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The 2023 NBA Draft will be held later this week, and the rumor mill is in full force around the league. The NBA Finals wrapped up just last week, but the off-season fireworks are already happening, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been the subject of plenty of chatter.
Zion Williamson Could Be Traded Before Thursday Night
The Blazers reportedly prefer Zion Williamson over Brandon Ingram in a potential trade for the No. 3 pick, per @KevinOConnorNBA
“My sense from league sources is that Portland’s preference is Williamson, who’d be a weapon in the pick-and-roll and in handoffs alongside Damian… pic.twitter.com/vw09ZUAeTn
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 19, 2023
It appears that the relationship between the team and the player has soured. Williamson has struggled to remain healthy over the first four years of his career, playing in just 114 of a possible 318 games due to nagging injuries. But he has excelled when he has been able to stay on the court, giving him value and upside if he is able to figure out his health woes.
Reports out of New Orleans regarding Williamson’s future are not promising. There appears to be no positive relationship with the player and his teammates and coaches, which is something that has been rumored over the years. The organization just parted ways with assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon, who was a big part of Williamson’s small circle that he kept. And now, there is a strong possibility that he is traded at some point before draft night.
Where Will He Play In 2023?
Where might he land? BetOnline.ag has released the betting odds on which teams are the favorites to land Zion Williamson. Here are some of the most interesting:
Portland Trail Blazers (+200)
The Trail Blazers don’t hold the golden ticket of the 2023 NBA Draft, but the coming in third during the lottery is looking like it will pay dividends. The team could choose to get younger, or they could use their 3rd overall pick as trade bait to bring in a veteran to pair alongside Damian Lillard.
The Pelicans offering Williamson makes sense. The team is rumored to have ambitions of moving into the top-3, making the Blazers and the Hornets (who we’ll get to) the teams in play. According to reports, Portland values Williamson over any other trade piece (i.e. Brandon Ingram), due to his screen and roll ability with Lillard.
Charlotte Hornets (+325)
The Hornets would be the other trade candidate given their top-3 status, but their situation differs from Portland’s. Charlotte could be looking to add all the young pieces that it can, as they are still in a rebuild mode after years near the bottom of the league.
But there is a chance that they could be in the market for a star veteran, given that the new ownership group would likely want to make a splash with ticket sales. Who better than Zion Williamson, who was born in North Carolina and went to school just down the road at Duke University?
New York Knicks (+400)
There is no photoshop picture of Zion Williamson that gets circulated more than the one of him in a New York Knicks uniform. The fans in the Big Apple have been clamoring for his presence since before he was drafted, and the team pops up every time that rumors fly about his future.
Both the Knicks and Houston Rockets are tied at +400.
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Courtesy : https://sportslens.com/news/zion-williamson-next-team-odds-blazers-hornets-are-favorites/