A speculative trade idea from James Piercey of Dallas Hoops Journal envisions the Golden State Warriors acquiring Zion Williamson from the New Orleans Pelicans in a multi-player exchange.
Proposed Terms
Warriors receive: Zion Williamson
Pelicans receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Al Horford, 2027 first-round pick
Why New Orleans Might Listen
Williamson is averaging 22.6 points on nearly 59 percent shooting this season and owns a career mark of 24.4 points, most of it scored at the rim. Still, injuries have limited his availability, and the remaining guarantees in his contract become less rigid after this season, giving the Pelicans future flexibility.
The organization is also shifting toward a new timeline built around rookie big man Derik Queen. Adding Kuminga’s versatility, Moody’s shooting and defensive upside, and a future first-round pick would spread risk and replenish draft assets, even if none of the pieces match Williamson’s ceiling.
Why Golden State Could Consider
Golden State is attempting to maximize the late-career prime of Stephen Curry, who continues to stretch defenses with elite shooting. Pairing him with Williamson, an interior force who “caves defenses in,” would give the Warriors contrasting offensive focal points.
Williamson’s conditional guarantees may also appeal to a franchise staring at the end of its championship window. Meanwhile, Kuminga’s uncertain long-term fit in the Bay Area could motivate the Warriors to convert his potential into an immediate star upgrade.
The proposal remains purely hypothetical, but it underscores how diverging timelines—Curry’s urgency in Golden State and New Orleans’ evolving youth movement—keep Zion-to-the-Warriors scenarios in circulation.
Source: Hoops Wire
