"Zion Williamson saw that Moriah video & had to be shut down" - NBA fans erupt over Pelicans benching 2 key players with season on the line

The New Orleans Pelicans confirmed on Monday that CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. Both players have experienced various injuries throughout the entire season, which have held them back from being present for the team. A post from the Pelicans' X (formerly Twitter) account confirmed the news on Monday.

McCollum has been diagnosed with a right foot bone contusion. According to the Pelicans, the veteran guard suffered the injury on March 23 in the team's 136-130 loss against the Detroit Pistons.

Williamson, on the other hand, sustained a lower back contusion. The two-time All-Star had a fall on March 19 in their 119-115 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The organization's post on the social media platform said that the star forward's recovery plan includes rest and treatment.

The Pelicans have a 21-54 record and are 14th in the Western Conference. The team has no chance of making it to the postseason and fans revealed their thoughts on their decision to shut down two key players.

"Zion saw that moriah video and had to be shut down to go hit on her again," a fan said.

"Zion gotta be one of the biggest bust in recent years," another fan said.

"We need to study how many games Zion has missed due to management," one fan commented.

Other fans thought the Pelicans should've shut down the players earlier.

"They about 5 games to late for all this but bout time I guess," a fan said.

"Couldnt do this 3 weeks ago?" another fan said.

"2 months to late😐" one fan posted.

McCollum ended the season averaging 21.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. With injuries, the 33-year-old guard was limited to 56 games.

Williamson only played 30 games this season because of the same issue- injuries. He averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.

Zion Williamson is rumored to be a trade target for the Charlotte Hornets

No one is sure about the future of Zion Williamson with the Pelicans. According to Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley, he believes the Charlotte Hornets could be a trade destination for the star forward.

"Ball's passing plus Williamson's finishing feels like a match made in hoops heaven," Buckley wrote. "Sprinkle in the two-way play of Brandon Miller between them, plus whatever Charlotte can find near the top of this summer's draft, and you can already see the outline of a pesky playoff opponent capable of becoming far more."

Pairing him with LaMelo Ball could be interesting. Both stars have struggled to stay healthy throughout their careers. However, they could put on a show in front of the crowd when they're 100%.

With Ball's passing and Williamson's athleticism, they're bound to be an exciting duo.