New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson experienced leg cramps throughout the week and missed parts of practice before leaving the NBA bubble to tend to “an urgent family matter,” according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The cramps were not the reason for his exit, as medical personnel said he is “fine” and the cramping was “not an issue” for the rookie sensation.
The Pelicans were 100% behind Williamson's decision to leave the bubble, which would count as an excused absence in the eyes of the league.
Under an unexcused departure (violation) from the bubble, players will need to quarantine for a total of 10 days, according to the league's health and safety protocol. In Williamson's case, he will need to quarantine for four days upon returning bubble if he has a negative test each day he’s outside the bubble if he’s gone for seven days or less, or each day for the final seven days he’s gone for longer than that. If he doesn’t, he will have to quarantine for a total of 10 days.
Depending on when he returns and how his test results turn out, Williamson could wind up cutting it close before the start of the NBA season on July 30.
If he's tested daily during his absence and renders negative results, he would only spend four days in quarantine before getting back into action. Otherwise, it's 10 days sidelined and confined to his hotel room.
If Williamson misses the restart, it would be the second time he flops a clear attempt to showcase him in the grand stage.
The NBA previously put the Pelicans on national TV during the season opener, expecting the No. 1 pick to be there. Williamson, who missed the first half of the season with a torn meniscus, leads all rookies in scoring with 23.6 points per game through his first 19 outings.
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