NBA off-season 2022: Pelicans signs Zion Williamson for USD 231 million extension
NBA's New Orleans Pelicans signed Zion Williamson to a five-year extension that could rise to $231 million.
FollowThe NBA 2019 Draft first overall pick Zion Williamson signed a massive five-year that could rise to  $231 million. Williamson has made an all-star team in his 3-season stint. However, the Duke phenom has only played 85 NBA games in his career so far. It led to uncertainty about Williamson's future with the New Orleans Pelicans. However, various comments from the player and management side this off-season have made this announcement an expected one. In Williamson's exit interview following the Pelicans' ouster from the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Williamson said that he would "of course" sign an extension if it was offered. "I couldn't sign it fast enough," he had expressed.
A few weeks later, Zion re-iterated his want to stay in New Orleans, as he said the following in an interview: "I want to be here. That's no secret. I feel like I've stood on that when I spoke. It was a long year for me for rehab and mental battles."
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"I'm fine now. I'm ready to get to work. It sucked watching from the sideline, but I got to see our potential. We've got a lot of great pieces, and I'm excited to get on the court with those guys. You saw it on the court. We have a special group. I truly believe that. I'm one of those people that believes the more your team wins, the more individual awards will come. So, with a special group, a coach like Willie [Green], I think many great things will happen," added Zion.
Basketball Operations Vice-President for the New Orleans Pelicans, David Griffin, had stated that he wanted to offer Williamson the maximum extension in a podcast appearance as he said, "It's not a big decision. It's a pretty easy decision. The kid's historically good when he plays. He is a max player. That's easy. What becomes significant as a small-market team that can't make mistakes in injuries over time, you have to repay yourself somehow for that, and that's fine."
