Zion Williamson is one of the best young players in the league when healthy. The forward is a dominant force near the basket and is widely viewed as a player that can establish himself as a future superstar. He has not played this season, but during the 2020-21 season, he averaged 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 3.7 APG.
Previously, Zion Williamson’s step-father stated that he expects Zion Williamson to play this season. That has not happened thus far, and it remains to be seen if Williamson gets activated in the playoffs.
“I expect him to play. If you were to ask Zion, I’m sure he would probably say the same thing. But with just a couple of games left, with the magnitude of what’s going on in New Orleans and the opportunity to qualify for the play-in game and possibly get into a seven-game series, that would be off the charts in the city of New Orleans. That would be a plus in New Orleans. That would be a plus for Zion with the way things are right now.”
“Do I expect him to play? Certainly I do. That’s on me, though. That’s purely me. I don’t think there’s anything else that would hinder him from doing that right now.”
A recent report by Andrew Lopez of ESPN has revealed that there is a “difference of opinion” about Zion Williamson’s readiness to play. Lopez noted that the Pelicans believe that “the bone in Zion Williamson’s foot hasn’t healed enough” for the big man to play.
According to multiple sources, there’s currently a difference of opinion between the Pelicans and Williamson on whether he is healthy enough to play. The team maintains that the bone in Williamson’s foot hasn’t healed enough for him to take the floor.
There is no doubt that it would be great for fans to see Zion Williamson take the floor. The Pelicans have a chance to make the playoffs, and it would be interesting to see how Williamson would do on the biggest stage.
However, his health should definitely take priority, and the Pelicans seem to be favoring the long-term view. It’ll be interesting to see how the Pelicans look next season, and they could definitely become an amazing team in the Western Conference.
