Pelicans: J.J. Redick comments prove New Orleans still has work to do in pleasing stars

New Orleans Pelicans: How this impacts Zion Williamson

This is the second time in recent memory that a notable NBA player has been publicly unhappy with the New Orleans Pelicans’ front office. Redick isn’t on the level of Anthony Davis as a player, but he is just as respected around the league.

It is well established that New Orleans is not an attractive destination for the best of the best in the NBA. Situations like this do nothing to help that reality—in fact, they continue to set the organization back. Redick’s comments are just a microcosm of the reputational problems that the Pels regularly encounter.

Redick is represented by CAA Sports, one of the best agencies in all of entertainment. Their NBA clients include the likes of Devin Booker, Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Chris Paul. More importantly, CAA also represents Zion Williamson.

Williamson is enjoying an incredible season, so much so that people are already murmuring about him leaving New Orleans down the road. This is not an immediate possibility or a realistic one in the short term, but he is arguably already the entire Pelicans franchise.

To the public eye, there has always been some instability to Williamson’s longevity on the Pelicans. Just think back to when the Pels got the number one pick in the 2019 draft and many were clamoring for Williamson to find a way to not end up in New Orleans. There is nothing to worry about yet, but where there is smoke, there is fire.