The New Orleans Pelicans are keeping Zion Williamson on a short leash, at least when it comes to a new contract.
After a 26-56 season that left them 11th in the West, the Pelicans are still firmly in rebuild mode, and they are not in a hurry to rush into a max-level extension for their former No. 1 pick. Zion is eligible for one this offseason, but the expectation is that New Orleans will hold off and keep evaluating.
“With two years remaining on his deal, Zion is eligible for an extension this offseason, but it’s highly unlikely that he will get one,” wrote Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. “Even though the Pelicans still believe in the former No. 1 pick, they are in no rush to lock him into a new deal and want to see him put together another complete season after playing in 62 games a season ago.”
That approach makes sense given where the Pelicans are. This is still a young roster, and the franchise wants more time before making a long-term commitment that would shape the next phase of the rebuild. Williamson remains part of that plan for now, but not in a way that guarantees he’s there for the long haul.
He still has two years and $46 million left on his current deal, which gives New Orleans another full season to figure out exactly what it has. The team wants to see how he fits alongside younger pieces like Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Dejounte Murray before deciding where he belongs in the bigger picture.
When Zion is healthy, the production is obvious. In 62 games last season, he averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks while shooting 60.0% from the field. He also served as a veteran presence in the locker room, helping set the tone for younger teammates.
But the concerns around him have never really gone away. Health, conditioning, and durability have followed Williamson throughout his career, and since being drafted in 2019, he has only played at least 60 games in three seasons. That track record, along with his poor eating/dietary habits, makes it difficult for the Pelicans to commit to a lengthy deal.
Williamson still sees himself as a max-level player, which leaves New Orleans in a tricky spot. If the Pelicans don’t want to pay now, they risk testing how long that relationship can last. For the moment, though, the plan is simple: give it one more run and see whether this can still become the kind of partnership they hoped for.
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Anthony Davis Just Reopened A Painful Pelicans What-If
Anthony Davis has reopened one of the franchises most painful alternate timelines by saying on Draymond Greens podcast that he might have stayed with the Pelicans if they had drafted Ja Morant instead of Zion Williamson. It is the kind of what-if that still hangs over New Orleans, because the Davis era ended with the sense that a different lottery outcome could have changed everything, not just for the roster but for the relationship between the star and the organization.
Davis said he had discussed the idea with David Griffin, though the timeline is hard to square because his trade request came months before the draft lottery. Even so, the remark lands because neither Williamson nor Morant has fully become the franchise-altering answer their teams hoped for, and Davis long ago moved on from New Orleans. What remains is the familiar Pelicans ache of wondering how much differently the story might have gone with one different name at the top of the board. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Fans May Not Love This Dream Trade Debate
The Pelicans offseason conversation has a familiar ring to it: a talented wing becomes available, his name pops up in trade speculation, and New Orleans is left weighing upside against fit and long-term sense. Michael Porter Jr. checks a lot of the boxes that usually make a team pause and listen. He is coming off a strong season, he is on a one-year contract, and he would give the Pelicans another scorer on the perimeter in a roster that can always use more shot-making.
But this is also the kind of move that can make fans uneasy before it ever gets serious. Porters injury history is part of the equation, and the extension question looms over any pursuit of a player in his situation. Then there is the Trey Murphy III comparison, which makes the debate even trickier for New Orleans, since the Pelicans already have a wing who fills an important role. The idea is intriguing enough to spark discussion, but not necessarily wise enough to chase. [Read more 🡒]