December 23rd 2023.
Zion Williamson was expected to be the next LeBron James when he was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He was given a five-year contract extension of $197 million, with certain conditions attached. His contract included health and conditioning expectations that would affect his guaranteed salary.
Unfortunately, Williamson has been absent from the court, largely due to recurring injuries, and this caused his contract to become non-guaranteed. According to The Athletic, the provisions included in the deal made it easier for the Pelicans to negotiate with the player if they decide he is no longer a good fit for the team. In addition, if Williamson gets injured again and misses more games this season, it could affect his guaranteed salary for the 2024-25 season.
Williamson has to adhere to a certain range of weight and body fat. For example, if he weighs 285, his body fat must be 10 percent or lower. If he suffers an injury to his right foot, the team would only be responsible for half of his base salary for 2024-25.
The good news is that if Williamson meets the requirements in his contract and continues to improve, he can regain the guarantee status for the remainder of the current contract. Carmelo Anthony recently gave him a piece of advice: “You have to discipline yourself”. With the right attitude and effort, Zion Williamson can still become the next big thing in the NBA.
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