New Orleans Pelicans energy ahead Zion Williamson is broadly considered one of the vital dominant but injury-prone massive males within the NBA.
Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported Thursday morning that the 2019 first general decide’s damage historical past (and weight) could cost him millions in assured cash down the street.
Many basketball analysts had considerations over Williamson’s sturdiness within the Association after his one stellar season at Duke. Those worries nearly instantly got here to fruition, as Williamson tore his meniscus in the course of the preseason in October 2019, delaying his NBA debut to January 2020.
He performed in 19 of the subsequent 20 video games previous to the league shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic and 5 of the crew’s last eight contests when the season resumed within the “bubble.” Following his 24-game rookie season, Williamson performed in a career-high 61 contests and 33.2 minutes per sport in the course of the 2020-21 marketing campaign, made his first All-Star crew and put up his greatest numbers so far in factors (27) and rebounds (7.2) per contest. He additionally shot a career-best 61.1% from the sector.
Williamson suffered a Jones fracture in his proper foot in the course of the 2021 offseason and underwent surgical procedure. After a number of stories all through the 2021-22 season indicated that he might be able to come again sooner or later, Williamson ended up lacking all the marketing campaign.
Despite the damage historical past, the Pelicans signed the lefty to a five-year rookie extension in July 2022, though Vorkunov supplied additional particulars on the deal, displaying how New Orleans took some precautions. Per Vorkunov’s report, the group negotiated “major hedges” associated to Williamson’s well being and conditioning in case he had issues staying on the courtroom.
Even although the massive man earned his second All-Star honor final season, he was restricted to 29 video games and did not seem in a sport after Jan. 2 as a consequence of a hamstring damage.
“By lacking greater than 22
video games final season, Williamson triggered a clause that turned the wage he’s
owed for the 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons from assured to
non-guaranteed,” Vorkunov wrote. “That means the Pelicans
have the contractual energy to waive Williamson after the 2024-25 season with no
monetary ramifications — although rival crew
executives consider that may solely occur in excessive circumstances. And if Williamson misses important time this season, it could reduce into his assured wage for 2024-25.”
Williamson has performed in 23 of the Pelicans’ first 28 video games this season and leads the crew in area aim proportion (.578), is second in factors (22) and rebounds (5.8) per contest, and ranks third in assists (4.6) and minutes per sport (30.5).
The insider added that the contract consists of clauses the place the previous Blue Devil can “earn back the guarantees” by showing in sufficient video games and “hitting specific weigh-in checkpoints.”
Both Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal have not too long ago criticized Williamson for his weight and bodily conditioning.
Per the report from The Athletic, the contract says that the “sum of Williamson’s weight in pounds and his body fat percentage must be less than 295.” Both Basketball Reference and ESPN checklist Williamson at 284 kilos, which means his physique fats should be decrease than 10 % to keep away from dropping out on the ensures.
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