Zion Williamson is headed to the injured checklist but once more. The New Orleans Pelicans large man has a grade 2 proper hip adductor pressure and might be out for at the very least three weeks earlier than getting reevaluated. Williamson has already sat out 11 video games this season. These missed video games have been a mixture of a hamstring harm and resting on the second of back-to-back video games.
Whereas slightly additional relaxation is comprehensible, Williamson merely hasn’t been obtainable for almost all of the Pelicans’ video games all through his profession. New Orleans drafted Williamson first total in 2019. Since he joined the group, he is appeared in 224 of 493 video games. Meaning he is made it onto the court docket for less than 45% of video games the Pelicans have performed with him on the roster.
Williamson signed a five-year contract extension in July of 2022. As Darren Rovell famous, Williamson has earned $129.9 million from the Pelicans to date. In the event you add up the video games he is missed, he is made about $71.4 million whereas in avenue garments on the bench.
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Probably the most irritating half is that Williamson has at occasions seemed unstoppable on the court docket. He is made two All-Star groups and has averaged at the very least 22 factors each season. Other than this yr, his true taking pictures share has been at the very least 60% and he is added a number of win shares to the Pelicans every season. However because the cliche goes, “one of the best capacity is availability,” and Williamson has merely sat out a staggering variety of video games.
In truth, he is missed so many who the final three years of his contract are not assured. That would go away the Pelicans with a possible out as they stare down a misplaced season. They’re presently 3-19, which is the worst file within the NBA.
May this newest harm persuade the group to half methods with Williamson and look to rebuild? New Orleans has just a few added challenges right here. The group does not have the massive market attract of another franchises, and there was a really public breakup between the Pelicans and one other No. 1 choose in Anthony Davis.
No matter they select, the Pelicans have a tricky choice forward of them. Within the meantime, they’re going to proceed writing checks for his or her injured star.
