Zion Williamson Out Long — Trade Value Plummets

Merlin sees New Orleans’ star Zion Williamson sidelined again and set to miss "extended time," a development that deepens a troubling season for a team already 3-19. The injury run has crushed his market — as Brian Windhorst put it, "Zion has next to no value right now for the Pelicans" — and the club’s lack of control over this year’s first-round pick (swap to Atlanta) limits a clear rebuild path. Merlin remembers the peak — 2023-24, when Zion played 70 games and averaged 24.6/7.2/5.3 — and knows that version appears too seldom. His contract’s non-guaranteed final years lower financial risk for suitors, but durability and a poor start make finding real return difficult. New Orleans stands at a crossroads: gamble on recovery or accept a long, uncertain reset.