The New Orleans Pelicans had to do just one thing in the 2022 NBA free agency period, and they did it.
They signed forward Zion Williamson to a five-year, $193 million designated player contract extension.
ππ’π‘π ππππ: @ZionWilliamson has signed a contract extension with the #Pelicans! πͺ pic.twitter.com/zKiXS1ku9W
β New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) July 6, 2022
The New Orleans Pelicans are in a very different place than they were in the previous summer.
Recall that last year, the Pelicans traded away three players from their starting five. In the same offseason, budding superstar Zion Williamson got hurt, and they dismissed their head coach.
Now, things are much more stable. In fact, despite having a below .500 win-loss record last season, the Pelicans may actually be quite a βscaryβ team when 2022-2023 begins. That's assuming they will be at full strength, of course.
It's an interesting and exciting turnaround for a team that not too long ago appeared to be in disarray.
They first drafted Australian Dyson Daniels, which might end up being a wise choice in the long run. Couple that with how Williamson looks healthy, and we might see the start of something special down in Louisiana.
There is no doubt that the Pelicans' relative success this past season kinda helped Williamson in eventually signing his extension. Case in point, Brandon Ingram kept up his stellar performance. Additionally, second-round pick Herb Jones was a steal, and the team traded up for Jonas Valanciunas and CJ McCollum.
Together, they helped the Pelicans turn around a 3-16 start to earn a spot in the play-in round. The Pelicans later defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs to go to the Western Conference Playoffs, where they gave top-seeded Phoenix everything they could handle before losing the series 4-2 in hard-fought fashion. No less than Chris Paul had to put on an all-time great playoff performance for the 64-win Suns in order to prevent a Game 7 in the opening round against the upstart Pelicans. That is surely part of the reasoning behind paying Williamson top dollar; adding him to that series may have made all the difference.
The pieces are definitely coming together in New Orleans, and Zion wants in.
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New Orleans Pelicans 2022 NBA Free Agency Grades
Extending Zion Williamson: A
The Pelicans are clearly laying the groundwork for long-term success. The fans are happy to have a roster possessing a great balance of youthful talent and seasoned leadership.
Hug time for Pelicans stars Zion Williamson & Brandon Ingram at Las Vegas Summer League pic.twitter.com/yZm50y7pQX
β Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 13, 2022
In particular, Zion Williamson's abilities are transformative. The former Duke Blue Devil, who was selected with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has played in a total of 85 games for New Orleans in his career. He has started every single one of those games, averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He also shoots 60.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range.
Remember that between February 5 and April 6 in 2021, Williamson had at least 20 points in 25 straight games. That's the longest such streak by a player under the age of 21 in NBA history. The South Carolina native also made it to the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. He joined the ranks of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson as among only 10 players in NBA history to get All-Star distinction before turning 21.
For sure, Zion is a phenomenal 22-year-old talent, and he has only begun to scratch the surface of what he is capable of. Phenomal enough to be worth close to $39 million a year?
Absolutely.
The Pelicans are eager to see what they can accomplish in the future behind a cast of seasoned veterans and talented youngsters whose best days in the NBA are still ahead of them. New Orleans fans want to seeΒ Zion take over. They're thrilled he's on board for years to come.
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