3 best landing spots for Zion Williamson if he leaves the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2021 NBA offseason

Zion Williamson has consistently been in the news of late. The New Orleans Pelicans presently find themselves in administrative shambles. Coach Stan Van Gundy has exited the franchise after the players revealed they were unhappy under him.

Additionally, Williamson and his family are unhappy because the organization failed to surround the 20-year-old with the pieces necessary to compete in the playoffs.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been unable to put together the right elements to make Zion Williamson and his family happy, per @TheAthleticNBA "Multiple sources have told The Athletic that certain family members want Williamson on another team." 😳 pic.twitter.com/6kfWYLqX4V

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) June 17, 2021

Zion Williamson earned a salary of $10,245,480 this season. He also has team options on his contract for the next two seasons worth $10,733,400 and $13,534,817 respectively. Although it is a team option, he could pressurize the organization to not pick it up. Even the Pelicans wouldn't want to forcefully keep a player if they didn't want to play for their team.

Where could Zion Williamson go if he leaves New Orleans?

An absolute beast of a player, Zion Williamson was arguably one of the most hyped draft prospects entering the NBA since LeBron James. Many have called him a "freak of nature" and Kevin Durant described him as a "once-in-a-generation type athlete."

Williamson averaged 27 points per game this season on a ridiculous 61 FG%. He led the league in points in the paint and in FG% for any player averaging over 20 points.

Whichever team ends up with Williamson will be signing a superstar. With his family unhappy and wanting him on another team, we take a look at three teams that could be potential destinations for Zion Williamson in the 2021 NBA offseason.

#1 New York Knicks

Fans look on during the 2020-21 Playoff Game 1 between Atlanta Hawks v New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are one of just three teams with positive cap space. Should they attempt to sign Zion Williamson, he could be guaranteed a big deal there. Williamson has publicly admitted that he loves to play at Madison Square Garden and that it's his second-best arena to play at, after New Orleans.

Zion Williamson's smile was as bright as Times Square on New Year's Eve when talking about playing in New York at Madison Square Garden. pic.twitter.com/eDXd8D2L6i

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) April 18, 2021

Although Julius Randle plays in the listed power forward position, he can certainly move to the small forward position if the Knicks sign Williamson.

Similar to LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the LA Lakers, Williamson and Randle could easily switch positions between either front court spots. In an era of fluid basketball with reduced emphasis on rigid positioning, Williamson could be a perfect addition to this Knicks team.

They made the 4th seed and the NBA playoffs this season. However, the Knicks lacked a scorer who could get them 25 points a night. It is also worth noting that Williamson was unhappy with the coach in New Orleans while the Knicks have the 2021 Coach of the Year in Tom Thibodeau.

#2 Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves bench during a 2020-21 NBA match

Although they ended up in the lottery, the Minnesota Timberwolves are only a few pieces away from making a playoff push. Their season ended prematurely because of injuries, but they already seem prepared for next season.

They have a young talented star center in Karl-Anthony Towns and a great point guard in D'Angelo Russell. The Timberwolves are also one of the youngest teams in the NBA and have also just drafted Rookie of the Year runner-up, Anthony Edwards.

Tieing up several players and adding Zion Williamson to an already packed roster would go a long way in taking the Timberwolves to the NBA playoffs. Rumoured trade scenarios have largely been centered around Anthony Edwards and Ricky Rubio so far. But the Timberwolves might be interested if a situation arises where Zion Williamson wants to leave and the Pelicans consider the sale.

#3 Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets in action during the 2020-21 NBA season

The Charlotte Hornets are an exciting team to play for right now. They have a young and exciting core of LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges in their ranks. The Hornets were one play-in tournament away from the NBA playoffs and they lacked a front court piece. Zion Williamson would fill in that gap and complement this team really well.

It's officially official. @MELOD1P IS YOUR 2020-21 @NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR! 🕺 🛸 💕🔗: https://t.co/B1enxDPYEu pic.twitter.com/fnpe3tk7Pt

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) June 16, 2021

Similar to the New York Knicks, the Charlotte Hornets are also one of three teams with cap space. The owner is Michael Jordan, which makes it an attractive destination for young players. They have money to sign big deals and although it seems unlikely, Charlotte might be worth a consideration for Zion Williamson.