After a strong 12-3 start to the season, the Golden State Warriors have now dropped 13 of their last 17 and find themselves at a crossroads. Without some sort of blockbuster trade or major shakeup to their roster, the Warriors feel like a team destined for the play-in tournament. Considering how the Warriors lost in the play-in tournament last year, one would have to think that they’d be desperate to avoid similar back-to-back situations.
The Warriors have been linked to Nikola Vucevic, Zach LaVine, or Brandon Ingram, landing one of these players would certainly qualify as a blockbuster trade and potential game-changer. However, there is reportedly even a higher-profile player who could be available and could be a fit for the Warriors—Zion Williamson. Now, of course, Williamson comes with a frightening amount of risk, but along with that risk comes a nearly unparalleled amount of potential reward.
Sitting in the cellar of the highway competitive Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of a lost season. At just 5-28, the Pelicans finally seem ready to waive the white flag on both the season and the Zion era as a whole. In exchange for Williamson, the Warriors could offer a compelling package revolving around Jonathan Kuminga, giving the Pelicans a highly tantalizing new young wing to build around.
Former No. 1 Overall Pick Zion Williamson Linked to the Warriors
Analyzing Zion Williamson’s Fit with the Warriors
At least from an offensive perspective, there’s no denying Zion Williamson’s fit in Golden State would be ideal. His bruising interior presence would do wonders in contrast with the gravity and spacing provided by the perimeter shooting of the Warriors. It would truly be a nightmare-inducing venture for opposing teams to try to scheme up how best to defend the Warriors with a paint scorer the caliber of Williamson. Despite the less-than-ideal spacing Williamson often found himself surrounded by in New Orleans, when healthy, he has still proven himself to be one of the most efficient and prolific interior scorers since Shaquille O’Neal. Additionally, given Williamsons’ proclivity for playmaking, he would more than likely excel in many of the short roll decision-making positions that the Warriors often place Draymond Green in.
On the less glamorous side of the floor, the addition of Williamson would be a bit less seamless. Thus far during his career, the former first overall pick in the 2019 draft has failed to live up to expectations on the defensive end. Williamson’s block rate and steals rate both leave a bit to be desired, and he his effort has occasionally been drawn into question. Nevertheless, Williamson—when healthy—has shown defensive improvement in recent years. The motivation of playing for a championship-aspiring team in the Warriors could go a long way in dialing in Williamsons’ focus and intensity. Also, despite being undersized, Williamson has demonstrated, for decent stretches of time, an ability to make an impact as a small ball-five, which could unlock some potentially menacing lineups for coach Steve Kerr.
The Last Word
Unfortunately for Zion and the Warriors, the health risks that come along with the former Duke star are likely too great for the Golden State to take on. When healthy, Williamson is one of the most unique and game-plan-altering players in the entirety of the NBA, but he’s just rarely been able to maintain that level of play for long enough due to injuries. Despite the theoretically dynamic on-court fit with Williamson, the Warriors will more than likely feel the need to pursue more of a sure thing.
Whether a result of dietary shortcomings, lack of conditioning, or overly rambunctious style of play, Williamson’s continued inability to be available is truly one of the great tragedies of the NBA in the 2020s. While it’s fun to theorize and speculate about the potential fit of Williamson with the Warriors, what would be even more fun would be to just see him healthy—with any team.
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