The Team Zion Needs
Happy Zion Day!
Well, that's what today should be known as. In a few hours, one Franchise's life will take a complete 180, and it all depends on the bounce of the balls. The 2019 Zion Draft Lottery, excuse me, 2019 NBA Draft Lottery takes place tonight at 8:30. The league's bottom dwellers and tankers will all be hoping for the same thing, the opportunity to select this franchise changer.
It's no surprise every team wants Zion, have you seen him? 6'7, 280 plus pounds, and he still moves as swift and agile as he does. Have you seen him play? By far the best athlete in college basketball. He was either jumping over you or through you; there was no stopping Zion from getting to the basket. His energy was infectious, and it showed with every dunk and highlight play Zion made. Aside from being a monster athlete, he was arguably the best player in the entirety of college basketball... as a freshman. He averaged 22 and 8 and won damn near every award he was nominated for, including ACC Player of the Year, John Wooden Award, and the Naismith Award, so it's no surprise every team needs Zion. I think a better question is which team does Zion need to help him reach his superstar potential?
The three teams with the highest chances of getting Zion are the Suns, Knicks, and Cavs, and unfortunately for these teams, they are also his worst landing spots. Nobody wants to see Zion in Cleveland, nobody more so than probably Zion himself. We've seen that story before, 16 years ago in 2003. If he goes to the Cavs, LeBron comparison's will only pick up speed, a comparison Zion wants no part in.
The Phoenix Suns might be the one team in the lottery that doesn't need Zion. The Suns have two capable wing players on the roster already in Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre Jr. so it wouldn't make sense to draft for that position, but then again when has the Suns organization made sense in the last decade? The Suns need a Point Guard and would be better suited using their lottery pick on Ja Morant, but if they choose to draft Zion and create a logjam at that position, nobody could fault them either.
The New York Knicks. Where do I begin? No Franchise wants Zion more, and the season-long tank-a-thon cemented that. From Game 1 of 82, it was apparent the draft lottery was on the minds of Knicks' brass and fans alike, no they have their chance, but is Zion the right choice in New York? I don't think so. If Zion Williamson, the most hyped prospect since LeBron, comes to the biggest NBA market in the country, the hype and pressure will be too much for a kid who's hype might not be up to his actual skill level. It can get real ugly in New York fast, and if Zion starts slow, Knicks' fans will not be happy with that. The only way Zion works in New York is if KD and Kyrie come join him in free agency.
So where should Zion go? WhyToby??
I believe the team Zion should go to should be a team that needs him first and foremost, secondly, a team that he will not have all the pressure in the world on, and lastly, a franchise the NBA wouldn't mind seeing a resurgence from. This team already has the pieces around to help Zion succeed right away, proper ownership and management, an excellent fan base, and he would be the second coming of a previous superstar in this town. I believe when the ping pong balls stop bouncing, the Zion Sweepstakes winner will be the Atlanta Hawks, and Zion will be the next Human Highlight Film.
The Hawks have everything Zion needs. They already have their resident superstar in point guard Trae Young. They have another future All-Star at the center position in John Collins. The Hawks also drafted Omari Hardwick and Kevin Huerter, two key rotational pieces to the team. This team can shoot the three, and they can't sag off Trae Young so the driving and slashing lanes will be wide open for Zion. Young even said it himself; he knows what this team can become with Zion.
Not to mention, the closest prototype to Zion played in Atlanta almost three decades earlier. Dominique Wilkins, the 6'7 forward, had bounce unseen before, only rivaled by Jordan, and he turned Hawks basketball into nightly highlight plays. I see Zion doing the same alongside Trae Young.
It's going to take a little luck, but Zion to the Atlanta Hawks is the best option for all parties involved and will be the most entertaining to watch for years to come.
#NBA #TraeYoung #Atlanta #AtlantaHawks #KyrieIrving #KevinDurant #NewYork #NewYorkKnicks #PheonixSuns #ClevelandCavaliers
