‘Holding him back’: Shock twist in bizarre Zion saga amid $340m contract clause
The Pelicans’ dysfunction reportedly features a rift between Zion Williamson’s stepfather and the entrance workplace.
The star ahead, who’s been out since Jan. 2 whereas recovering from a proper hamstring pressure, mentioned earlier this week that he feels bodily nice, however received’t return till he seems like himself, citing psychological challenges of the playoff environment.
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Williamson missed Wednesday’s essential play-in event recreation at Smoothie King Center, the place the Pelicans suffered a 123-118 loss to Oklahoma City Thunder – ending New Orleans’ season.
Prior to the sport, Skip Bayless mentioned on FS1’s “Undisputed” that Williamson’s stepfather, Lee Anderson, is “running the show” and Pelicans’ administration believes the medical recommendation the household is following from exterior the organisation is holding Williamson again.
“Team management is increasingly at odds with Zion’s stepfather, who is sort of running the show on the Zion camp,” Bayless mentioned.
“They just believe the stepfather, with the advice of the medical people on their side, are holding Zion back from playing.
“The stepfather is increasingly unhappy with the team because it continues to exercise the clause in his contract that, on a monthly basis, they can weigh him.”
When Williamson signed a five-year, $193 million rookie max contract with escalators as much as $231 million ($340 million AUD) in July 2022, Nola.com reported that there’s a de-escalator clause within the deal associated to Williamson’s weight — which incorporates periodic weigh-ins and stipulates that his weight and physique fats share have to be under a mixed 295.
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At the time, a separate report by The Athletic mentioned that Williamson was “bothered” that considerations about his weight had created a story that he doesn’t need to put within the work to be an incredible.
The 22-year-old Duke product is at the moment listed on the NBA’s web site as 6-foot-6 and 284 kilos.
Bayless added that he heard Pelicans group medical doctors cleared Williamson to play earlier than Wednesday’s play-in recreation, however that his unbiased group wasn’t on board with the choice.
“Zion’s independent team of medical people say he’s only 99 per cent and they don’t want to completely clear him until he’s 100 per cent ready to go,” Bayless mentioned.
The “Undisputed” host went on to say he’d been informed that Williamson’s teammates are additionally sad with him as a result of they’re fearing he’s listening to the mistaken folks.
“They’re fearing that he’s getting the wrong advice as a very young player, that it’s messing with his mind,” Bayless mentioned.
“They think that he should just suck it up and stand up to both [his] stepfather and his medical people and say, ‘I feel great, I’m going to go ahead and play,’ because that’s what you do at this time of year [in the postseason].”
No one in our locker room is taking a look at Z any kind of means,” Pelicans teammate Larry Nance tweeted in response to Bayless.
“We’re with him every step of his rehab, and support his process, physically AND mentally! Don’t listen to people saying things just to get views!!”
In June 2021, The Athletic reported that Williamson’s household wished him to hitch one other group worthy of his star energy — and resented the group due partially to former coach Stan Van Gundy, who they felt was “too demanding” in his function.
The Pelicans fired Van Gundy after one season across the identical time the report got here out.
Williamson — the 2019 No. 1 decide — was seen getting pictures up at Smoothie King Center earlier than the Pelicans fell to the Thunder on Wednesday.
The Jordan Brand athlete, who was smiling whereas working with a member of the group’s teaching employees, seemed to be transferring nicely and slicing to the basket.
After the sport, Pelicans veteran CJ McCollum, who performed by means of a thumb damage, emphasised the significance of fellows being accessible to play.
“Availability is important, man. We’ve got to be available,” McCollum mentioned.
“We’ve got to do what we need to do off the court in terms of preparation, in terms of getting treatment, in terms of getting the right sleep, the right type of hydration, having the right type of diet. Everything has to matter to us for everybody, one through 15.”
This week, Williamson spoke to the media for the primary time in months and alluded to psychological well being hurdles preserving him from a return to the courtroom.
“Physically I’m fine, now it’s just a matter of when I feel like Zion,” Williamson mentioned.
“I know the atmosphere I’d be entering based off like the playoff experience. So now it’s just a matter of when I feel like Zion.”
Williamson missed the whole 2021-22 season recovering from a surgically repaired proper foot fracture.
During that point, his fluctuating weight grew to become a daily subject of dialog amongst media speaking heads and the butt of merciless jokes on social media.
This story initially appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission
