New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has faced heavy criticism as of late.

No stranger to it, both his weight and injury history have routinely been questioned by fans and the media. However, those questions sprung up rapidly last season, particularly after pictures showed Zion looking heavier than normal.

This year has been a little different, as NBA fans softened their public critiques of Zion amid reports that the social media backlash has affected him mentally.

However, with Williamson stating this week that he's physically ready to play but not mentally, the big man is no longer being discussed in delicate tones. In fact, the questions about Zion's playing future and current mentality have been quite loud.

Just turn on ESPN, where NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins questioned Williamson's weight, eating habits, and whether or not the Pelicans should move on from their injury-riddled franchise player.

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ā€œWhen I'm looking at Zion right now ā€” [who] probably could have played last night,ā€ starts Perkins, ā€œbut he didn't want to play because he said he's mentally not there ā€” the word trust comes into play. And if I'm in the front office of the New Orleans Pelicans, do I trust this guy to be my franchise player? Do I trust him [to] give him the keys to my car and drive it? The answer is no!ā€

ā€œIf we would've asked a year and a half ago how many teams are out there that would trade for Zion, it probably would've been 25 to 30. Now it's probably only about five, meaning that his value is decreasing.ā€

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