A potential rookie scale extension for Zion Williamson will be one of the major stories of the offseason, and the Pelicans‘ talented but often-injured power forward repeated his desire today to stay in New Orleans, writes Andrew Lopez of ESPN.
“I do want to be here. That’s no secret. I feel like I’ve stood on that when I spoke,” Williamson said at a registration event for his youth basketball camp.
He will be eligible for a five-year extension this summer that could be worth up to a projected $186MM, but a recent report indicated the Pelicans are reluctant to guarantee that much given his injury history. The team may try to include protections in the contract, basing a portion of Williamson’s guaranteed money on the number of games he’s able to play.
Williamson is fully healthy for the first time in nearly a year after missing the entire season following surgery on his right foot. Late last month, he was cleared to go through offseason workouts without restrictions. He has been playing in New Orleans alongside several of his teammates and is eager to put the past few months behind him.
“It was a long year for me for rehab and mental battles,” he said. “I’m fine now. I’m ready to get to work.”
Williamson was pegged as a future star when the Pelicans selected him with the top pick in the 2019 draft. However, a meniscus tear in the preseason forced him to miss the first 44 games of his rookie campaign and he played just 24 games overall. He got into 61 games during his second season, bringing him to his current total of 85. The 21-year-old has been exceptional when he has been on the court, averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and displaying unique ball-handling and passing skills.
Williamson chose to deflect questions about the extension today, telling reporters, “You have to ask the Pels, baby.”
He was more talkative when asked about the playoffs, as the Pelicans qualified this season for the first time since he joined the team. New Orleans made its way through the play-in tournament and provided a spirited challenge to the Suns before bowing in six games. Williamson said the experience motivated him.
“Pels in the first round. That’s all I needed to see to really be excited to get back out there,” he said. “It was exciting to see young players. Jose [Alvarado], Trey [Murphy III], Herb [Jones], Jaxson [Hayes]. Just blossoming into players I knew they could be and they knew they could be. Then watching [Brandon Ingram]. The name speaks for itself. Then CJ [McCollum] being added, it was something to watch. The fans made it so much better.”
It’s nice Z wants to be there, now if he would just PLAY there.
And stay healthy!
Translation: I do want an extension and if the Pelicans don’t give me one, likely nobody else will either.
If the Pelicans let him walk every GM in the league would be blowing up his agents phone. Zion is a generational talent. He’s had a rough start to his career but he’s still played more games in his first 3 years than Embiid did in his.
I agree he’s a generational talent, but Embiid is the exception not the rule; he’s probably the only big man I can think of had that type of start to his career and ended up having a relatively injury-free remainder (to this point at least).
Weirdly, I’d actually feel better about Zion’s health if he just suffered like a torn ACL like Kawhi two years and we knew he was sitting out the year.
The fact this was supposed to be a relatively minor procedure (that no one even knew about until training camp) that ended up costing him the season is a little concerning.
At times he looked to be really overweight. My guess is he had the procedure and was not able to work out as he should have and/or cut back on his diet to avoid ballooning.
If I’m the Pels the max I’m offering 5yrs $125m.
Just give him the max, he’ll eventually get his health in order and the talent is there.
Until Zion wins at least a hot dog eating championship, nobody cares about the fat guy.
Dude, you wish as “fat” as Zion.
A contract with “protections” is not really a guaranteed one. For CBA reasons it may be called that, or put in that category for legal reasons.
Zion would be wise not to assume he will have a lot of games. I doubt the FO will assume that
Lol he will be asking for a trade in a 2 years
So what?
The point is he’s lying lmao. You need that explained to you?
Step 1 get 5 yr max. Step 2 request a trade in year 2. Step 3 play well enough to get a 3rd contract. Step 4 go back to vegging out.
Bingo
Sure he has to say I want stay here until I get my 5 years maximum extension after that like AD did trade to other team please.
That is his right, whenever he wants he can ask for it, right?
If the teams so whishes can trade him 6 months after signing the extension without his permission, so of course he can ask to go, seriously no one pays to watch NOP, but everybody pays to watch Zion or AD for that matter!
Loyalty my friend todays player just play for the love of the money, nothing like old days and player’s like magic, Bird and all that legends. Good luck my friend.
Exactly, teams ain’t loyal, players mustn’t be either, is just fair enough to me!
The day franchises start showing loyalty to the players, that is the day I will expect loyalty from the players… but that they will never ever happen, right?
doth protest too much
Yes, Williamson certainly wants to be there for the “Sunday Beignet Special” and battered fried crawfish.
The question remains: where does he want to play basketball?
Don’t sleep on Zion getting dealt to the 76ers for a deal including Tobias.
I passed out.
Flip him for OG and some draft capital