Zion's contract is not guaranteed for his last three years, and he currently has 4 years left (Source). That means if we want to, we can literally just let him walk after the conclusion of this season.

I mean obviously try to trade him ASAP, but if there's not really any buyers I say literally just let him go. It's actually worse to have someone with his contract taking up space on the team, and constantly fooling us that he might be healthy for a season and postseason.

21 comments

  2. That’s actually not entirely true, seeing the breakdown of Zions contract, it’s based on each year, so if he plays 40 games this year for example he’s guaranteed a percentage of it, the only way it’s completely voided is if he doesn’t meet his weight requirements

  3. Trade him. If true, This is a serious incentive for teams to take a shot.

    We could maybe get out from under this seriously failed experiment

  4. Lurking Heat fan here, atp I think it’s a culture thing. I’ve loved Zion since his Duke days, but clearly he’s not getting any better. What’s the most y’all realistically think he could get in the trade market?

  6. Just trade him, he hasn’t done anything. He hasn’t won anything or improved any other parts of his game. People always talking about BI needs to do this and that while Zion doesn’t improve defensively or expand his game to keep from hurting himself.

  9. >According to the contract, which was reviewed by *The Athletic*, the final three years of the deal are no longer guaranteed after Williamson was able to only play in 29 games last season. By missing more than 22 games last season, [Williamson](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5320621/2024/03/06/zion-williamson-dunk-contest-nba-pelicans/) triggered a clause that turned the salary he is owed for the 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons from guaranteed to non-guaranteed. That means the [Pelicans](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5205299/2024/01/16/pelicans-mavericks-loss-clutch-zion-williamson/) have the contractual power to waive Williamson after the 2024-25 season with no financial ramifications — though rival team executives believe [that would only happen in extreme circumstances](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5134937/2023/12/21/would-the-pelicans-actually-waive-zion-williamson-probably-not-heres-why/)**.** And if Williamson misses significant time this season, it could cut into his guaranteed salary for 2024-25.

    >The contract also has ways for Williamson to earn back the guarantees by playing in enough games and hitting specific weigh-in checkpoints.

    [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4913537/2023/12/21/zion-williamson-contract-guarantees/](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4913537/2023/12/21/zion-williamson-contract-guarantees/)

    From the actual reporting source, it seems it was accurate to when it was published December 21, 2023.

    We have no idea if he earned it back by playing 70 games last season because we don’t know what those incentives exactly are. I’m guessing missing the playoffs and the beginning of this season doesn’t help, but again, we can’t know for sure unless a reporter knows the exact mechanisms for earning it back and tells the public.

    Letting him walk would necessitate something horrifyingly bad happening between the trade deadline and the end of the season. Because it would mean the front office trusted him enough to stay and didn’t trade him. But it would also mean something happened so bad that he’s not worth paying another year.

  10. As a mavs fan who hates everything about Louisiana, I don’t know why yall put up with this guy. When he plays, I think he is exciting but he never plays!

  11. Start the process. Tank this year and next. Get expiring contracts till we can build a squad with an all star. Copy OKC.

  12. I honestly don’t even think the core problem is his lack of availability. It’s the fact that he doesn’t have a 1A game, but the team is centered around trying to make him the 1A.

    At his best he’s Pelicans Julius Randle with a 2x multiplier. Sure, he can score around the rim at a ridiculous rate, (but you see it late game -and would see it exposed even worse if he was ever even healthy for a playoff game- those shots got more difficult by orders of magnitude when the defense solidifies and the refs call fouls more closely).

    But does he keep the offense moving and use his gravity as a rim bulldozer to create easy shots? No, not really.

    Does he defend well? In terms of both physical effort and mental engagement? Nope. He’s a liability.

    Does he end or extend possessions by being active on the glass?

    So he’s really great at scoring – on just one level of the floor – and that’s it. This is of course, in the best-case scenario where he stays healthy (clearly not a given).

    Does that spell No. 1 guy on a title team material to you? Closest analogue in terms of offensive limitations is maybe Giannis, but he still has insane measurables that Z lacks, and pairs them with defensive motor and rebounding activity.

    A more creative GM would have come to this conclusion years ago, but every move Griffin has made is just compounding a flawed premise – that Zion Williamson can be “the guy” on a serious playoff team (I’m talking conference finals aspirations, not championship aspirations). And I just don’t see even the faintest outline of that.

  14. Zion for Moses Moody straight up. Pelicans get a proven much better than average player, Warriors get a potential project big man.

    Of course there’s probably a half dozen rules that breaks, so I dont think the teams involved could make that deal.

  17. At this point I’d take scoot and a voodoo donut for him. Someone that at least is available. 

  20. I mean everyone’s entitled to their opinions, but everyone’s not entitled to be called smart

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