The jury is still out on whether or not the Portland Trail Blazers have a potential All-Star already on their roster. Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are both having relatively disappointing seasons, as both guards are shooting under 30 percent from beyond the arc.
And while the 2025 class has promising prospects at the top, the draft is somewhat of a crapshoot in terms of the lottery and how the player translates to the NBA.
The Blazers' financial situation and the fact that Portland is a smaller market means it's unlikely they land an All-Star in free agency anytime soon, especially since they are in the early stages of their rebuild.
Pelicans 'open to trade pitches' for Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson
Their best bet to land an All-Star could be a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, who are looking to retool their roster after an injury-riddled 5-22 start. The Pelicans' two best players -- Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson -- seem to be available at the right price.
On The Stein Line , Marc Stein and Jake Fischer mentioned that New Orleans is "naturally resistant" to trades involving Herb Jones, Yves Missi, or Trey Murphy III. However, they are "essentially open to trade pitches for pretty much anyone else on the roster."
Ingram is intriguing for Portland as he would provide that missing piece as a go-to scorer who would add to Portland's existing foundation with his length and versatility. But the better bet for the Blazers is Williamson.
The Blazers should aggressively pursue Zion Williamson
Williamson is 24, while Ingram is 27, meaning he fits better alongside Rip City's young core that is still years away from contending. Ingram's contract also expires at the end of the season, and he is due for a massive payday that will likely exceed Zion's current contract. Williamson is on the books for $163.2 million through the 2027-28 season.
That seems risky for someone currently out with a left hamstring strain and has an extensive injury history, only averaging 46 games a season through his first four seasons. But that would likely be factored into the Pelicans' asking price, meaning it could be a good opportunity for the Blazers to buy low on someone who already has two All-Star appearances on his resume.
One reassuring thing to consider with Zion is that he has stipulations in his contract. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic wrote a piece in 2023 breaking it down in more detail, but the main takeaway is that the final three seasons of his contract aren't guaranteed.
Vorkunov mentions that Williamson's contract states that his weight and body fat percentage must be less than 295. Additionally, he must hit a certain amount of games played to guarantee portions of his salary, with different milestones at 41, 51, and 61 games.
"Twenty percent of his salary for the 2025-26 season will become guaranteed if he passes all six of his weigh-in checkpoints during the 2024-25 season, another 40 percent if he plays in at least 41 games in 2024-25 and an additional 20 percent if he plays in at least 51. The final 20 percent gets re-guaranteed if he plays in at least 61 games. He can re-guarantee portions of his salary for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons as well by hitting those same milestones in the seasons before," wrote Vorkunov.
It's no secret that the Blazers have an unfortunate history of having highly talented players with shortened or less productive careers due to injuries, including Bill Walton, Sam Bowie, Arvydas Sabonis, Brandon Roy, and Greg Oden. There's always a possibility Zion would be added to that list if they were to make an aggressive deal for him.
However, the stipulations in his contract and the fact that the asking price likely wouldn't be too steep mitigate the risk. Acquiring a 24-year-old with multiple All-Star appearances is exactly what the Blazers need to take a gamble on at this point in their rebuild.
They have a great foundation of elite role players between Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan, but they still desperately need that one face of the franchise that these players can complement. When healthy, Zion is talented enough to be that missing piece.