Championship or not, the Boston Celtics will have challenging decisions to make in the offseason.
Keeping a title-winning roster intact isn’t easy, which is what the Celtics will soon discover.
The organization could consider swapping a two-time NBA champion guard for an electric New Orleans Pelicans forward, who averaged 24.6 points per game in the regular season.
Zion Williamson is among the league’s most captivating young talents.
Whether the Duke product is executing jaw-dropping slams in transition, using his upper body strength to overpower defenders in the paint during one-move-and-go situations, or altering layups at the rim, he’s constantly making positive plays on the hardwood.
However, the major knock on Williamson has been his failure to remain healthy in New Orleans, which continued to rear its ugly head this season.
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Various injuries limited the two-time All-Star to 30 contests this year.
With the Pelicans enduring a miserable 21-61 campaign and recently firing executive vice president David Griffin, Williamson could be the next member of the organization to go.
"At some point soon, the New Orleans Pelicans are going to have to make a stern decision about their future,” Sir Charles in Charge’s Michael Saenz wrote last Sunday.
"At the forefront of those questions and concerns about the future revolve around Zion Williamson. With three years remaining on his deal, if he can't stay healthy, there's a tough pill that the organization may have to swallow - and it revolves around whether or not it may be time to trade Zion.”
"Some may seem to believe it may be a bit too premature for the Pelicans to do so at this point. However, there's reason to believe that if the Pelicans are going to cross that bridge, this may be the summer to do so. After trading Brandon Ingram, the team is clearly headed in a new direction.”
"What the Pelicans will have to answer is whether they firmly believe Zion is going to be a big part of that. Considering his huge contract and projecting what his next one may look like, I'm not sure what the front office is going to conclude.”
Williamson would be a significant risk for the Celtics from an availability standpoint. The 24-year-old forward has only played in 214 regular-season games since landing with the Pelicans in 2019.
However, with Jrue Holiday taking a step back after playing a pivotal role in the Celtics’ successful 2024 championship run, it may be a worthwhile gamble this summer.
Although Williamson isn’t a two-time NBA champion like Holiday, his physical tools and star power would keep Boston in title contention.
If the Pelicans are open to trading Williamson in the offseason, Boston could emerge as a landing spot for the promising young phenom.
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