Zion Williamson’s big resentment towards the Pelicans

While Zion Williamson gave water to the mill by appearing in great shape, an old resentment of the colossus towards the Pelicans was revealed. In other words, everyone is walking on eggshells in Louisiana at the end of the season…

With a player as quiet as Zion Williamson facing the press, not to say mute, the information of journalists close to the file is precious. This is why William Guillory’s paper for The Athletic inevitably attracts the eye, when the former Draft number 1 appeared in great shape recently, a few days after, however, having been announced out until next season by Shams Charania.

According to Guillory, the Z’s message is simple: he wants to play, he’s dying to play, he thinks he’s ready, and he lets it be known. Only, problem: in addition to the fact that the Pelicans are in a good dynamic without him and engaged in a frantic race for the play-in, an episode from the past puts a lot of things in perspective…

The episode that Zion Williamson never digested

To understand, you have to go back to Zion’s rookie season, which began with surgery on his knee. The deadline announced with a return to business? Six to eight weeks. Williamson however had to wait 3 months, and when he was finally able to return, he had to scrupulously follow a limitation of minutes. And according to Guillory, the thing went very, very badly with the principal concerned:

These restrictions drove Zion crazy. He felt like the Pelicans were treating him like a baby. That they didn’t trust him enough to know how his own body felt, and what he was capable of. It was one of the reasons behind the tensions that surfaced between him and the front office, and he had unleashed his frustration over the running of things on several occasions during the 2020-21 season.

Of course, the Pels then saw it from another perspective: that of protecting their jewel and then letting go of the horses, free from any physical glitches. Everyone knows that’s unfortunately not how things turned out.

Either way, this updated resentment further complicates the relationship between Zion and the Pelicans, engaged in lying poker. Several insiders are convinced that Williamson will not play a single game again in the NOLA jersey, and that he will be traded this off-season so that the Pels recover a consideration instead of letting him go free in a year. And by the way, does crazy dunk released on the networks Wasn’t it meant to show the other teams that yes, Zion was back, and to pick up the phone?

The situation is complex between Zion Williamson and New Orleans, and it is possible that too many resentments have accumulated to be brushed aside. Without a doubt, this will be one of the hottest issues of the summer…