Zion Williamson

The separation between Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans has reportedly been building for a while.

Former NBA player JJ Redick accused Williamson of being a "detached teammate" on ESPN's First Take this week, and Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported this began with his issues with the front office.

"The detachment Williamson has shown with the Pelicans, sources inside and outside the organization have often cited, is because of a lack of trust," Clark reported.

Vice president of basketball operations David Griffin is seen as a driving force in this divide.

"Williamson and his camp didn’t trust Griffin to be truthful," Clark added.

Fractures between the two sides began during Williamson's rookie year as the Pelicans brought him back slowly from his knee injury. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick was estimated to return in 6-8 weeks, but he was out three months and only appeared in 24 games his first season, averaging 27.8 minutes per game.

The constant personnel changes within the organization also haven't helped, including three head coaches in three seasons. With a 23-36 record in 2021-22, the team is likely headed to its fourth straight losing season.

Even Redick said he was lied to by Griffin when he was traded in 2021.

Williamson has also played a role in the apparent feud. 

The forward has showed up to camp overweight in the past and reportedly wasn't committed to rehab work, per Clark. A foot injury has now kept Williamson out for the 2021-22 season with little sign he will return. 

CJ McCollum also said the 21-year-old didn't reach out to him soon after a trade to the Pelicans, although the two have since spoken, per ESPN's Malika Andrews.

It's enough to create significant question marks about the 2021 All-Star despite his on-court production.     

The New Orleans Pelicans and star forward Zion Williamson have reportedly become "distant" while he's away from the team to rehab his foot injury.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday on SportsCenter (via TalkBasket) the Pelicans have reached a point where they "just don't know what to say" about the 2019 No. 1 pick.

"They're distant, both literally and figuratively," Windhorst said. "He left the team in early January to go deal with this injury on his own, and he's just not been around for months."

Williamson's role within the organization has come into question in recent days.

CJ McCollum, who was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in a Feb. 8 trade, said Saturday he still hadn't spoken with the Pelicans' face of the franchise since the deal.

"I haven't had conversations with him directly," McCollum said. "I've spoken with some people close to him, and I look forward to sitting down with him sooner than later. I know about as much as you do right now, but I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."

McCollum told ESPN's Malika Andrews on Tuesday that Williamson has since reached out to have a conversation.

Meanwhile, former Pelicans guard JJ Redick explained Tuesday on First Take (via CBS Sports' Jasmyn Wimbish) how McCollum's experience with Williamson wasn't entirely unique:

This is a pattern of behavior with Zion that we are seeing again and again. I was his teammate. I can describe him as a detached teammate. That is an accurate statement. This is basic level of humanity being a teammate. Send a text to a guy when he gets traded to your team. That is just normal behavior. That's the bare minimum that you have to do. And the Pelicans yesterday sent out an email for season tickets for next year, and guess whose name was not in the email? Zion's. What the heck is going on in New Orleans?

The Pelicans' last official update on Williamson came Jan. 5 when they announced he'd continue his rehab away from the team.

"As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult process for me," Williamson said. "I know there's work to be done in my recovery before I can safely return to the court, but I will continue to put in the time necessary so I can get back on the floor with my team and represent Pelicans fans and the city of New Orleans at the highest level."

The 2021 All-Star hasn't played a game during the 2021-22 season because of the injury.

New Orleans has struggled in his absence, posting a 23-36 record, but it's still just two games behind Portland (25-34) for the final berth in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

It remains unclear whether Williamson, who averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 2020-21, has a chance to return before season's end.

The Pelicans return from the All-Star break Friday when they visit the Phoenix Suns, who own the NBA's best record at 48-10.

Breathe easy, New Orleans Pelicans fans.

Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum have at least spoken.

ESPN's Malika Andrews reported McCollum said Williamson reached out to him after the guard revealed during an interview with TNT over All-Star Weekend that he had not yet spoken with his new teammate.

Williamson was already in the headlines Tuesday when JJ Redick said on First Take the power forward has been "detached" as a teammate and should have reached out to McCollum after the Pelicans acquired him via trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.

"This is a pattern of behavior that we are seeing again and again with Zion," the former NBA sharp-shooter, who just so happened to be teammates with Williamson during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, said:         

.@jj_redick is concerned with how "detached" Zion Williamson has been from the team.

