“It’s a pretty easy decision” Pelicans VP David Griffin confirms Zion Williamson will get MAX extension
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Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is due for his MAX contract extension, while some pundits reacted negatively to the idea; Franchise VP David Griffin put faith in the young star as the team looks to build upon their hard-fought work of this season into the upcoming 2022-23 season with full power.
Zion Williamson was regarded as the future of the New Orleans Pelicans when he was drafted by the franchise. But after an injury and spending a large part of his career in rehab, he was considered fit only for the 2023 season. The lingering return is closer and New Orleans Fans can expect Zion to Partnering CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram in near future. Rookie Zion Williamson signed a 4-year / $44,271,137 contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He will be a restricted free agent in the 2023 season and eligible for MAX extension.
21 years old Zion Williamson averaged 25.7 points on 60.4 percent shooting. He also has an impressive stat-line for a 2nd-year player with 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He even made the All-Star team in his second NBA season but missed all of last year with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot.
New Orleans Pelicans investing hugely in young stud Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson was the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. But he failed to make it to the court for half of his Rookie years, which raised many questions regarding his durability. Also, his behavior on the court and with teammates was regularly targeted by also doubted his loyalty to the Pelicans franchise.
While Williamson was due for his extension, many even warned Pels to go ahead with some caution. Still, even despite the situation, New Orleans GM (and VP) David Griffin doesn’t see it as a difficult choice. As per David, it would be foolish to give up on a young forward so soon. He also cleared the fact that the franchise is willing to pay whatever it takes to keep him in town.
NOLA Native Michael Kelly quoted David Griffin, “It’s a pretty easy decision. The kid is historically good when he plays. It’s really going to be about if you’re all the way in with us, this is what it looks like. And we’re all the way in with him.”
Pelicans’ front office seems to go ahead with the young forward and see him as the centerpiece of the franchise. Supporting their star player Pelicans reinstate their trust in Zion. As David Griffin explained their decision, “There’s this misconception of what he’s like as a human being. He’s nice, he’s fun-loving, he’s from the south, he loves is southern cuisine. The cool part is that his teammates like him.”
New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin described Zion Williamson as a historic player, adding that offering Williamson a max contract is an “easy decision.” Griffin was on The Ryen Russillo Podcast where he informed the decision, “It’s not a big decision, it’s a pretty easy decision,” said “The kid’s historically good when he plays … this is a max player.”
This means that Williamson can sign a five-year, $181 million rookie extension this summer. To comment on the outside world’s reactions, Griffin said, “You see the media and how he is treated, he doesn’t speak very often because he has a lot of people that speak for him behind the scenes. One of the things he will do this season is present. Not just for the media, but for his team. All in all, I’ve enjoyed my experiences with him. He works extremely hard.”
Zion played just 85 games over his first three seasons with the team and expressed his desire to be with the Pelicans last month. Though the franchise struggled without Zion for the last two seasons, they did make it into the Play-in this season. If their star forward could play for a whole season, they might take their chances in the postseason.
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Kunal Chawda
(600 Articles Published)