And so it begins (Zion comments)

[DarkHornet]

We did "win now" under Dell Demps. You saw how much of a disaster that was. Everyone wants to rush the timeline, but won't like the results when we try to do that and then will blame the front office for that.

[13 - 3]

We did "win now" under Dell Demps. You saw how much of a disaster that was. Everyone wants to rush the timeline, but won't like the results when we try to do that and then will blame the front office for that.

What is the timeline? Griff said we are a “Win Now team not later”Start when Griff said it in 2019.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christo...rade-deadline/

[DarkHornet]

What is the timeline? Griff said we are a “Win Now team not later”Start when Griff said it in 2019.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christo...rade-deadline/

Playoff team by next season. Give 2 or maybe 3 more years to be a top 4 team in the west. If we fail to do that, I'd say Zion is gone.

[13 - 3]

I'm talking more generally. NBA Reddit and Pelicans Twitter, for example, have had their fair share of dramatic outbursts over it. And also the general media, which has latched onto the comments quite quickly.

This thread itself is pretty level headed about it, for the most part; I do think the whole ''Zion smiled as a veiled warning shot to the management'' is a bit tin-foil hat, but whatever.

Something to monitor. Kind of odd to be smiling like that after the way we lost. Was SVG this happy about playing at MSG?

https://sports.yahoo.com/zion-willia...010600345.html

It's not just his words that should have the Pelicans worried. Check out that smile. Has Williamson ever smiled like that when talking about the Pelicans?

Williamson also trotted out the "mecca of basketball" trope like he's genuinely bought into the tired line about a city that hasn't claimed an NBA championship since 1973. And he raved about the atmosphere after playing in front of a 10% capacity crowd due to COVID-19 regulations. The announced attendance at MSG on Sunday was 1,981.

Then there's the change in tone and body language when he checked himself and said MSG was his favorite place to play "outside of New Orleans." OK, Zion.

There's a lot of time between now and when Williamson has leverage or free agency to leave New Orleans. And Williamson is playing under new management after the franchise's failure to build around previous superstars. Williamson's eventual exit isn't written in stone.

But do Pelicans fans have reason to be worried? Absolutely.

[13 - 3]

Playoff team by next season. Give 2 or maybe 3 more years to be a top 4 team in the west. If we fail to do that, I'd say Zion is gone.

Yeah sure always next year.

[UNO Gracias]

Yeah sure always next year.

This team is sounding more and more like the Saints with every passing year.

[SeapeaNOLA]

I'm so over this BS.

If Zion wants to go to New York, let him. Screw it. Blow it up again.

[Pelicanidae]

Something to monitor. Kind of odd to be smiling like that after the way we lost. Was SVG this happy about playing at MSG?

https://sports.yahoo.com/zion-willia...010600345.html

You wanna drink the Kool Aid feel free. I'm not about to get my socks in a knot about a 1 minute post-game interview in which nothing out of the norm was actually said being blown up into news by desperate New Yorkers.

''Has Williamson ever smiled that when talking about the Pelicans?!'' yes, actually, he smiles like that all the time. Like, all the time. He seems quite shy in front of an interview camera and he regularly reacts with grins and almost bashful responses to questions. He's gotten better at it over time but go back and watch him in interviews say, a year ago, and you'll see it all the time.

''Do Pelicans fans have reason to be worried?'' No more reason than we did a week ago. Which is to say, some reason because as I already said small market teams with no history of winning always have to be on the lookout, but if you're going to get rattled by minor nothing-interview comments you must have nerves of spaghetti rather than steel.

[6warddude]

im a pelican fan...not a player fan......i root for the team and the players who are on it and when those players are gone, they gone but im 100% pelicans...

[MichaelMcNamara]

Zion will eventually leave this franchise. Might be after 5 years, might be after 9. My bet, personally, is 8.

But that is 8 more years than they would have ever had him if not for the luck of random ping pong balls. Enjoy him the years he is here as opposed to fearing his loss and how the years without him will be. Margot Robbie decides to hook up with you for a random 3 day weekend - you dont spend those days worrying about whether she will be in your life a month from now or if she is come to her senses and find someone much better. You spend all those minutes with Margot Robbie and thank the lord she lost her mind for a weekend and got stuck with you

[13 - 3]

Zion will eventually leave this franchise. Might be after 5 years, might be after 9. My bet, personally, is 8.

