The future of the Pelicans star Zion Williamson does not look very bright in his team as the rumors have started to circulate pointing towards an uncertain future for him. Zion is one of the most promising stars in the NBA right now. But his performance lately has been a shadow of his former individual brilliance.
Zion Williamson is getting injured and missing games regularly which has caused him to be trapped in a dire situation. He was recently criticized by Charles Barkley and Shaq which the Pelicans star did not like. The rumors suggest that he will be facing a hard time after 2024-25 as he has violated a crucial clause of his contract.
Zion Williamson’s Pelicans contract reportedly no longer guaranteed
The New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson signed a max contract extension for five years which was estimated to be worth around $231 million in 2022. The contract tenure would have guaranteed Zion the full amount at the end of the 2027-28 tenure.
However, the Pelicans had added a clause to the contract to guarantee those final three years for Zion. Unluckily he did not meet the requirements of the specific clause and now Zion Williamson’s future with the Pelicans is in danger.
If he had met the conditions set by the clause it would be no problem but now that he has failed to do so, the Pelicans have the option to waive off the star after the 2024-25 season without any financial renumeration.
According to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, Zion Williamson has triggered a specific clause in his contract after he played in only 29 games last season. From the 2025-26 season, Zion’s contract will not be guaranteed, which means that the Pelicans will have the option to waive Zion after the 2024-25 season with no financial consequences.
Zion Williamson cost the Pelicans $1.5 million per game in 2023-24 season
Zion Williamson is a costly player given the talents and value he brings to the table for a team. When the Pelicans extended his contract in 2022 they knew what they were going in for and offered the youngster a hefty $231 million contract. Ever since then Zion has failed to justify that hefty amount as he has played a significantly low amount of games.
In the 2023-24 season, Zion has played in 23 games and has cost the Pelicans a hefty amount for each game. The Pelicans’ star salary for the 23-24 season is approximately $35 million which makes his cost per game come to around $1.5 million, goven how few games he has featured in.
It is becoming a failing deal for the Pelicans as Zion’s performance has also dropped a lot this season with him performing terribly in the game against the Lakers. NBA icon Patrick Beverly also expressed his unhappiness with the Pelicans star and urged him to get his game right.
What do you think of Zion Williamson’s performance lately? Do you think he will stay at the Pelicans or will the franchise waive him? We are eager to hear your thoughts, so drop down in the comments and let us know.
