Zion Williamson’s disaster season and the future of the Pelicans

Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
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New Orleans Pelicans, Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

Will Zion Williamson have a second surgery?

If Zion Williamson has to have another surgery on his foot, which has been widely reported as a possibility, the focus shifts from him coming back this season to him being ready for the next one.

It would be bad enough to have one lost season, so Zion Williamson has to do whatever it takes to be 100 percent healthy for next season.

This is all happening as Zion enters his extension year hoping to get a max deal, which may end up being one of the most complicated in the NBA, as the Pelicans will have to protect themselves with some performance-based incentives and maybe even team options at the end of the deal.

The Pels have no choice but to try and extend Zion, but they have to have some trepidation about offering a huge five-year max deal to a guy who has barely played. This will be similar to Philly’s extension with Embiid, who was coming off multiple surgeries.

This isn’t how anyone wanted this season to go, but Zion and the Pels have to make sure that it doesn’t affect next season as well.

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