The New Orleans Pelicans may just be in the second year of their rebuild, but they may already be needing to make moves that would help them return to title contention next year. After the Pelicans missed the 2021 NBA Playoffs, rumors have started to circulate about Zion Williamson and his family’s unhappiness with the team.
According to The Athletic, Williamson’s camp isn’t happy with the Pelicans’ inability to “put together the right elements” to help the former No. 1 overall pick compete for the NBA title.
Pelicans Need A Legitimate Superstar
If they want to prevent Williamson from demanding a trade, the Pelicans should strongly consider adding a legitimate superstar to their roster in the 2021 offseason. One of the dream trade targets for the Pelicans this summer is All-Star point guard Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. In a recent article, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report created a list of trade ideas that would create the league’s next “superteams.”
These include the hypothetical blockbuster deal that would enable Lillard to form the Pelicans’ “superteam” with Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
Proposed Trade Idea To Land Damian Lillard
The Pelicans are one of the teams that are prepared to pay the king’s ransom if the Trail Blazers decide to make Lillard available on the trading block in the 2021 offseason. In the proposed trade scenario by Swartz, the Pelicans would be sending a package that includes Lonzo Ball, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxson Hayes, a 2021 first-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and the right to swap first-round selections in 2023 to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Lillard.
Before they could push through with the trade, the Pelicans would first need to convince Ball to agree to a sign-and-trade deal to Portland.
Damian Lillard’s On-Court Impact On Pelicans
Lillard would be an incredible addition to the Pelicans. He would give them a massive upgrade at the starting point guard position and bring a tremendous improvement with their performance on the offensive end of the floor. In Lillard, the Pelicans would be adding one of the league’s best clutch scorers, as well as an incredible playmaker and an elite three-point shooter.
This season, Lillard posted another monstrous performance, averaging 28.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Pelicans’ Trio Could Rival Nets’ Superteam
Williamson and Ingram would likely be needing to make certain adjustments with their game to accommodate Lillard in New Orleans. Like Williamson and Ingram, Lillard also needs the ball in his hands to maximize his effectiveness on the court. However, once they find the perfect chemistry, Swartz believes that the Pelicans’ trio of Lillard, Ingram, and Williamson could rival the Brooklyn Nets’ superteam next season.
“Lillard, Williamson and Ingram together would soon rival Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving for the best offensive trio in the NBA, especially if Williamson (27.0 points on 61.1 percent shooting) continues his incredible rise.”
