Zion Williamson recently signed a five-year, $193 million max extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, a deal that could top $231 million if he achieves certain benchmarks. However, as everyone knows by now, there's a catch to his deal.

Even prior to Williamson putting pen to paper, fans and experts alike expected the Pelicans to have all kinds of protection in their deal with the young star. Zion missed all of 2021-22 due to a foot injury, so his health and ability to stay on the floor are some of New Orleans' major concerns.

Now, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN, the structure of Williamson's contract is “comparable” to the deal Joel Embiid signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017. Zion's contract is fully guaranteed, but there is an injury clause and criteria for number of games played that would allow the Pelicans to waive the All-Star forward in order to not give him the full amount.

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For what it's worth, everyone knows how that 2017 extension worked out for the Sixers and Joel Embiid. The Cameroonian center has transformed the franchise into consistent playoff contenders with his MVP-level play, and sure enough, Pelicans fans are hoping Zion Williamson can do the same.

Williamson has recovered well from his injury and appears better than ever in recent workout videos. It's also clear that he's hungrier and more motivated than ever after reaching a new deal and committing long-term to the franchise that drafted him.

“I want to prove that I’m a winner. I want to win with coach. I want to win with my teammates. The ultimate goal is to win a championship. We’re hungry,” Williamson said after signing his extension.

Hopefully, Zion stays healthy and gets his goals done sooner rather than later.