It didn’t take long before people realized how special Zion Williamson was. He manhandled NBA defenders like AAU kids, and the New Orleans Pelicans were one of the best teams in the league with him on the floor.
But then again, that didn’t last long. Williamson missed 46 straight games with a hamstring injury, which is way more than the average player tends to miss. Then, he claimed he wasn’t mentally ready to play, even though he was spotted doing windmill dunks.
Zion refused to suit up for an elimination game, and that rubbed plenty of people the wrong way. That includes former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins, who thinks the Pelicans should just give up on him and trade him already.
Kendrick Perkins Says Pelicans Should Trade Zion Williamson
“If we can see the weight he’s put on, you bet the organization sees it as well,” Perkins started. “When you’re dealing with a hamstring injury, it doesn’t take that damn long to come back. When you first get injured two things are gonna happen: they’re gonna tell you what’s the plan, your recovery, treatment, all that.”
“The second thing they’re gonna talk to you about is nutrition, your diet. I’m pretty sure the organization has told Zion time and time again, to watch what you eat, and make sure you go on a diet so you can come back and recover,the word trust comes into play,” continued Perkins. “If I’m the front office of the New Orleans Pelicans, do I trust this guy to be my franchise player. Do I trust him that I can give him the keys to my car to drive it? The answer is no, and his value is decreasing. So if I’m the Pelicans, I’m looking to trade Zion Williamson this offseason.”
As wild as this may seem, he might be right. This team cannot trust him to stay on the floor, so why should they build their whole future around him? Maybe, it’s time to build around CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram instead.
