Pelicans resort to special clause, No. 1 pick Williamson is reluctant to weigh a topic of discussion

2022-08-01 14:18

Pelicans resort to special clause, No. 1 pick Williamson is reluctant to weigh a topic of discussion


Following the New Orleans Pelicans' announcement last week of the 2019 No. 1 pick Zion Williamson's five-year, $193 million max salary extension contract, the team added a "weight clause" to the contract. Merson needs to shake off his weight and injury issues next season to prove himself and eliminate the league and fans talking about himself and weight.


At the age of 18, Williamson was selected by the Pelicans as the No. 1 overall pick in the first round. He is one of the few scheduled No. 1 picks in the league, although he suffered a torn right meniscus in the summer league during his rookie season. Affected by the injury, he only played in 24 games, but averaged 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.8 minutes. He is the second player in league history to hit 20 or more points per game in 34 consecutive games, making him the best interior scorer in the league.


Williamson's physical fitness, jumping ability , explosiveness and speed are all very good in the game. He can become an undefended attacker on the field with his huge size and reflexes . However, the problem of weight and size also seriously affected his ability to attack the restricted area and bounce. During Williamson's three years with the Pelicans, he sometimes weighed more than 136 kg, causing him to suffer from frequent injury problems. Later, during the treatment period, due to the wrong eating habits, his injuries repeatedly did not improve last season, and he was reimbursed for the entire season.


The Pelicans added a weight and body fat clause to their contract extensions to protect the availability of player assets, and the team has the right to take a pay cut for Williamson if the clause is not met, in order to manage the future. The star's weight reduces the chance of being injured. It is understood that under the arrangement of the team, Williamson worked with personal chefs and coaches to develop diet and exercise plans, and the reason for Williamson's dissatisfaction with the terms of this contract is that his weight has become a topic, people like Using his weight gain to measure Williamson's work ethic as a player in the league is an unacceptable comment. In this regard, Williamson has repeatedly emphasized his love for the game in the league and is determined to play his great potential on the court.


However, Williamson has not given actual proof at present. If he wants to get rid of everyone's doubts, then he needs to make progress in weight control and use his performance on the field next season to break these negative weights, injuries, etc. Evaluation.


The main players of the Pelicans under head coach Willie Green are 30-year-old C.J. McCollum, scoring general Brandon Ingraham, center veteran Jonas Valanciunas, 22-year-old Young shooter Trey Murphy III, defender Derwent Graham and 23-year-old forward Herbert Jones and other excellent lineups, the team adds 100% healthy Williamson next season, I believe it will become The team that will be invincible next season.