Zion has not played for the Pelicans this season due to a foot injury and is likely to have been reimbursed for the season. As the 2019 champion, Zion had a brilliant performance last season and was successfully selected as an All-Star. If it weren't for injuries, Zion's prospects would be very good.
Even so, Zion still had the opportunity to sign a top-salary contract with the Pelicans. According to NBA reporter Anthony Puccio, the Pelicans are eligible to renew zion's contract early at the end of the season, and the two sides can sign a large contract worth $181 million for 5 years.
After entering the NBA, Zion's biggest problem was low attendance. In the first three seasons of his career, Zion played only 85 games, only 3 more than Oden's previous three. If the Pelicans renew their contract with Zion early, they will inevitably risk a huge injury. At this point, many fans reminded the Pelicans that they could learn from the 76ers on the contract setting. That year, the 76ers faced the same problem when they renewed Embiid's contract.
Of course, whether the Pelicans and Zion can eventually renew their contract is not only based on the pelicans' meaning, Zion's decision is also crucial. There are also rumors that Zion does not intend to stay pelicans for long. Because the New Orleans Pelicans are a small-market team and Zion wants to head to the big cities to play, the New York Knicks have always been interested in him.
If Zion turns down the Pelicans' contract extension, he will become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023, when Zion can choose to sign a one-year qualification offer with the Pelicans worth $17.6 million, followed by a full free agent in the summer of 2024.