Stephen A. Smith puts Zion Williamson on notice, says he's 'raising suspicions' with his comments about absence

Zion Williamson was on the sidelines once again watching his New Orleans Pelicans teammates battle in the play-in tournament.

“Zanos” sat out last season after fracturing his right foot in training camp. This year, Williamson suffered a hamstring injury and played in just 22 games. He shut down any hopes of a return when he told reporters he’s not playing as he’s not feeling like “Zion.”

Ahead of the Pelicans' game against the OKC Thunder, Stephen A. Smith said Williamson had to find a way to get back on the court.

“This guy [Williamson] is a fantastic talent. … If he were in the lineup, we’d be speaking significantly more about New Orleans and what kind of noise they can make in the Western Conference.

“He’s missed 169 games in his career and hasn’t played in 40% of his games. You can’t make a statement like, ‘When I feel like a Zion.’ … He’s gotta find a way to get back on the court. Period. Because it’s starting to look very bad and it’s raising suspicions everywhere.”

The Pelicans were positive that Zion Williamson would return at some point in the season after injuring his hamstring on Jan. 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Three weeks later, the team told reporters that Williamson was steadily progressing but didn’t give a timeline for his return.

On April 7, heading into the game against the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans GM David Griffin informed the media of Williamson’s status:

“Based on today, our best possible outcome would be if everything lined up perfectly, maybe you’re in a position to practice prior to a first round. Or maybe during a first round.

“But it’s going to take more than one, right? It’s really hard. We may never get to that point either. If it’s not a situation where those things align and he feels the way he needs to feel, we’re not going to let him go to the next phase.”

Any flickering hopes of seeing Zion Williamson in the play-in tournament were put out by his statement.

“Physically, I’m fine. Now it’s just a matter of when I feel like Zion," he said.

“I can pretty much do everything, but it’s just a matter of the level that I was playing at before my hamstring. I don’t want to go out there and be in my own head and affect the team when I can just be on the sideline supporting them more, because I know myself. If I was to go out there, I would be in my head. I would hesitate on certain moves and it could affect the game.”

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Zion Williamson’s 5-year contract will kick in next season

On July 6, 2022, Zion Williamson signed a five-year $194.3 million designated rookie contract extension. It will start at the beginning of next season. The deal could reach as high as $231 million if he earns an All-NBA selection, which may not happen this season as he has played just 29 games.

When Williamson has been available, he’s easily been one of the NBA’s most unstoppable players. He just hasn't been healthy long enough to contribute when it matters for the New Orleans Pelicans.

The highly-discussed weight clause in Zion Williamson’s extension will not affect him unless he is unimaginably waived by the Pelicans. If the basketball star and the team that drafted him eventually separate, then that means several things have gone wrong.

New Orleans has been incredibly competitive even without the two-time All-Star. They will, however, remain fringe contenders if Zion Williamson continues to be saddled with injuries.