Zion Williamson’s NBA Future Uncertain As Pelicans’ Contract Provisions Loom Large

According to a clause in the deal, since he only played 29 games last season, it turned the contract he signed into a non-guaranteed agreement.

New Orleans Pelicans basketball player Zion Williamson was supposed to be the next big thing in the NBA, projected to be a more dominant player than the last phenom touted to take over the league, LeBron James.

However, despite the initial promise, the center has fallen far short of becoming the top player in his state. Upon re-signing with the Pelicans last year, following his initial rookie contract, the team included specific provisions in his new guaranteed contract. These provisions were contingent upon him meeting certain health and conditioning expectations. Unfortunately, due to his frequent absence from the court, largely attributed to his recurring injuries, Williamson’s contract for the remaining three years is no longer guaranteed.

According to The Athletic, after reviewing Williamson’s terms in the deal, since he only played 29 games last season, it turned his contract into a non-guaranteed agreement. This will make it easier for the team to negotiate a deal with the player if they decide he is no longer a good fit for the team. The New Orleans Pelicans now have the option to waive him after the 2025-26 season without any financial consequences.

It also stipulates that if Williamson somehow gets injured again and misses games this season, it could jeopardize his guaranteed salary for the 2024-25 season.

New Orleans picked him as the No. 1 overall in the 2019 draft. Last July, he signed a contract with the team that locked him in for five more years at $197 million. Included in the extension were benchmarks regarding his weight and body fat percentage since his conditioning has been a major issue since he suited up for the team. Under the latest terms, Williamson reportedly had to have the sum of his weight and body fat percentage under 295. This means that if he weighed 285 pounds, his body fat would have to be 10% or lower.

Another clause allegedly protects the team if Williamson has any issues with the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. If something were to happen where he suffers a fracture or an injury to that bone, the contract labels it a “hardware failure,” if the team were to release him, they would only be responsible for half of his base salary for 2024-25.

But, the good news for Williamson is that if he meets the requirements set in his contract and continues to improve on making it to the games and keeping his weight and body fat under the benchmark, he can regain the guarantee status for the remainder of the current contract.