The future is bright for the New Orleans Pelicans. They overcame a lot this NBA season, as they lost 11 out of the first 12 games this season and got off to a 3-16 start. They actually went as many as 14 games under the .500 mark, as they were 18-32 heading into February.
But, that didn’t stop them from competing. David Griffin got aggressive at the trade deadline, acquiring CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers and that was just the boost the team needed to finish the regular season on a high note.
They went 13-13 in the games McCollum played in during the regular season, but he brought some much-needed scoring to the table, carrying the team when Brandon Ingram was dealing with an injury. Without McCollum, there is a good chance the Pelicans don’t make the playoffs.
New Orleans defeated the San Antonio Spurs and LA Clippers in the NBA Play-In Tournament, drawing the No. 1 seeded Phoenix Suns. They gave the Suns all they could handle in six games, setting up what is a promising future.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Huge Bombshell Update Reveals Potential Return For Pelicans’ Zion Williamson
The biggest question for New Orleans is will that future include Zion Williamson? Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 season as he recovered from a foot fracture. He looked close to getting back on the court around Thanksgiving, but when soreness set in, he throttled down his rehab and didn’t recover in time to get on the court.
Had the New Orleans Pelicans advanced in the postseason, there were some talks of him being able to play, but that didn’t come to fruition. Now, attention will turn to his future with the team again, which seemed cloudy at best.
But, fans and the team have to find some solace in the fact that if Williamson is offered an extension, he said that he would sign it. While no dollar amount was mentioned, it is still encouraging knowing he’s willing to sign a deal.
That certainly doesn’t sound like someone who is looking to find his way to a new team. But, Williamson has to know that long-term security is important.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Huge Bombshell Update Reveals Potential Return For Pelicans’ Zion Williamson
Given how many injuries he has already dealt with in his career, he likely won’t be picky about signing an extension even if it isn’t for as much money as people originally thought it would be for when he was drafted.
Negotiations are sure to get heated, as Williamson, skill-wise, is likely a max player. He is dominant when he is on the court, the only problem is that he isn’t on the court consistently enough.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Huge Bombshell Update Reveals Potential Return For Pelicans’ Zion Williamson
Those negotiations will have plenty of eyes on them. There is still a large contingent of people that believe Zion Williamson will eventually be playing elsewhere. The organization certainly hopes that isn’t the case, as they showed down the stretch of the season there is a winning formula brewing in the Big Easy.
