The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson at No. 1 overall in 2019 to be the face of the franchise.
So far, he has played in a total of 85 games.
Last season was a successful one for the forward as he made the All-Star Game and averaged 27 points per game.
That had hopes high for this season.
Yet Williamson has not yet made an appearance and the Pelicans have been rather quiet on his status.
A new report came out Thursday that won’t have fans feeling great.
Pelicans star Zion Williamson underwent injection in his injured right foot in order to promote healing and will be re-evaluated in 4-to-6 weeks.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 16, 2021
Williamson won’t even be evaluated for another month as his foot injury continues to heal.
So where does that leave him and the team?
Pelicans Stuck In A Bad Spot
The Pelicans are 9-21 on the year and even though they had a thrilling win Wednesday, the outlook for the year is grim.
And it all surrounds Williamson.
The problem is that rumors have popped up about him potentially wanting to leave New Orleans as a free agent.
Williamson is in the third year of his four-year rookie deal.
Zion Williamson Medical Update:
Following a consultation and further evaluation with Dr. Richard Ferkel of the Southern California Orthopedic Institute yesterday, Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot. pic.twitter.com/sSD0rBq5yK
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 16, 2021
That means he is just about eligible for a massive extension with the Pelicans.
However, this is the NBA, so if he wants out he can do so easier than in other sports.
There is still the question of if Williamson will command max money given his injury and conditioning concerns.
The franchise had a star in Anthony Davis and saw that relationship end poorly.
They were supposed to learn from their mistakes and even fired Stan Van Gundy after one season, likely to make Williamson happy.
Yet if he ultimately leaves or doesn’t even play this year, his whole tenure will represent an absolute failure by the organization.
The first step is getting him back on the floor.
Until then, it is tough to predict what he can do given his current concerning foot injury.
NEXT: Zion Williamson Can't Seem To Stay Healthy