Zion Williamson has been the unfulfilled promise in New Orleans. Five years on from his arrival in the Big Easy from the decorated Duke University, and despite complementary roster additions made since, the Pelicans are in a worse overall position as it pertains to title-contending relevance.
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A generational prospect who entered the NBA scene surrounded by hype reminiscent of an 18-year-old LeBron James, Williamson has been hindered by persistent injury, resulting in an inability to stay available — and the Pelicans continue to suffer because of it.
The 24-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick, now into his sixth year, is currently sidelined indefinitely with a hamstring injury — not for the first time — and the latest in a lengthy line of ailments.
It hasn’t helped that this season, in addition to Williamson’s absence, trade recruit Dejounte Murray required surgery for a fractured hand suffered in the club’s season-opener, All-Star forward Brandon Ingram has battled a calf issue — and has now been sidelined by an ankle injury — and veteran guard CJ McCollum missed weeks due to an adductor strain.
Developing forwards Herb Jones and Trey Murphy have also spent valuable time on the sidelines already this season.
Yet, the majority of issues stem from the constantly interrupted development of Williamson, who simply has not lived up to his potential in New Orleans because of an inability to stay healthy.
Zion Williamson is a two-time All-Star, but his consistent unavailability has left the Pelicans with more questions than answers. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Zion Williamson is a two-time All-Star, but his consistent unavailability has left the Pelicans with more questions than answers. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
At a height of 6’6 and a weight of 128 kilograms, five-star forward prospect Williamson left jaws dropped coming out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Still, as time has rolled on since his arrival in the pros, it seems more and more evident that his one-of-a-kind blend of size and athleticism might actually spell his undoing from an injury standpoint.
In the pre-season before his rookie campaign, Williamson tore his meniscus, costing him the first 44 games of his maiden season. He played 24 total games in 2019-20, still managing a third-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting.
The bulldozing left-hander played 61 games in year two — notching his first of two All-Star nods to date after averaging 27.0 points on 61.1 per cent shooting from the field, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game — but still missed games sparingly due to thumb and finger injuries.
A massive setback confronted Williamson in 2021 as he was sidelined for the entire campaign due to a foot injury suffered in the off-season. Then, a hamstring injury in 2022-23 cost him the final 53 games of the season — managing just 29 appearances.
The narrative shifted slightly, though, after Williamson played a career-best 70 games last season — averaging 22.9 points and a career-high 5.0 assists per game — but another hamstring issue late in the campaign rendered him unavailable for the Pelicans’ short-lived playoff run.
Now, after playing just six games this season before being ruled out indefinitely, Williamson remains without a timeline for return, with ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania providing a not-so-promising update in early December: “Zion Williamson has been out for about a month, and he’s not close to coming back. That hamstring has been a chronic issue for him.”
In those six games with Williamson in the line-up, New Orleans posted an offensive rating of 117.8 compared to the 104.6 it managed in the time since he was sidelined.
Zion Williamson has struggled staying healthy throughout his six-year NBA career. Rob Carr/Getty Images/AFP
Zion Williamson has struggled staying healthy throughout his six-year NBA career. Rob Carr/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
In July 2022, Williamson and New Orleans settled on a monster five-year, US$197 million ($308 million AUD) contract extension, promisingly tying the superstar’s future to the smaller-market Pelicans.
However, missing more than 22 games in the 2022-23 season triggered a clause that turned the final three years of salary in his deal non-guaranteed, subject to specific requirements.
It means the Pelicans have the ability to waive Williamson after the 2024-25 season with no financial ramifications if they so choose — a drastic and landscape-shattering possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.
ESPN journalist Tim MacMahon gave his candid thoughts on the Zion Williamson experiment in New Orleans on a recent episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective.
“Is it time for them to get the hell out of the Zion business? (There are) two potential ways,” McMahon began. “Scenario A, the preferable scenario, is to trade him and get value for him. I think that’s going to be extremely difficult to do given his injury history, given the fact that he looked far less explosive than he had (looked) in the past in the little bit that he played this year.
