Houston Rockets Eye Potential Acquisition of New Orleans Pelicans Superstar Worth 18,000,000 in Upcoming Offseason
The Houston Rockets have set their sights on reclaiming a competitive position this summer by appointing Ime Udoka as their head coach and actively pursuing James Harden to rejoin the team. However, Houston is also considering the possibility of targeting Zion Williamson.
According to NBA insider Rafael Barlowe‘s Substack publication, it has been disclosed that the Houston Rockets have expressed interest in exploring the possibility of acquiring Zion Williamson through a potential trade this summer.
Zion Williamson to the Houston Rockets?
“The Rockets hold the No. 4 pick in the draft, are already one of the youngest teams in the league, and are potentially interested in moving the pick for a win-now player (or players). In my conversations, the name Zion Williamson has come up as a potential trade target for Houston,” Barlowe wrote.
Assessing Zion as a potential trade asset can be quite challenging given his health concerns. Despite playing only 29 games last season, his exceptional performance earned him a spot in the NBA All-Star game, averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.
There seems to be a growing dissatisfaction within the Pelicans organization regarding Zion’s recurring injury issues and recent personal life challenges. This circumstance presents an opportune moment for the team to part ways with the talented player, providing him with a fresh environment to flourish in as well.
Zion is looking for a fresh challenge
Zion was expected to assume the role of leading the New Orleans Pelicans after the departure of Anthony Davis, who was traded to the Lakers just before the team selected Williamson as the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. However, his NBA career has been hindered by injuries, as he has only played 114 games over four seasons. This has prevented the Pelicans from achieving the success they envisioned when they drafted him.
The Pelicans are discontented with Zion’s ongoing struggles to maintain good health and physical conditioning, making a trade a logical consideration. Although there is no guarantee that a move to Houston would improve his durability, a fresh situation under the guidance of a coach like Udoka could potentially motivate Zion to prioritize his fitness.
If the Rockets were to acquire both Zion and James Harden, the team would face heightened expectations to compete immediately. Therefore, it might be premature for the franchise to take the risk of trading multiple assets for Zion at this stage.
