The New Orleans Pelicans are standing behind Zion Williamson despite another injury-plagued season, according to reporting from Keith Smith of Spotrac.
In a statement to Spotrac, a Pelicans front office executive emphasized the franchise’s belief in the 25-year-old forward, saying, “Zion is still our guy. If he wasn’t, we could have waived him for like nothing on the books. We could have reset everything. But we believe in Zion. He wants to make it work, and so do we. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.”
Williamson, who appeared in just 30 games this past season, continued to show flashes of elite production when on the floor. He averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 56.7% shooting before a lower back bone contusion ended his year.
After opening the 2024–25 campaign healthy, Williamson suffered a left hamstring strain early in the schedule, sidelining him for 27 games. Upon his return in January, he posted a pair of triple-doubles in February and March before the back injury cut his season short.
In addition to injuries, Williamson faced internal discipline when he was suspended for one game on January 10 for missing a team flight. Head coach Willie Green cited “several occasions that led up” to the decision.
The Pelicans’ confidence in Williamson comes even as his contract includes unique guarantee triggers tied to games played and weight checkpoints. Entering the third year of his deal, only 50% of his 2024–25 salary was guaranteed before becoming fully guaranteed in January.
Future seasons of his contract remain non-guaranteed, though he can unlock portions of the guarantees by meeting playing time and fitness benchmarks. The team also retains protections related to his weight and previous foot injury.
