Zion Williamson’s rocky season just hit another bump. The New Orleans Pelicans star, who’s barely seen the court this year, got suspended by the team last Friday for breaking team rules – and now things are getting messy.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith dropped a bombshell on “First Take”: Zion wants out of New Orleans.
“He doesn’t want to be there,” Smith said bluntly. “He wants to be in a major market like L.A., New York, or wherever he can get more marketing deals.”
The timing’s pretty interesting. Zion had just come back for one game, showing flashes of his trademark explosive dunks, before this suspension hit.
At just 24 years old, Williamson’s been stuck on the sidelines for most of this season. A nasty hamstring injury in November limited him to just eight games, where he’s still putting up impressive numbers: 21.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
But the Pelicans are struggling big time. They’re sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference with a rough 8-32 record.
Smith didn’t hold back comparing Zion to another young star. “Look at Ja Morant – even with his past troubles, that kid shows up and plays when he’s healthy. He’s box office,” Smith said. “He’s clearly more professional than Zion right now.”
The biggest problem? Zion’s trade value isn’t what it used to be. His injury history has scared off a lot of teams.
“It’s becoming a joke,” Smith said. “Everyone knows he’s got superstar talent written all over him, but he doesn’t seem to care enough about being a professional. Why would any team want him if this is what they’re going to get?”
The question now is whether Zion can turn things around in New Orleans – or if he’s already got one foot out the door.