"This is a pattern of behavior that we are seeing again and again with Zion." pic.twitter.com/EmE6BeBvjv

— First Take (@FirstTake) February 22, 2022

Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported the 21-year-old "has been uncommunicative with" teammates while recovering from his fractured right foot. The Duke product is rehabbing in Portland and away from the team facilities.

"Williamson's poor conditioning has complicated his recovery from the multiple serious injuries he's suffered with the Pelicans," Clark added while pointing out it remains unclear when or if he will play his first game with the team this season.

The Pelicans surely envisioned Williamson as their franchise cornerstone for years to come when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft.

While his debut during his rookie season was delayed by injury, he was a force in his second season while averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 61.1 percent from the field.

Yet the momentum from that effort has stalled this season because of his health. It is not difficult to envision a team with Williamson, McCollum and Brandon Ingram all on the court together challenging even some of the best contenders in the Western Conference, but the big man has to be on the floor for that to happen.

He has at least reached out to McCollum at this point, and perhaps New Orleans can play its way into the play-in tournament during the season's stretch run. It is two games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.          

JJ Redick didn't have flattering comments about New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson after CJ McCollum said he hadn't spoken with Williamson personally following his trade to the Pelicans.

Redick argued Tuesday on First Take that McCollum's comments are part of a "pattern of behavior with Zion that we are seeing again and again." Having spent a season-and-a-half with New Orleans, Redick also described Williamson as a "detached teammate."

His comments begin at the 52-second mark:

Redick added that the points he made Tuesday were something he addressed with the 6'6" forward in front of their Pelicans teammates when they shared a locker room.

To some extent, it's not fair for a 19-year-old to carry the hopes of a franchise on his shoulders as soon as he enters the NBA, as was the case with Williamson. But that's the bargain incoming rookies have to make if they want to become great players of historic significance.

The fact Williamson has made just 85 appearances since the Pelicans drafted him is an obvious issue. Redick's comments underline what might be an even bigger problem for New Orleans.

Contrast how little Williamson seems to be weaving himself into his franchise and new home city with how quickly Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies warmed to one another.

This is also happening against an undercurrent of uncertainty about how much the 21-year-old wants to be in New Orleans.

The Athletic's Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and William Guillory reported last June that the Pelicans "have been unable to put together the right elements to make rising star Zion Williamson and his family happy."

Anthony Davis made just two playoff trips in his seven years in New Orleans. The organization's inability to build a contender around Davis made it easy to sympathize with Williamson and blame the Pelicans.

However, the narrative might be reversing a bit.

https://twitter.com/MasonGinsberg/status/1496175365995352066

This is the first on-the-record anecdotal evidence of the Zion-Pelicans fissure that I can remember. And oof, Redick lets some things loose. And he was the one who was unhappy with New Orleans and David Griffin last year. https://t.co/VuDn2GZgxR

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) February 22, 2022

While NBA stars are on the move more frequently than ever, it's assumed in almost every case that a notable player coming off his rookie deal will sign a contract at or near the max and request a trade down the road.

Williamson might be a significant exception to that rule. He's eligible to sign an extension starting this summer and due to hit restricted free agency. Based on what's being said and reported, the odds of him re-signing with the Pels don't look good.

Much like how The Decision set the stage for an era of player empowerment, whatever Williamson decides on his next deal could be an inflection point for the NBA.

Plans are reportedly in place around the NBA for teams to chase the next star who is unhappy with his situation.

Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated (h/t HoopsHype) reported: "Team executives are already bracing (and/or plotting) for the next disenchanted star to ask out, with speculation focused on Zion Williamson in New Orleans, Damian Lillard in Portland and Donovan Mitchell in Utah."

Mitchell's inclusion is notable after the Utah Jazz star addressed speculation he would leave the only NBA team he has played for during a conversation with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

"There's going to be talk whether I say something, whether I don't say something because that's how I've always been," he said. "I've always been someone that's like, 'OK, they're saying stuff. Let's go ahead and lock in.' I haven't really thought too much about it. I'm happy right now and just continuing to find ways to win."

