When Zion Williamson was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019, he arrived within the NBA with an unimaginable quantity of well-deserved fanfare. His temporary faculty profession was stacked with accolades, awards, and infinite spotlight reel fodder.
There is a cause he was drafted within the primary spot that 12 months. As such, the Pelicans had excessive hopes for him. It goes with out saying that these hopes haven’t panned out.
Calling Zion a bust could be the best understatement within the historical past of basketball. His conditioning points mixed with infinite accidents and rampant private issues have rendered him all however ineffective to an NBA franchise that noticed him because the proverbial golden goose.
There have been flashes of brilliance from Williamson through the years. When he is not injured, retains targeted on the sport, and is down a number of kilos, he can nonetheless placed on a present for the followers. Sadly, these flashes appear to be getting fewer and additional between. For the Pelicans’ entrance workplace, the worst could also be but to come back, as this case just isn’t going to get higher any time quickly.
Zion Williamson’s decline is devastating for the Pelicans
The latest stories point out that the Pelicans are pleased with Zion’s present conditioning and the route he is headed. Nonetheless, they have been right here earlier than. Zion can get in taking part in form however struggles to remain in taking part in form. Hitting the court docket with further weight is a significant downside, because it contributes to heightened fatigue and harm threat, each points Zion has been contending with.
On high of that, Williamson’s private issues proceed to take entrance and heart. In Might 2025, a lady recognized as Jane Doe accused Zion of rampant abuse that took a wide range of kinds throughout their long-term relationship. This included two alleged situations of assault. Remember that is nonetheless an ongoing case, one that might destroy Williamson’s profession if the allegations are confirmed to be true.
The fact is that conditioning, accidents, and private issues have plagued Zion’s profession since he was drafted. Regardless of these aforementioned flashes of brilliance, he hasn’t given the Pelicans any substantial cause to be hopeful that he’ll ever come near residing as much as his potential. That being mentioned, they won’t have any selection apart from attempting to make it work.
Buying and selling Zion Williamson have to be on the desk for the Pelicans
Because it stands, Zion is in the midst of a five-year contract with the Pelicans that may preserve him on the roster by means of the 2027-28 season. That contract will probably be price an estimated $197 million upon its completion, assuming Zion meets the entire harm and taking part in time necessities in it. As of summer time 2028, Williamson will probably be an unrestricted free agent.
If the Pelicans need out of the Zion Williamson enterprise now, and a few stories point out somebody may need out, the franchise goes to should commerce him. The one downside is which normal supervisor of their proper thoughts would need to carry Zion in given all of his ongoing points?
The Sixers may add him to their Joel Embiid and Paul George roster to create the costliest bench of all time. Except Zion’s fortunes take a drastic flip within the close to future, he is not going anyplace. For one more workforce to take an opportunity on him.
Williamson has to get in form, keep in form, play persistently, and in some way get his private life underneath management. If he would not, the Pelicans may trip out his contract till free company hits in 2028 and half methods with him, seemingly ending Zion’s NBA profession with a whimper.
