NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The New Orleans Pelicans are “very unlikely” to trade franchise star Zion Williamson this offseason.

That’s according to a recent report by The Athletic’s Will Guillory.

Guillory reports that it was “no accident” that Williamson was chosen to represent the franchise at the recent NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago. He also said that there have been ongoing discussions between Williamson’s camp and new Pelicans executive Joe Dumars.

There were previous rumors that Dumars was hired by New Orleans with the understanding that he’d have Williamson traded this summer. Dumars denied those rumors in his introductory press conference.

“I read that last week,” Dumars said of the reported mandate, per The Athletic’s Will Guillory. “If I did, nobody told me.”

Williamson was taken a

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