Rockets Strangely Linked to Pelicans' Zion Williamson Once Again

Would he really be a fit?

Nov 10, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Rockets fans were caught off-guard last season when rumors circulated regarding the Rockets' interest in New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Ultimately, nothing ended up happening.

This offseason, the rumors have persisted, as Sam Amick of The Athletic listed Williamson as a potential target for the franchise.

Williamson has become a bit of a polarizing figure, to put it politely.

It's well-known that he's immensely talented, as he's lived up to the pre-draft hype that followed him coming out of Duke. He's made the All-Star team in two of his five seasons in the league and he's still just 23-years-old.

He's also significantly impacted the Pels, as they've often struggled to generate offense without the 23-year-old on the floor. However, the best ability is availability and Williamson hasn't quite checked that box.

To add color to that, Williamson has missed 145 games in the last three seasons, due to various injuries. There have been questions about Williamson's passion and commitment to the game, which isn't quite ideal for a team's franchise player.

To his credit, availability wasn't an issue for Williamson in 2023-24, as he played 70 games, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, five assists, 57 percent from the field, and 61 percent true shooting.

But he's not necessarily a formidable defender, which has been a point of emphasis for the Rockets under coach Ime Udoka.

And Williamson isn't a shooter, which isn't ideal for a team that was one of the worst shooting teams last season. Especially playing alongside Alperen Sengun, who is a great passing big man that is best suited when surrounded by shooters.

Much like how the Denver Nuggets have configured their roster around Nikola Jokic.

And the Pelicans are surely going to ask for a ransom in exchange for Williamson. In fact, they were reportedly asking for Sengun in a swap for Brandon Ingram, so one can only imagine what they'd want for Williamson.

Granted, the Rockets have made it known that they're in pursuit of a superstar, which Williamson can certainly be, but based on everything else, the Rockets would be wise to scratch him off their list.

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