A round of new Golden State Warriors rumors and speculation has suggested the team could end up trading for an injury-prone young star to potentially be Stephen Curry’s heir apparent.
Over the last year, the Warriors have reportedly made a concerted effort to bring in another All-Star level score to play alongside aging legend Stephen Curry. A year ago they made a surprising push for Lakers star Lebron James. In June there were rumblings of potential interest in Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant.
In July they were rumored to be the most serious contender for Jazz star Lauri Markkanen. Unfortunately, they failed in all of their pursuits of those game-changer players. Yet, the rumblings of a blockbuster trade at some point before this season’s trade deadline have persisted. And a new round of speculation has pointed to a surprise trade for none other than New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson.
The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of a miserable season. They enter the week with a sad 5-25 record, which is the second worst in the NBA. A key reason for the awful start is a slew of injuries to many of their best players over the first few months of the season. Including top star Zion Williamson, who has only played in six games this season due to a hamstring injury.
- Zion Williamson stats (2024): 6 G, 22.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.2 BPG
Could the Golden State Warriors make blockbuster Zion Williamson trade this season?
For weeks rumors have have grown the Pelicans are open for trade business. And recently, new reports suggested many of their top players could be had for the right price. Last week, ESPN cap-ologist Bobby Marks suggested Williamson could be an interesting fit for the star-seeking Warriors.
- Zion Williamson contract: Five years, $197.2 million
“Golden State would certainly be that team for Zion,” he said. “If you’re looking for that next superstar that maybe has that upside, I think Williamson could be that guy if he’s healthy.”
A potential trade would probably include players like Andrew Wiggins and Brandin Podziemski. The latter was seen as untradable in the summer but a new rumor this week suggested the team is more open to moving him now. Adding further momentum is a report from Jovan Buha suggesting that the Pelicans may also only want one first-round pick back in a deal.
The 24-year-old’s injury history is a big problem. However, with Stephen Curry turning 37 in March, the Golden State Warriors need to think about who will be the star that will take over for the NBA great. Williamson is a legitimate option that they actually would have a real chance of acquiring.
Related: Where do the Golden State Warriors land on the latest NBA power rankings?