The Pelicans Need To Stop Mortgaging Their Future For Zion Williamson
The post The Pelicans Need To Stop Mortgaging Their Future For Zicom. DENVER, COLORADO OCTOBER 29: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on against the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter at Ball Arena on October 29, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Morgan Engel/Getty Images) Getty Images When the New Orleans Pelicans won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, they set out to apply the lessons they learned from the bitter end of the Anthony Davis era. The Pelicans landed Davis with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, but they never managed to build a consistent winner around him. During his seven years in New Orleans, they made the playoffs only twice and won only one playoff series. That culminated in a messy divorce right as the Pelicans were ready to begin their next era. Less than four months after Davis requested a trade, the Pelicans won the 2019 draft lottery, which gave them the right to select Duke forward Zion Williamson. They proceeded to trade Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and three first-round picks, which gave them the foundation to build around Williamson. Six years later, the Pelicans have almost nothing to show for that trade. In 2021, they sign-and-traded Ball to the Chicago Bulls for Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick. The following year, they sent Hart, Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, a future first-round pick and two second-round picks to the Portland Trail Blazers for CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell. And at this past year’s trade deadline, they shipped Ingram to the Toronto.