“Look at his rim-finishing numbers — they are mediocre. And if he’s a mediocre rim-finisher, he’s … and also, given the fact that he is a perennial first-team all-IAS guy — It’s Always Something. Always something with him. And very rarely is it involving anything to do with basketball. So, I think getting any kind of reasonable value for him in a trade is difficult.”
In his six games played, Williamson made just 65.9 per cent of his shots within three feet — a mark that ranks 259th in the NBA.
MacMahon then laid out the aforementioned marks Williamson must hit in order to receive his contract guarantees.
“The contract was written to be cuttable,” he continued. “I’m going to read the protections — 20 per cent (guaranteed) if he satisfies the weigh-in criteria during the 2024-25 season. I haven’t seen the man step on a scale recently; I have my doubts.”
Specifically, according to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov last December, Williamson must pass six weigh-in checkpoints this season in order to guarantee 20 per cent of the US$39,45 million he is set to earn next season. The sum of his weight in pounds and his body fat percentage must remain under 295 pounds.
In relation to Williamson keeping in game-shape, former Pelicans All-Star DeMarcus Cousins told the Run It Back show on FanDuel TV: “New Orleans isn’t some place that gives health ... That’s a place you go and gain ten pounds, drink, and have a good time.”
However, 12-year NBA veteran Patrick Beverley wasn’t in the business of making excuses for Williamson, telling the Pat Bev Podcast: “Being a professional means eating right, taking care of your body ... This new generation takes five years to get where they need to be ... (Williamson) isn’t a bust, but he’s not living up to his potential.”
There are weight provisions in Zion Williamson’s contract that could cost the star forward guarantees in coming seasons. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
There are weight provisions in Zion Williamson’s contract that could cost the star forward guarantees in coming seasons. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MacMahon added: “To get another 40 per cent guaranteed (next season), he’s got to play at least 41 games … Do you think Zion’s playing 41 games this year?”
Fellow Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective panellist and ESPN journalist Tim Bontemps wouldn’t subscribe to the idea that Williamson would be cut by New Orleans.
“This is just a lot of discussion about something that’s not going to happen,” Bontemps said. “I understand your point, but it doesn’t make sense for the Pelicans to cut him.
“Everything you’re saying is correct … All your points about cutting Zion are reasonable, they’re all fair. Obviously, he’s missed a tonne of time with injuries, we’ve talked about the comparison with him and Joel (Embiid) before, where, if you’re building a foundation of a team around a guy who you never know if he’s going to be available, it’s very difficult to get where you want to go ultimately as a franchise … I understand all of that.
“However, cutting him doesn’t really do you any good if he’s already not playing now anyway. If you really want to try and get out of the business, then get him on the court, have him play, and then try to extract some value out of him in a trade sometime over the next couple of years, because it’s not changing anything for the Pelicans whether you cut him or not. It doesn’t ultimately change the reality of their situation.”
In terms of high-level discussions within the Pelicans’ front office — headed by general manager Bryson Graham — a key point will be the looming call on Ingram’s future in New Orleans.
The 27-year-old, who will be out of action indefinitely with what Charania called a ‘significant low left ankle sprain’, is in the final season of a fully-guaranteed five-year, US$158.3 million maximum contract before hitting free agency in the off-season.
Ingram’s name had been floated in trade speculation this year, but the likelihood of the Pelicans dealing him elsewhere mid-season now seems considerably lower after his latest injury.
In any case, whether it is Ingram or Williamson who departs first, the expiration date on the once-highly-touted pairing is fast approaching.
But finishing with Williamson; his New Orleans tenure has, for the majority, been disappointing to date, and unless his playing status changes in the short term and he can consistently string games together, that will remain the prevailing consensus — meaning his days in the Big Easy could be numbered.