Zion Williamson’s $197 Million contract in jeopardy as NBA star’s inactivity causes trouble

Zion Williamson played in only 29 games last season. It triggered a clause that voids the last three years of his contract and the Pelicans can release him after 2024-25 season.

Zion Williamson’s $197 Million contract in jeopardy as NBA star’s inactivity causes trouble

Zion Williamson's last three years of his contract stand to be void as he played in only 29 games last season (image via Twitter)

The New Orleans Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson has found himself in another sticky situation. This has nothing to do with his off-field issues. However, this concerns his basketball career. Williamson signed a lucrative five-year, $197M contract extension last July. The Pelicans negotiated and included certain hedges to bail them out of the contract if things turned south.

Those hedges were tied to his health and conditioning. Fitness has had a significant impact on Williamson’s career so far. Last season, he played in only 29 games. The Athletic reported that this triggered a clause in his contract where his final three years become no longer guaranteed. This means the Pelicans can walk away without any financial ramifications if they release Williamson after the 2024-25 season.

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Zion Williamson has missed almost the last two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. In the 2021-22 off-season, a fifth metatarsal fracture in his right foot sidelined him completely. Initially, the Pelicans believed Zion could return by mid-October. Eventually, the Pelicans decided the recovery was slow, and they shut him down for the season. The second injury was mid-way through last season after he was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

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These health issues were assumed to be the result of his conditioning. Many analysts and ex-players mentioned that he will have more lower-body injuries if his weight is not managed. The Pelicans decided to include these conditions as hedges in the contract.

Zion Williamson has all the attributes to become the face of the NBA

The New Orleans Pelicans thanked the basketball gods for drafting Williamson 1st overall despite their low probability in the lottery. Williamson was touted during his college days at Duke University as the next face of the NBA. Such was his incredible combination of skill, power, and athleticism.

Spending majority of last two seasons sidelined by injury, the Pelicans added his health and conditioning as hedges into his contract
The Pelicans added health and conditioning as hedges into the contract of Zion Williamson (Image via Twitter)

Williamson set records in his rookie season. He was the first teenager in NBA history to score at least 20 points in 10 consecutive games. He also matched a certain Michael Jordan’s record of sixteen 20-point games in their first 20 games in the NBA. Such was his impact that fans were quick to name him as the eventual replacement of LeBron James as the face of the NBA.

But his four seasons have been a disappointment. Weighed down by health and conditioning issues, Williamson has never made the fans and analysts go berserk with consistently elite-level play. Some say Williamson is dragging the Pelicans down with him. Maybe this contract condition may help them look towards a fresh start.

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