Zion Williamson’s woes deepen as Pelicans star loses MILLIONS of dollars
Uncertainty surrounds Zion Williamson's contract and potential trade as Pelicans consider their options
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Zion Williamson (image via Cole Burston/Getty Images)
New Orleans Pelicans’ forward Zion Williamson is set to begin a five-year, $194.3 million contract extension next season. However, recent reports indicate that this extension is no longer fully guaranteed, adding a new twist to the Pelicans’ plans for their star player.
When Williamson initially signed his extension with the Pelicans, certain protections were put in place for the team related to games played and injuries. Unfortunately, Williamson appeared in only 29 games this past season, falling short of the games played threshold. As a result, a portion of his contract is expected to convert to non-guaranteed.
This situation is not unique to Williamson, as other players such as Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic have faced similar circumstances. Embiid managed to meet the necessary criteria, completing his deal and subsequently signing another extension. In contrast, Isaac failed to meet the games played requirement, resulting in his contract becoming only partially guaranteed.
While a partially guaranteed deal does not provide immediate salary relief for the team, the full value of the contract for each season remains on the salary cap. However, if the team decides to waive the player, only the guaranteed amount will count against the cap.
Related: Zion Williamson contract and salary breakdown
Zion Williamson’s potential availability for trade
The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves entering an eventful offseason where they could potentially part ways with their biggest star, former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson. Despite his injury setbacks, some individuals within the organization still believe in his potential.
However, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Pelicans may make Zion available for trade ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft. Windhorst stated that the Pelicans have had preliminary discussions regarding potential trades but emphasized that no offers have been made at this point.
“One team that has emerged that really would like to move up from their spot at 14th are the New Orleans Pelicans, potentially hunting a star-caliber player, maybe like a guy like Scoot Henderson,” Windhorst said on Wednesday’s edition of “Get Up!”
“The Pelicans have had some cursory discussions from what I’ve been told. There haven’t been any offers made necessarily yet, but it makes you not really take too far of a leap to wonder… If the Pelicans are gonna make for the first time truly Zion Williamson available.”
If Williamson can maintain his health, he has the potential to elevate the Pelicans to new heights, as demonstrated by their success while he was on the court last season. However, it seems that the team is running out of patience and may be looking to part ways with their young star in search of a star-caliber player, such as Scoot Henderson.
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Vivek Yadav
(624 Articles Published)