The New Orleans Pelicans made Zion Williamson the centerpiece of their organization when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, and now they are nearing a deal to keep him with the team for years to come.
Williamson was eligible for a rookie contract extension after the 2021-22 campaign, and Christian Clark of NOLA.com noted in May 2021 it could be "a five-year deal with an annual value worth anywhere between 25 percent and 30 percent of the salary cap depending on what accolades he receives."
Clark also pointed out no player on a rookie deal had turned down such an offer over the last decade, although his report in September 2021 suggested there was at least some tension between the 21-year-old and the organization.
Throughout his rookie season, Williamson had grown increasingly frustrated with the Pelicans for the number of hoops they required him to jump through to return from the knee injury he suffered in the preseason.
The team initially provided a return-to-play timetable of six to eight weeks, but it took more than three months for Williamson to get back on the floor. When he was finally given the thumbs up to play, he was placed on 'burst' limits, which he detested.
The power forward played a mere 24 games during that rookie season and averaged 27.8 minutes a night. The Pelicans fell out of contention inside the Walt Disney World Resort bubble when he averaged just 20.6 minutes per game in five contests.
Williamson was still named to the All-Rookie first team despite the limited playing time, and he averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the season.
He then took another step in his second season as an All-Star, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 61.1 percent from the field.