Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey has floated a blockbuster that would send Draymond Green out of Golden State and bring Zion Williamson to the Warriors, a move built around giving Stephen Curry a new interior force but one that comes with plenty of baggage.
The framework of the deal is straightforward enough. New Orleans would receive Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, and a 2027 Golden State Warriors first-round pick that is top-four protected.
On paper, the money lines up cleanly. Green is making approximately $27.6 million on an expiring deal.
Porzingis is on a two-year, $40 million contract worth $20 million this season, with only $3 million of next season’s salary guaranteed. Williamson, meanwhile, is tied to a five-year contract worth approximately $198 million, and he is making about $42.1 million this season and $44.8 million next season.
For the Pelicans, that kind of swap would mean moving off a major financial commitment and gaining a faster path to flexibility after this season.
Williamson’s start to the year has been productive. He is averaging 21.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 62.4% from the field. His ability to absorb contact and finish at the rim is exactly the sort of inside presence Golden State has lacked.
The fit with Curry is obvious. Teams could not keep collapsing on Williamson without paying for it from deep, and they would not be able to chase Curry off the line without opening the paint.
The two would create pressure on defenses in different ways, and neither would need to change what they do best. Once Jimmy Butler returns, the Warriors would add another experienced creator to the mix as well.
Green is still contributing in his own way, averaging 3.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists while shooting 38.5% from the field and 40.0% from three. But Williamson would be the clear scoring upgrade, especially around the basket.
Porzingis has not played this season, and his return is still unclear because of his ongoing health issues. From Golden State’s perspective, moving that contract could turn an unavailable piece into something far more useful right now.
Still, the big question is whether the Warriors would really be solving one availability problem by taking on another. Williamson’s health history hangs over the entire idea, and the first-round pick only adds to the risk.
New Orleans, by contrast, could see this as a chance to reset. Williamson’s talent has never been the issue; staying on the floor has been. Bailey pointed to Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears as possible building blocks for what comes next, and the protected first-rounder would give the Pelicans another asset to work with.
The contracts going out would also help the Pelicans move toward more financial flexibility, even if Green and Porzingis are not long-term answers.
For Golden State, though, the case is much tougher. Green is more than a scoring line.
He is the connective tissue, the communicator, and the defensive tone-setter who has helped define the Warriors for years. Losing him would strip away a major part of what they do on that end.
Yes, Williamson would juice the offense. Yes, the Curry pairing is enticing. But Golden State would still be left trying to replace Green’s organization, versatility, and defensive voice, all while betting on a star whose availability remains uncertain.
That is a lot to give up for a deal that looks cleaner on offense than it does everywhere else.
In Other News...
Pelicans Just Sent A Confusing Signal On AJ Johnson
The Pelicans made a quick roster move with AJ Johnson on Friday night, recalling the young guard from the G League only hours after sending him down. It was the kind of transaction that can look routine on paper, but it also underscored how the team is still sorting out the best path for a player who remains in the early stages of his development.
Johnson has yet to appear for New Orleans this season, so every move around him carries a little more weight than it would for a more established rotation piece. For a team trying to balance immediate needs with long-term growth, the brief detour suggests the Pelicans are still evaluating how and when to use him, even if the answer is not clear just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Offseason Additions Are Raising Fresh Questions About This Roster
New Orleans spent the offseason trying to deepen its rotation with three additions, but the early returns have only added to the uncertainty around how this roster will come together. Bennedict Mathurin has had a hard time finding the right fit in the system even as his shot volume has ticked up, while Trendon Watford has at least given the coaching staff something more encouraging after recently getting on the floor and drawing positive remarks from Jamahl Mosley.
AJ Johnson is the other name to watch, even if his path looks very different right now. He has been assigned to the G League and has yet to make his NBA debut for the Pelicans, and the fact that the team did not pick up his option suggests this is less about a long-term plan and more about proving he belongs somewhere in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Zion Williamson Is Giving The Pelicans A New Reason For Optimism
Five games into the season, Zion Williamson is giving the Pelicans a different kind of lift, and it is coming on the defensive end. The New Orleans forward has been active in the passing lanes, helping push the team to second in the league in steals per game, while head coach Jamahl Mosley has pointed to Williamsons defensive tenacity and the way the group is functioning within its system.
The recent win over Sacramento offered another glimpse of that energy, with Williamson coming away with five steals as New Orleans kept turning defense into momentum. For a player long judged mostly by what he does with the ball in his hands, the early-season shift is a meaningful one for the Pelicans, who suddenly have a new reason to believe their ceiling can rise if this edge on defense holds. [Read more 🡒]