Mitchell's Jazz have enjoyed plenty of on-court success in the regular season, but he is yet to make it out of the second round. Last season, Utah posted the best record in the league at 52-20 before it lost in the second round to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Speculation that Lillard will ask out of Portland has been a consistent theme of late, and it won't go anywhere after the team traded CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Lillard, who has been the face of the franchise since 2012-13 but has never advanced past the Western Conference Finals, developed into one of the league's brightest stars as he and McCollum shared a backcourt.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier this month that teams around the league hope Lillard will "eventually ask to be traded" so he can pursue a championship elsewhere.

As for Williamson, he is yet to play this season because of injury and suited up for just 24 games during his rookie campaign in 2019-20. Durability is a major concern even if he is someone who can take over a game when he is healthy and playing at his best.

Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported in September: "Throughout his rookie season, Williamson had grown increasingly frustrated with the Pelicans for the number of hoops they required him to jump through to return from the knee injury he suffered in the preseason."

Perhaps he will ask out before signing a long-term deal with the franchise that selected him with the No. 1 overall pick out of Duke.

If he does, multiple teams will apparently be waiting to make a trade offer.                 

Nearly two weeks after being acquired by the New Orleans Pelicans, CJ McCollum acknowledged he still has yet to speak directly with Zion Williamson. 

Appearing on TNT's All-Star Saturday night show (h/t Mason Ginsberg of Bourbon Street Shots), McCollum was asked about his communication with the Pelicans superstar. 

"I haven't had conversations with him directly," McCollum said. "I've spoken with some people close to him and look forward to sitting down with him sooner than later. I know about as much as you do right now, but I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."

Despite being in 12th place in the Western Conference standings, the Pelicans elected to make a splash prior to the trade deadline by acquiring McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell from the Portland Trail Blazers for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomáš Satoranský, Didi Louzada and three future draft picks. 

Williamson has yet to appear in a game this season as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. The Pelicans announced in January that the 21-year-old was continuing his rehab away from the team. 

There is still no timetable for Williamson to return. He hasn't appeared in a game since May 4, 2021, against the Golden State Warriors. 

McCollum, who is signed through the 2023-24 season, and Williamson are expected to be the leaders for the Pelicans when they can get on the court together. McCollum is averaging 28.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists with a 51.4 percent field-goal percentage in five games since the trade. 

New Orleans currently has a 23-36 record, two games behind the Blazers for the final spot in the play-in tournament. 

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is reportedly not expected to return from a foot injury for the "foreseeable future."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the update Thursday on Get Up (via HoopsHype).

"A couple of weeks ago, the coaching staff and the players became aware not to expect Zion back for the foreseeable future," Windhorst said.

The 21-year-old suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the last offseason. He has not played at all in 2021-22 after experiencing numerous setbacks, including regression in the bone healing of the fifth metatarsal in December.

In January, the Pels said that Williamson was doing his rehab away from New Orleans but that team officials were supervising his progress.

Then on Wednesday, Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported that a second surgery could be a possibility, although nothing had been decided at that time. Williamson's initial surgery occurred over the offseason.

Williamson was coming off an excellent 2020-21 season in which he averaged 27.0 points (61.1 percent shooting), 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He also made his first All-Star Game in his second season.

The former Duke star showcased his talents in his truncated 2019-20 rookie season, which started in January after he suffered a torn right lateral meniscus during the preseason. He posted 22.5 points in 27.8 minutes per game.

Unfortunately, the 2021-22 campaign is trending toward a lost season for Williamson as the superstar is running out of time for a return.

Without Williamson, the Pels have struggled, starting the season 1-12 and settling at 23-35 at the moment.

They're in contention for a play-in tournament spot in the Western Conference, however, and the trade deadline acquisition of CJ McCollum undoubtedly helps the team's scoring void left in Williamson's absence.

What could have been for the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans made what was seen as the clear-cut, obvious move at the time and selected Duke star Zion Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, but they reportedly wanted to pair him with Ja Morant.

Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported the Pelicans "offered multiple packages that included the No. 4 pick to move up two slots" in an effort to draft Morant, who was a former AAU teammate of Williamson's, as well.

Alas, the Grizzlies decided to keep the pick and draft Morant, which set them on their current trajectory as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

That No. 4 pick ended up being Virginia's De'Andre Hunter. The Los Angeles Lakers technically made the selection, but he was included in the Anthony Davis trade and eventually moved to the Atlanta Hawks in a subsequent move.

