The New Orleans Pelicans have kept waiting for it to work.
Zion Williamson, eventually, was supposed to deliver this team to a spot near the top of the NBA.
Instead, the former No. 1 overall pick simply hasn't made it happen. Injuries have hampered most of his seasons. And when Williamson has been healthy, he's been productive but not able to lift a clunky Pelicans roster to anything of note.
It might be time to let go.
NBA contract guru Keith Smith wrote a new article for Spotrac on Thursday that urged the Pelicans to find a way out from Williamson.
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Why Pelicans need to move on from Zion
Smith gives multiple reasons to get rid of Williamson, and it all makes sense:
"He’s a clunky fit with (Derik) Queen, who the frontcourt should be built around. The injury history is too long. It’s just time for a fresh start."
There are two ways to go about this, too.
"If a deal can be found, make it happen," Smith writes. "If not, New Orleans needs to consider waiving Williamson this summer and putting it all behind them."
The emergence of the aforementioned Derik Queen as a standout rookie has given the Pelicans even a bit more impetus here. They can see a vision of building the frontcourt around him, and that might mean moving Zion.
Williamson won't be taking the Pelicans to the promised land. All that's left of note appears to be the ending.
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