It's no secret that Zion's relationship with the Pelicans is very delicate. Due to the second surgery of the foot, Zion's 2021-2022 season has been completely reimbursed. At the same time, the future of Zion has also become the focus of fans' attention. It all started with the arrival of CJ McCollum.
After CJ McCollum joined the Pelicans, Zion was slow to get in touch with him. In the eyes of the outside world, Zion's behavior is not normal. Former teammate JJ Redick said: "Zion is an indifferent teammate who has a lack of investment in his city and team. When a team trades a top 50 star in the league, you should reach out and say 'hello'. ”
NBA star Matt Barnes also talked about this. He said Zion may not want to stay in New Orleans, and the signals have been very clear since he was selected with the first pick in 2019.
"I don't think Zion wants to stay there. There were such rumors in the trading market, not from him, but from his family. And small-market teams have a hard time keeping young superstars. ”
Zion had a terrible relationship with David Griffin, vice president of Pelicans basketball operations, and the communication between him and his teammates wasn't very good, suggesting that he wasn't investing much in the Pelicans. Barnes believes the matter will end with Zion's eventual departure. The New York Knicks have been in contact with him for some time, but it's uncertain.
Zion fractured his right foot in the 2021 offseason and has not yet played this season after undergoing fracture repair surgery. This year marks the third year of a Zion rookie contract, and he is eligible to sign a five-year extension contract worth $181 million. If not renewed, his contract will expire in the summer of 2023.