With a driving floater over Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson tied the score with just over three minutes remaining in the New Orleans Pelicans‘ first-round play-in game and sent the fans at the Smoothie King Center into a frenzy.
Williamson’s fourth basket in four minutes marked a team-high 40 points, giving fans what they hoped to see since the Pelicans drafted him No. 1 overall in 2019. But Williamson landed awkwardly and limped off the floor with a towel over his head during the next timeout. He didn’t play the rest of the game and ultimately the remainder of the postseason, the familiar pain in his left hamstring prematurely ending another Pelicans season. Williamson could only watch as the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder swept New Orleans in the first round.
Williamson played in a career-high 70 games last season, but it was the second playoff trip he missed due to injury. Six seasons into his career, he has yet to play in a playoff game.
“He’s dominant when he plays,” a rival general manager told ESPN. “But when’s the last time you’ve seen him play?”
The answer: Nov. 6, when Williamson scored 29 points in 29 minutes in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He missed the previous two games because of left hamstring tightness and has been sidelined since due to a strain in that muscle.
At this point, Williamson’s career has been defined more by his durability issues — and conditioning concerns — than his sensational drives and dunks. He has played only 190 games (plus the one abbreviated play-in outing) in 5½ seasons since arriving in New Orleans with hope and hype of being a franchise savior.
Williamson’s extensive injury history is why he agreed to one of the rarest contracts in NBA history: a maximum deal that requires him to earn guaranteed money as he goes, which could factor into Williamson’s trade value if New Orleans explores the market for him. His $36.2 million salary for this season becomes fully guaranteed Jan. 7.
As a result, Williamson and the Pelicans could be approaching a crossroads.
Should the Pelicans continue to build around an incredible talent who has proven thus far to be a poor foundation for a franchise? Are there better alternatives?
Right now, the 5-28 Pelicans, whose playoff…
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