Joe Dumars Says Pelicans Ownership Hasn’t Told Him To Trade Zion Williamson

NBA legend Joe Dumars said on Tuesday that New Orleans Pelicans ownership hasn’t told him to trade Zion Williamson. 

Dumars is the Pelicans’ new president of basketball operations. 

“I read that last week that I have a mandate. If I have, no one has called and told me that… She said “Joe I would like to know what its like to win an NBA title” That was as close to an edict as you will get”

— Joe Dumars on mandates from ownership pic.twitter.com/iDpJ7qIUKN

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) April 22, 2025

Williamson has played in just 45% of his possible games with the Pelicans since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The lefty has never played in a postseason game. 

Williamson appeared in 30 games for the Pelicans this season. He averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 56.7% from the field and 65.6% from the free-throw line. 

A two-time All-Star, Williamson has career averages of 24.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 214 games. 

The Pelicans signed Williamson to a five-year, $197 million extension in 2022. Williamson will make $39,446,090 next season, $42,166,510 in 2026-27 and $44,886,930 in 2027-28, the final season of his contract. 

The Pelicans had the second-worst record in the West this season. They traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors in February. 

New Orleans acquired Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade back in 2019. Ingram is on the Raptors, Ball is on the Chicago Bulls and Hart is on the New York Knicks. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers traded Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. Davis and LeBron James helped Los Angeles win the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble. 

It will be interesting to see where Williamson is playing next season. Many people believe the forward needs a change of scenery to reach his full potential.