Rumors

Kevin Garnett on Victor Wembanyama: One thing I want to speak on is just Wemby's development. If I'm him, I’m working on core strength because when… Paul will tell you, I'm not the biggest guy, right? But he'll tell you when I sit down and post up, can you move me? Paul Pierce: No, he's strong. Garnett: I'm probably one of the strongest people you could ever run up on and look like how I look, but when it came down there to setting up on that block and then pitching and getting it off down there, yeah, I was the best at that. I would love to work with Big Fella, but this generation has a preference on how they want to work out. And I have to respect that. But yeah, I'm open to all… Listen, I'm looking for big years from not just Wemby. I'm looking for big years from Chet Holmgren. I'm looking for a big summer from Zion Williamson. I'm looking for a big summer from Kyrie Irving. I'm looking for Jayson Tatum to have a big summer.

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The dream of a decade-plus of production for a franchise cornerstone also doesn't materialize very often. On average, top-five picks from 2000 through 2019 lasted 5.1 seasons with their original team, with 56% lasting until their fifth year (and their second contract) and 44% leaving before then. Only 6% played at least 10 seasons with their initial team. (Tatum will bump that figure to 7% next season.) And for now, only five of the 100 top-five picks in that period are still with the team that drafted them: Tatum and Brown in Boston, Joel Embiid in Philadelphia, Zion Williamson in New Orleans and Ja Morant in Memphis.

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"I think just opening the floor up a lot more for him to attack the basket, giving space, being able to live at the free throw line consistently," Mosley said of how he wants to capitalize on Williamson's skill set. "Some of the things he's done here have been obviously spectacular -- and so just making sure that we continue that along with us being healthy."

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Pelicans Film Room: "We haven't changed our opinions on Zion. I'd love to see Jamahl coach Zion. I'd love to see him get Zion to defend and do all the things he said. Lets see what we have here" -- Joe Dumars on Zion Williamson

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Ohm Youngmisuk: Jamahl Mosley says Zion Williamson hasn't even "scratched the surface of what he can do." He wants to open the floor for Zion and says health is also a major key to unlocking Zion further.

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Chris Mannix: "The big question moving forward in New Orleans now is will Zion Williamson be part of this next iteration of Pelicans teams? From what I was told during this interview process with coaches, the plan is to hold on to Zion, to keep him in New Orleans. He's got two full years left on his contract. And maybe one of the silver linings in a disappointing 25-26 season was Zion was relatively healthy. He played 62 games, averaged right around 21 points per game, shot a good percentage from the floor. That's the second highest most number of games that Zion has played in his career. So getting him back, getting him healthy is a great sign for the Pelicans. And as of right now, the plan is to hold on to Zion and continue to build him out as a coach."

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The Pelicans are heading into the 2026 offseason as an over-the-cap team. There was an unlikely path to cap space, but it would have required waiving Zion Williamson, whose contract is not fully guaranteed. He now has at least 80 percent of his $42.2 million salary guaranteed as a result of playing 61 games this season. He can get the final 20 percent guaranteed by meeting weigh-ins, but at this point, there is no reason for the Pelicans to waive him. It doesn’t make sense to carry $33.7 million in dead money on their books not to play him.

Third Apron

It's fair, then, to wonder if the Pelicans might trade Williamson this offseason. According to Pelicans executive vice president Joe Dumars, though, that is not the plan. "Listen, we have no intentions of doing that," Dumars told reporters Tuesday. "We're going into the offseason looking forward to Zion coming back next year and playing great again next year."

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Asked about the fit between Williamson and Queen, Dumars more or less laughed off the concerns without addressing the specific strengths and weaknesses of the two players. "Just in general, the question in general, I always kind of chuckle when I hear people say, 'Well, can they play together?'" Dumars said, citing how "people questioned (Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown" and then made a reference to his own playing career. "I was laughing this morning, like, I didn't know if I could fit with Isiah (Thomas) or not, but I knew we both had great IQs and we'd figure it out," Dumars said. "And sometimes you gotta let players figure it out. It can't just be, 'Well, they can't play together.'"

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Pelicans Film Room: "I was really proud of him this year... I know I saw a guy that there were several times I thought we wouldn't have him that night and he said no, I'm coming. I'm gonna show up" -- Joe Dumars tells two stories about Zion's season

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Pelicans Film Room: "Having someone like Joe, Hall of Famer... I'll put myself under his wing. Gaining any basketball knowledge I can from him and using my resources to reach out to other Hall of Famers... This is gonna be a different summer how I approach it" -- Zion Williamson on summer plans

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New Orleans Pelicans: "New Orleans is home for me. A lot of guys, when the offseason hits, they leave the city. I live here. I stay here in the city. I go out to do different things to get to know the city better. This is home for me. I have been here since I was 19 years old," - Zion Williamson

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Erin Summers: James Borrego said Herb Jones, Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey will dress tonight vs Utah but likely will not play #Pelicans

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Bobby Marks: Zion Williamson has now played in 61 games. The salary protection next season will increase from $25.3M to $33.7M. Williamson has weight incentives tied into the remaining $8.4M of his non-guaranteed salary. There is a likelihood his $42.2M salary next season becomes fully guaranteed.

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