I asked the other day which is the most valuable chip, Tatum or Zion.
Andrew Sharp of si.com has an interesting take:
"The Knicks threat is real, and not just for Kyrie Irving. If New York wins the lottery in June,
Zion Williamson is more valuable than anything the Celtics can offer New Orleans. Zion can sell tickets for a team that has always struggled to maintain interest in its market, he has upside that's at least as high Tatum, and he's under team control on a rookie deal for two more seasons than Tatum would be.
Zion ends the AD sweepstakes immediately. Beyond Zion, though, think about what happens if New York lands at No. 2 or 3. That pick, plus two Mavs firsts, plus Kevin Knox and Dennis Smith Jr.... That offer is significantly more lucrative than anything the Lakers were offering this week, and considering the success of Sacramento (the Celtics have their top-1 protected pick this season) the Knicks godfather offer might beat any Boston offer, too. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis has made it clear that he'd like to be in New York. And if Davis lands in New York, Boston's chances of keeping Kyrie Irving are instantly cut in half. The title team that Ainge has spent years trying to build could very well come together in New York City instead of Boston."