It is easy to look back at drafts with the benefit of hindsight and criticize individual picks, but Williamson was the No. 1 choice that year for a reason. The high-flier was dominant at Duke with the ability to overpower defenders on the blocks, get out in transition and control the glass as part of a skill set that surely figured to translate to the next level.

And he has been dominant in the NBA as well with career averages of 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists behind 60.4 percent shooting from the field.

However, injuries have been a problem. Williamson didn't make his debut until late January of his rookie season and played just 24 games. He was more durable in his second season at 61 games, but he is yet to take the floor in 2021-22.

Morant, on the other hand, appeared in 67 games as a rookie and 63 games in his second season. He has also been among the best players in the league this season while making a jump as a scorer and playmaker with averages of 26.4 points, 6.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

The result is a 40-18 record and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings for the Grizzlies, while the Pelicans are a half-game back of the No. 10 seed and final spot in the play-in tournament.

The idea of Morant throwing lobs to Williamson as teammates at the NBA level is an intriguing one, but Memphis has ended up the biggest beneficiary of that draft to this point. Meanwhile, New Orleans hopes Williamson can return to the court and maintain the form he showed when he played.

Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly both still hoping the All-Star forward can play during the 2021-22 NBA season despite a lingering foot injury.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the update Wednesday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Zion talk starts at 1:03:43 in the video).

"From everything I've been told, the Pelicans do want him to play this season," Charania said. "I think Zion Williamson in his heart of hearts does want to play this year. So you have two parties that clearly want him back on the floor."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DtUf5W_j_o?start=3822

In September, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced Williamson underwent surgery during the offseason to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, but the organization remained hopeful he'd be ready for the start of the regular season.

"He had a fractured right foot that was repaired surgically," Griffin told reporters at the time. "His timeline should get him back on the court in time for the regular season. That would be our hope and our view. And we're very optimistic about what that looks like."

That optimism faded as the season drew closer, and now the 2019 first overall pick has missed the first 32 games of the campaign.

Last week, the Pelicans announced Williamson received an injection in his troublesome foot and would have his workout intensity reduced for at least a month.

"Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot," the team said. "Williamson will be limited to low-impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period. Further updates will be given following further imaging, which is anticipated to occur in four to six weeks."

That brings the timetable to mid-to-late January before the 21-year-old Duke product would begin ramping his activity back up for a possible return.

Given that time frame, it's hard to imagine Williamson playing in any games until after the All-Star Game on Feb. 20.

At that point, there will only be around six weeks remaining in the regular season and the Pelicans (11-21) will need to make a considerable surge over the next few months to still be playing for a playoff spot by that stage.

It's hard to imagine the franchise putting its cornerstone player back on the floor if it faded out of playoff contention and risking a more substantial setback that could put Williamson's availability for the start of the 2022-23 season at risk.

His recovery would need to proceed with no further issues to make returning a possibility, and then the team's place in the standings may also come into play.

The Pelicans have shown signs of life lately, winning three straight games and four of their last five, so it's possible the outlook is different by February.

Next up for New Orleans is a visit to the Amway Center on Thursday night to face off with the Orlando Magic.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be out for at least one more month.

The Pelicans announced on Thursday that Williamson received a "biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot" and he will undergo further imaging tests in four to six weeks. 

New Orleans also noted Williamson will be limited to low impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period as he continues to recover from his ongoing foot issues. 

Any injury update for Williamson is sure to draw attention considering his history in the early portion of his career. His debut in his rookie season in 2019-20 was delayed because of health concerns, and he played 24 games during his first year in the NBA.

While he appeared in 61 games in 2020-21, he missed the start of his third season in 2021-22 because of a foot injury.

The Pelicans released a statement earlier this month revealing the Duke product suffered a setback during his rehab meaning "the volume and intensity of his training will be reduced for an extended period to help allow for further bone healing."

New Orleans made Williamson its franchise player when it selected him with the No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft. He looked the part in his second season when he averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game behind 61.1 percent shooting from the field.

Still, injury concerns have become a defining theme of Williamson's career to this point, which is a worrisome development for a franchise that is so dependent on him living up to expectations.        

A four-to-six-week timetable means another update on Williamson's status will likely come between mid-January and early February.