The Western Conference heading into the 2023-24 season looks like a bloodbath, with 14 teams realistically competing to make the playoffs. The only exception could be the Portland Trail Blazers if Damian Lillard is traded away. Otherwise, there are going to be some shocking teams that will struggle in the West and fail to break out of mid-table purgatory.
Two teams at high risk of being in that situation are the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. Both teams have stagnated in recent seasons and are falling behind in an aggressively improving West. With the Pelicans reportedly unhappy with Zion Williamson and the Clippers struggling with a long-term extension for Paul George, a star swap may be what both teams need.
Trade Details
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Paul George, Terance Mann, 2029 First-Round Pick (Top-10 Protected)
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Zion Williamson
Both franchises struggle with injuries to major stars, so maybe a swap of such stars helps them both get a fresh start and return to winning in the short term. The Clippers have more than just Kawhi Leonard’s future to secure but the entire franchise with no pipeline of star young players ready to fill the void. The Pelicans need to maximize their winning core now and can do so by getting rid of the mostly unavailable Zion.
The New Orleans Pelicans Take A Short-Term Chance On Paul George
If Zion isn’t the future for the franchise, the Pelicans need to delicately balance getting off him while retaining flexibility for the future. Paul George is perfect for that, as the player could be a free agent at the end of the year. In the short term, the Pelicans get a motivated George who needs to prove to the team and the rest of the league that he’s still worth a big contract. He averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season but his injury issues cropped up again and restricted him to 56 games, missing the playoffs entirely.
George would fit into virtually any system in the NBA due to his natural 3-and-D ability while also being able to excel on and off the ball. He could beef up their backcourt and start alongside CJ McCollum or take a position on the frontcourt alongside Brandon Ingram. His versatility will also allow him to virtually fit in any lineups that include Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones, or even rookie Jordan Hawkins. Acquiring Terance Mann, who averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists last season, would add some point guard depth beyond McCollum and Jose Alvarado.
Giving up on the upside that Zion brings is going to be a massive blow, but they’ve already spent four seasons in limbo. To continue sacrificing the health of your larger roster for the hope Zion wants to play for the franchise is not prudent. George has his fair share of injury concerns, but he plays whenever his body allows him to. Zion’s commitment is questionable and the Pelicans can finally get rid of the uncertainty around him with a move like this. They aren’t obligated to pay Paul George, but a successful season could lead to both teams mutually moving toward making this a long-term partnership.
The Clippers Get A Marquee For The Future
The issue with Zion Williamson has been hard to pinpoint. Many think it’s just the unsustainability of his body type in the NBA keeping him off the court, but many are questioning his will as well. If playing in New Orleans no longer motivates him, maybe playing in a high-profile city like LA pushes him more. The Clippers have one of the most robust medical staffs in the NBA, so he can be closely monitored in terms of his risk of injury at all times. Williamson averaged 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists last season and was named an All-Star based on his dominance in the 29 games he played.
We’ve discussed George’s impending free agency, but Kawhi Leonard is in the exact same boat as well. Like George, Kawhi has a player option at the end of this season, which he could decline and test the open market. The possibility of not keeping both Leonard and George would be devastating for the franchise that is moving to a new arena at the end of next season. Trading one of those questions for a blockbuster player like Zion to ensure the team has a star when they move arenas would be massive.
The cost of acquiring Zion isn’t necessarily very high, either. Losing Terance Mann is a blow, given his potential upside, but they would swap that for Zion’s potential upside any day of the week. A protected first-round pick is a fair compensation to get a 23-year-old for your 33-year-old star. Both players have injury concerns around their availability, so it’s a challenge both teams can still workaround. The Clippers’ lack of bruisers in the frontcourt would be instantly addressed with a trade for Zion.
Would Both Teams Change What They’ve Built?
Both the Clippers and Pelicans are in their current positions after four years of team-building their cores. The Clippers did it by acquiring Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, while the Pelicans did so by drafting Zion Williamson and trading Anthony Davis. Four years later, both teams haven’t found any success with their situations bordering on untenable. The Pelicans cannot reconcile Zion to return to the court, while the Clippers can’t keep their core healthy enough for a championship run.
Swapping PG for Zion means both teams are making a pretty remarkable adjustment to what they’ve done till now. George won’t be the long-term answer the Pelicans need, but he is a terrific stopgap who can play multiple positions when healthy. If the players are healthy, both teams can unlock success in different ways. If Zion can become the future face of the Clippers as they finally enter their own arena, it will be a massive win for the franchise, given Kawhi’s age and possible departure.
Decisions like these are never easy and often unlikely scenarios, but the West would be worried about both these squads if this trade would go through.
