NBA Rumors: One NBA insider seems to believe that Zion Williamson is trying to wiggle his way out of New Orleans.
It's been a pretty nightmarish season overall for the New Orleans Pelicans. And it's not even the injuries that have been the biggest problem for the team. From an objective perspective, the lack of clear direction from the front office has to be considered a huge question for the team moving forward. And it's not just Brandon Ingram's future that has to be sorted out. With the way this season has gone, they may have some Zion Williamson questions to figure out as well.
This season didn't begin on the right foot for Zion as another injury sidelined him for the majority of the first few months of the season. He's only played in eight games so far this year and was recently suspended for one game because he was late for a team flight. It was later revealed that tardiness to team activities had been a trend for Zion this year. One NBA insider believes there may be more to it.
According to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, he believes part of Zion's recent actions have to do with the fact that he doesn't want to be in New Orleans anymore. If that is true, it would be quite telling as he continues to struggle to find his footing through the first few years of his career. It's not a great sign, either way, as the Pelicans face some big questions heading into the final few weeks before the NBA Trade Deadline.
Big questions the New Orleans Pelicans must answer
It's pretty unsettling that two of the team's biggest questions revolve around the team's two best players. It's not a great place for the franchise to be. Nevertheless, this is the unfortunate reality that the Pelicans find themselves in. They must figure out what the future looks like for both Ingram and Zion. Ingram is clearly the one player they must make a decision on first, considering he's currently in the final year of his contract.
However, there's no question that the Zion concerns have to be growing by the day. At this point, it would not be all that shocking if the Pelicans seriously explore the option of trading Zion at some point in the near future - especially if the whispers that he is looking for his exit from New Orleans prove to be true.