Detroit Pistons land Zion Williamson in proposed blockbuster trade

Could the Detroit Pistons land Zion Williamson? Well, in a recent article by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, he suggests a trade proposal that would send the former No. 1 overall pick out of Duke to the Motor City.

Detroit Pistons land Zion Williamson in proposed blockbuster trade

Here are the details of the suggested trade:

• Detroit Pistons receive: Zion Williamson and Kira Lewis Jr.
• New Orleans Pelicans receive: Bojan Bogdanović, James Wiseman, Killian Hayes, a 2026 first-round pick (top-three protected), and a 2028 first-round pick

Rationale for the Trade

Here is Buckley’s rationale for the trade that would send Williamson to the Pistons.

• The Pelicans might be considering trading Williamson due to their potential impatience with him.
• The Pistons could be a suitable trade partner, offering patience with Williamson’s development.
• If Williamson remains injury-free, pairing him with Cade Cunningham could elevate Detroit in the Eastern Conference rankings.
• Together, Williamson and Cunningham would form a formidable duo, especially on pick-and-rolls.
• The Pistons would also benefit from other athletes like Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson.
• Potential challenges include spacing issues and defensive uncertainties.
• Despite these challenges, the Pistons could aim for a top-six seed next season and even consider title contention soon after.
• New Orleans might prioritize trading Williamson now due to his fluctuating trade value and injury concerns.
• Despite Williamson’s limited gameplay, the potential trade return is significant, including Bogdanović, two top-10 picks from 2020, and future firsts from a historically underperforming franchise.

TL;DR (too long didn’t read)

Bottom Line: It is Healthy to Consider All Options

It is important for general managers to consider any offer that comes across their desk, but I just cannot imagine Pistons GM Troy Weaver sending that package to the Pelicans for Williamson. Williamson has not been able to stay healthy throughout his career, and there is no reason to believe he will all of a sudden stay healthy if he were to be traded to the Pistons. Personally, if I was Weaver, I would take a hard pass on this proposed trade. What would you do?