon Ingram, seems likely to depart via trade next month after he and New Orleans failed to agree on a contract extension last summer.

The former No. 1 overall pick proved how electric he can be with his return to the court on Tuesday. Williamson says he doesn't have time to get back into a playing rhythm because he needs to figure that out as quickly as possible for the team. The Pelicans host the Portland Trail Blazers at home on Wednesday night.

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