Zion Williamson was once again on the sidelines watching his New Orleans Pelicans teammates battle it out in the play-in tournament.
“Zanos” sat out last season after breaking his right foot in training camp. This year, Williamson suffered a hamstring injury and played just 22 games. He shut down any hope of a comeback when he told reporters he won’t be playing because he doesn’t feel like “Zion.”
Before the Pelicans’ game against the OKC Thunder, Stephen A. Smith said Williamson had to find a way to get back on the court.
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“This guy [Williamson] he is a fantastic talent. … If he was in the lineup, we’d be talking a lot more about New Orleans and what kind of noise they can make in the Western Conference.
“He has missed 169 games in his career and hasn’t played in 40% of his games. You can’t make a statement like, ‘When I feel like a Zion.’ … He has to find a way to get back on the court. Period. Because he begins to look very bad and raises suspicions from all sides ”.
The Pelicans were confident that Zion Williamson would return at some point this season after injuring his hamstring on January 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Three weeks later, the team told reporters that Williamson was making steady progress, but gave no timeline for his return.
On April 7, before the game against the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans general manager David Griffin informed the media about Williamson’s condition:
“Based on today, our best possible result would be if everything lined up perfectly, maybe you’ll be in a position to practice before the first round. Or maybe during a first round.
“But it’s going to take more than one, right? It is very difficult. We may never get to that point either. If it’s not a situation where those things line up and he feels the way he needs to feel, we won’t let him go to the next phase.”
Any flickering hopes of seeing Zion Williamson in the play-in tournament were dashed by his statement.
“Physically, I’m fine. Now it’s just a matter of when I feel like Zion,” she said.
“I can do almost anything, but it’s just a question of the level I was playing at before my hamstring. I don’t want to go out and be in my own head and affect the team when I can be on the sidelines supporting them more, because I know myself. If I had to go out, it would be in my head. I would hesitate on certain moves and it could affect the game.”
Zion Williamson’s 5-year contract will begin next season
On July 6, 2022, Zion Williamson signed a five-year, $194.3 million designated rookie contract extension. It will start early next season. The deal could reach $231 million if he earns an All-NBA selection, which may not happen this season since he’s only played in 29 games.
When Williamson has been around, he’s easily been one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA. He just hasn’t been healthy enough to contribute when he’s important to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The much-discussed weight clause in Zion Williamson’s extension won’t affect him unless the Pelicans unimaginably waive him. If the basketball star and the team that drafted him eventually part ways, that means several things have gone wrong.
New Orleans has been incredibly competitive even without the two-time All-Star. However, they will remain fringe contenders if Zion Williamson continues to suffer from injuries.