Zion Williamson was one of the most-hyped players of all time. He was drafted number one overall, he was expected to stay healthy, and was expected to perform at an All-NBA level since the beginning — but after an injury-riddled three years with the Pelicans, Williamson has left many with questions
After CJ McCollum, an all-star caliber player, was traded to the Pelicans at this year’s trade deadline, McCollum said a few days later that Williamson did not reach out to him or communicate directly with him.
JJ Redick, who played on the New Orleans Pelicans alongside Williamson, said that his “detached” stance with the Pelicans was not anything new. Redick said that Williamson was like that before as well.
According to NOLA.com, there is a rift between Williamson and the Pelicans. The rift and the detachment between Zion Williamson and the Pelicans is due to a “lack of trust”, according to the report.
The report suggests that it could be on Williamson and his camp, but it also suggests that it may be on the Pelicans’ lead decision maker — David Griffin, who was not trusted to tell the truth by Williamson’s camp.
Williamson reportedly showed up over 300 pounds for pre-season and the 2019 summer league — an amount that the Pelicans were able to get down to under 300 pounds.
When Williamson showed up to the Pelicans’ camp in September, he was “well over” 300 pounds, which was nowhere close to the 265 pound mark that the Pelicans wanted him at in order to be in good playing shape
Now, Williamson has one more year on his rookie contract with the Pelicans before he can become a restricted free-agent in 2023.
The two sides could come together and work things out, but the fractured relationship between the young star and the Pelicans organization could be too big to repair.
