Trade Idea #3 (and filler) for Zion - would you do it?

I'm not following this thought process. If drafting a prospect like Scoot is as risky as having Zion, what is NO's motivation ot make such a deal? And keep in mind they have more info on Zion than any other team.

 

I get what you're saying. I think they're done with him. And the potential money he will make. But again, the talent is there. And it's badass. Like Kendrick Perkins said. Maybe Zion being traded would be a wakeup call, and he'd be embarrassed enough to want to prove them wrong. Some players need more motivation than others. Just give us a 3 year window like Walton. Man! It could be exciting.

 

His risk is amazing too. Certainly not in the same ballpark as "everyone."

 

I’m intrigued by the possible addition of Zion but dude has leg issues. Apparently with all 3 of them.

 

He definitely needs to grow up. Someone needs to show him Shawn Kemp. Another notorious womanizer and baby maker. If Zion doesn't want to use most of his earnings on child support, time to wake up. But talent is talent. Bill Walton had his issues as well. His political stance infuriated many locally, and abroad. He was called a lot of bad things in Portland. That 30 for 30 shows some of those people .

 

Nice!

 

If you want to get Dame a title, this is the deal you have to make and hope it works out. Bridges and Siakam have zero chance to bring us a title.

 

Maybe as the only move. But i see the ability to strengthen the team with follow up moves. Potentially adding DeMar DeRozan would be fantastic .

 

This right here. This helps to take on the risk of Zion. Zion is a talent you take a chance on, kinda like what the Raptors did with Kawhi, they took the chance, only got him for one year but in the end it was worth it, they got a ring. It could have not worked, but you don't know till you try, and Zion will be locked up for 5 years at least. You take that chance when you have someone like Dame on your team. Push all the chips in and try your best.

Plus, Zion must know what Portland is about already, he did his rehab here in Portland in early 2022.

"While the Pelicans did not announce the location, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Williamson is doing his rehab in Portland, Oregon"

 

I don't get why Zion sleeping around is being talked about. I think 95% of professional athletes do this. Maybe him knocking one of them up isn't the worst thing because maybe it gets him to grow up a little. Oh and of course it shows immaturity. The dude is 22, he's been a star who has everyone catering to him since he was like 17 and the bigger show of immaturity is that he isn't taking his profession seriously. That being said people do mature... having a kid and getting traded might just be the wake up call the guy needs, that and becoming teammates with Dame.

 

Zion is a known risk, but look at players who were considered can’t miss, or guys who had injuries kill their careers, or even guys like Len Bias. EVERY player is a risk

 

Neither is his talent

 

You're not really answering my question. If you know what you do about Zion and he was on your team, would you give him up for Scoot? What I'm getting at is NO feels like drafting an unknown in Scoot is better than keeping a seemingly broken Zion. If healthy, his ceiling is multiple times higher than anyone in this draft.

 

I'd do it if I felt like as an organization we hadn't been able to get through to him and especially if I was in need of a dynamic, freak athlete PG to initiate our offense. I would also trade Scoot for Zion if I felt like my organization could get through to him and I didn't need a starting PG.

 

What we don't/can't know is how much of "what they know" is actually just what they want to get out from under? Zion continuing his career in NO and Zion getting traded to Portland aren't apples:apples in terms of situations. Zion won't be able to call the shots in Portland, he'll be accountable to Dame; Zion's entourage won't have the access they do in NO, etc.

Certainly there's some amount of "they know what they have/who he is", but there's also plenty of "they can't get away from the monster they created", and invariably, that monster can't come with him to Portland (it trying to regrow itself is certainly possible, but that, then becomes our own, unique, problem where we don't have to handle it the way they did).

No one is saying Zion isn't a risk. They're saying he's a risk worth betting on.

 

Funny how a couple weeks changes things. I posted a suggested deal with Lillard and Little going for Ingram and Zion and got a lot of push back on them trading Zion. I remember saying ack then that maybe they would consider it because they were tired of his attitude/injuries. More of a restart for them. And now that it has come out as possibility, I have actually changed my mind on it. I would for a player and the #23 pick, but not for the #3 pick or pick and player and I am the guy that suggested Jonathon Isaac at the deadline...lol.

 

I have no issue trading the 3 to get a talent which Zion is. All-NBA kind of talent. If, and its a big damn if no pun intended, he can stay healthy. I said it when he came out of college that his playing style of being a bruiser and whatever else you want to call it would mean he would have a lot of injury problems and lo and behold, he has.

I would prefer someone with a bit better injury history tbh.