Zion Williamson has not played for the Pelicans since the 2020-21 season.
New Orleans Pelicans big man Zion Williamson and the team are nearing an agreement on a five-year, $231 million extension, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. Williamson played in 24 games as a rookie, then 65 games in his second year — and zero games this past season, when the Pelicans overcame a 1-12 start to finish 36-46, then win two Play-In Tournament games and make the playoffs.
In the 2020-21 season, Williamson was an All-Star, averaging 27.0 ppg. 7.2 rpg, 3.7 apg while shooting 61.1% overall. Per Charania, the deal is expected to include protections that both Williamson and the Pelicans were sorting out.
Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.
The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022
The Pelicans faced a $200 million — give or take — question this offseason: whether to offer the former No. 1 overall pick a lucrative extension that would kick in starting with the 2023-24 season, or roll the dice and see if he can get healthy enough to be a contributor to a team that believes it has a bright future.
“When it’s time to have that (conversation), we’ll have it,” Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said in late April. “Right now what we’re focused on is him being healthy, and kind of elite condition to play basketball and we’ll start there. I think once we get to that point, all those conversations get a lot easier.”
“I wouldn’t be able to sign it fast enough,” Williamson said when asked if he would sign an extension.
It’s a major decision for the Pelicans, who obviously would love to add a player of Williamson’s enormous skill level to a core that took the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to six games in the playoffs. There is excitement in New Orleans about the finish, and the future, and rightly so.
“Words cannot describe how excited I am,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said when the team held its end-of-season meetings before before dispersing for the summer. “I’m ready to get right back to work.”
The question is when Williamson will be ready to work.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft and an All-Star last season said Friday that he could have been in the Pelicans’ lineup down the stretch this season, but he and the organization “decided longevity was better than trying to rush back.”
Williamson was speaking to reporters for the first time since media day last September. During his silence questions arose about whether he was unhappy in New Orleans.
Charles, Kenny and Shaq believe Zion has to want to be a great player for himself.
Williamson acknowledged he was in “a mentally bad space” at times during the season because of the frustration due to his slow-healing injury.
He didn’t initially reach out to CJ McCollum, whom the Pelicans acquired along with Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell in a February trade.
Williamson said he texted McCollum, a 10-year veteran whose arrival fueled New Orleans’ late-season surge, to apologize for not reaching out sooner.
“CJ was cool about it,” Williamson said. “He’s a great dude. The short amount of time I have been around him, I’ve learned so much from him. Great teammate. I’m excited to get on the court with him. I’m in a great space now.
“We have a lot of great pieces. We have a special group. When I got around the fellas, it was always good vibes with them.”
Green began his tenure with the expectation that he would build his team around Williamson and forward Brandon Ingram, who had a breakout series in his first playoff appearance this season. But Williamson was never available.
“I love that he wants to be here, that he wants to be in the gym, working toward getting healthy, working toward being the best player he can be,” Green said.
Green said three rookies who played prominent roles — first-round pick Trey Murphy III, second-round pick Herbert Jones Jr. and free agent Jose Alvarado — will benefit significantly from the experience of playing “meaningful games” at the end of the season.
“My message to our team is that there will be expectations,” Green said. “We won’t sneak up on people, but that’s good. That’s what lets you know you’re a good team and that’s what we’re striving to become.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
