Zion Williamson’s future with the New Orleans Pelicans is now firmly up in the air after four injury-plagued and drama-filled seasons.
The former No. 1 pick could very well be traded this summer with rumors pointing in that direction leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft.
Whether this will play a role in what happens remains to be seen. But it’s notable. On Thursday, the Pelicans moved on from assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon as head coach Willie Green remakes his staff.
It’s notable in that longtime NBA reporter Howard Beck penned a story last fall about how close Weatherspoon and Williamson are. In particular, her presence in helping him during his long rehab from yet another injury. In the piece, Beck defines the two as “close friends.”
Her emotional support during that rehab process was also pretty big in the grand scheme of things.
“At that most vulnerable moment, it was important for me to let him know that he’s a great young man and he’s worthy of those things that you work for. I could see a young man fighting to find his way, had lost all sense of direction. And I just wanted to reach out at that moment and to let him know: I didn’t care about basketball; I cared about what he was feeling, what he was thinking, how difficult were things for him at that moment.”
Teresa Weatherspoon on Zion Williamson
With the Pelicans as an assistant since 2020, Weatherspoon is highly respected around the basketball world. The Basketball Hall of Famer starred in the WNBA from 1997-2004. She was also a head coach for the Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team from 2009-2014.
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It must be noted that Williamson finding himself involved in trade rumors is not new. He’s long had an on-again, off-again relationship with the Pelicans’ organization.
It was two years ago this month that reports broke about Williamson’s family wanting a trade from New Orleans. This seemed to come out of left field, and it initiated a process in which dysfunction has defined Williamson’s relationship with the Pelicans.
Things seemed to have been festering for some time despite Williamson inking a rookie-level max contract extension worth $194.3 million last July.
On the court, Williamson has proven himself to be a generational talent.
- Zion Williamson stats (career): 25.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 61% shooting
Unfortunately, the former Duke standout has appeared in all of 114 games in four NBA seasons. That included 29 games this past season.
The drama that has unfolded behind the scenes between these two entities coupled with Williamson’s injury-plagued ways could very well lead to a divorce.
The firing of Teresa Weatherspoon only adds another layer to this belief.