After the Pelicans G6's first-round playoff loss to the Suns, Zion said a word that if there was a tie-up, he would come back! Of course, we don't know whether this sentence is true or not, why did Zion say this? In fact, it has something to do with his contract. Previously, Zion said that he was willing to sign a maximum salary contract with the Pelicans, and even said that he couldn't wait to sign a long contract with the Pelicans. Why is Zion in such a hurry? Because this maximum salary contract is too big, too big to be unmoved. But this time, it was the Pelicans who weren't in a hurry, whether to give Zion a top salary, and the Pelicans began to think about it.
As Zion demanded for his next contract, he wanted a fully guaranteed maximum salary contract with additional terms attached. Normally, the contract would be about $180 million for five years, but if Zion meets the other terms of the top-salary contract, such as being named an All-Star or being named to the Best Team, then Zion can get up to $223 million for five years. But this is just the expectation of Zion's side, will the Pelicans give Zion this big contract? I'm afraid it's not necessary, not because of anything else, injury alone is enough to make the Pelicans cautious.
Zion has been in three years, playing 24 games in his rookie season, 61 games last season, and 0 games this season, with only 81 games in three seasons. Can pelicans be careless? In fact, in terms of statistics alone, Zion averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game last season, shooting 61.1% from the field, which is very efficient and statistically effective. According to the normal situation, Zion is to get the top salary, that is, to take this kind of big contract of more than 200 million yuan in five years. But only playing 85 games in three years, which has to make the Pelicans reconsider, you are great, but if you can't play, everything is empty talk. So how to give this wave of Zion's contract is a big problem for the Pelicans.
And there is also a very key point, that is, this season Ingram and CJ slowly merged together, Ingram also proved that he is a small forward who can pass and shoot, the Pelicans can take Ingram as the absolute core of the team, and Zion If there is always an injury risk, the Pelicans may not necessarily sign him, of course, this premise is based on the premise that Zion must have a maximum salary. According to the usual practice, the Pelicans will most likely renew Zion's contract, but in subsequent contracts, Zion may not want to take such a big one, and the Pelicans may also have additional terms, such as the minimum number of appearances in a season, and the time to play each season.
In the end, the contract may still be given by the Pelicans, but it is difficult to say whether it is a fully guaranteed five-year contract, and the Pelicans may not give Zion players options, more likely team options. But this thing can't be done, Zion's injury is too big a hidden danger, because this injured Pelicans is not very stable in the past three years. But no matter how to say that the maximum salary Zion can still get, either not so big, or with additional conditions, if he wants to nakedly take a 5-year and more than 200 million large contract, it is estimated that the Pelicans may prefer to let him go next season.