New Orleans Pelicans Receive: F Darius Bazley, 2022 First-Round Pick (OKC), 2023 First-Round Pick (DEN), 2024 First-Round Pick (UTA), 2025 First-Round Pick (HOU/LAC)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Zion Williamson
What’s really crazy about this package is that the Oklahoma City Thunder send out four first-round picks, and still walk away with the most draft capital in the NBA at their disposal.
Still, it puts the New Orleans Pelicans in a close(er) second place. They’ve accumulated quite a collection of picks on their own. With this deal, they put themselves in an interesting position.
They should stay competitive. The same core group that will remain after this deal was good enough to make the playoffs in 2021-22. Fielding the same team, but four draft picks richer, isn’t a bad situation.
Interestingly, if Zion can get healthy, that’s the same position the Thunder should find themselves in after this trade. A core of Williamson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Josh Giddey ought to be enough to at least sniff the play-in tournament.
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Of course, that may be an issue for the Thunder. They may prefer to continue building through the draft and add Willamson. If that’s the case, there may be another trade these two sides could make.
