Rockets oddly linked to Pelicans’ Zion Williamson once again

Houston Rockets fans were caught off guard last season when rumors swirled regarding the Rockets’ interest in New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. In the end, nothing happened.

This offseason, the rumors have persisted, as Sam Amick of The Athletic cited Williamson as a potential franchise target.

Williamson has become a somewhat polarizing figure, to put it politely.

It is well known that he is extremely talented, as he lived up to the hype that followed him coming out of Duke. He’s made the All-Star team in two of his five seasons in the league and he’s still only 23 years old.

He’s also had a huge impact on the Pels, who have often struggled to generate offense without the 23-year-old on the court. However, his best quality is his availability and Williamson hasn’t really filled that box.

To top it all off, Williamson has missed 145 games over the last three seasons due to various injuries. There are questions about Williamson’s passion and commitment to the game, which isn’t exactly ideal for a franchise player on a team.

To his credit, availability hasn’t been an issue for Williamson in 2023-24, as he’s played in 70 games, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, five assists on 57 percent from the field and 61 percent true shooting.

But he’s not necessarily a formidable defender, which has been something the Rockets have emphasized under coach Ime Udoka.

And Williamson is not a shooter, which isn’t ideal for a team that was one of the worst shooting teams last season. Especially playing alongside Alperen Sengun, who is a big-time passing player who is best suited when surrounded by shooters.

Kind of like how the Denver Nuggets configured their roster around Nikola Jokic.

And the Pelicans will likely ask for a ransom in exchange for Williamson. In fact, they reportedly asked for Sengun in exchange for Brandon Ingram, so one can only imagine what they would want for Williamson.

Granted, the Rockets have made it known that they are looking for a superstar, which Williamson certainly can be, but considering everything else, the Rockets would be wise to cross him off their roster.

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