But that is 8 more years than they would have ever had him if not for the luck of random ping pong balls. Enjoy him the years he is here as opposed to fearing his loss and how the years without him will be. Margot Robbie decides to hook up with you for a random 3 day weekend - you dont spend those days worrying about whether she will be in your life a month from now or if she is come to her senses and find someone much better. You spend all those minutes with Margot Robbie and thank the lord she lost her mind for a weekend and got stuck with you

That was very inspirational.

[6warddude]

Zion will eventually leave this franchise. Might be after 5 years, might be after 9. My bet, personally, is 8.

But that is 8 more years than they would have ever had him if not for the luck of random ping pong balls. Enjoy him the years he is here as opposed to fearing his loss and how the years without him will be. Margot Robbie decides to hook up with you for a random 3 day weekend - you dont spend those days worrying about whether she will be in your life a month from now or if she is come to her senses and find someone much better. You spend all those minutes with Margot Robbie and thank the lord she lost her mind for a weekend and got stuck with you

damn i was thinking we have him for six years.....we cant pretend like we didnt see zion looking disappointed when we got the number pick over new york......the dude confessed his love for playing in new york and at some point he has to make his professional dream come through....im not mad at him for that.......

im still going to die on the hill saying we should have drafted morant......ripped Memphis apart from their picks and young players so they could have got zion......i think jrue,,JA and ingram would have got us to the playoffs last season......trade jrue and had the picks from his trade.......would of had memphis pick in this past draft which would have been imo top 5 because if it was meant for zion to get hurt then he would have been hurt for memphis and lonzo would had have to carry the load for them and i dont think that team would have been good after trading with us for zion....our war chest would be memphis,,lakers,,bucks and whatever else picks that im missing and i dont think anyone would have been able to out bid us on a disgruntle star....

[Eman5805]

8 years is a lot of time. I probably won’t even be living in New Orleans by then.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Zion will eventually leave this franchise. Might be after 5 years, might be after 9. My bet, personally, is 8.

But that is 8 more years than they would have ever had him if not for the luck of random ping pong balls. Enjoy him the years he is here as opposed to fearing his loss and how the years without him will be. Margot Robbie decides to hook up with you for a random 3 day weekend - you dont spend those days worrying about whether she will be in your life a month from now or if she is come to her senses and find someone much better. You spend all those minutes with Margot Robbie and thank the lord she lost her mind for a weekend and got stuck with you

No he will definitely be the first round pick in history of the NBA to decline the max contract and leave after his rookie contract

[Pelicanidae]

No he will definitely be the first round pick in history of the NBA to decline the max contract and leave after his rookie contract

It's not even a matter of declining any pick.

I swear to god some people tend to forget that when a rookie's contract is up they become restricted Free Agents, so they cannot just walk at 4 years. You have them for 7, regardless of what they want. Now, of course, if they demand out in year 6 you end up having to trade them anyway because you have to extract max value, we all know that, but they literally cannot just walk after the rookie deal.

[13 - 3]

No he will definitely be the first round pick in history of the NBA to decline the max contract and leave after his rookie contract

#PelsLife. Would you be surprised?

[Pelicanidae]

#PelsLife. Would you be surprised?

Yes, because I would be surprised if anyone managed to do something that is literally impossible by the mechanics of the CBA.

[13 - 3]

LOL. The Dolan burner account is funny

Please stop talking about this. Makes the fans look bad and it aint even the fans�� https://t.co/84iG19T208

— James L. Dolan ➐ (@DolanBurner) April 19, 2021

[UNO Gracias]

The NBA's current CBA extends through the 2023-24 season, with a mutual opt-out available after the 2022-23 season.

[As I See It]

In case you are interested...

https://fadeawayworld.net/2021/04/20...w-york-knicks/

[ml wave]

It's not even a matter of declining any pick.

I swear to god some people tend to forget that when a rookie's contract is up they become restricted Free Agents, so they cannot just walk at 4 years. You have them for 7, regardless of what they want. Now, of course, if they demand out in year 6 you end up having to trade them anyway because you have to extract max value, we all know that, but they literally cannot just walk after the rookie deal.

After his rookie deal is up, he can sign the 1 year tender and be unrestricted after 5 years.

[Pelicanidae]

After his rookie deal is up, he can sign the 1 year tender and be unrestricted after 5 years.

That's assuming players just start signing the QO, which would be unprecedented I think.

[ml wave]

That's assuming players just start signing the QO, which would be unprecedented I think.

It would be for someone (presumably) offered a max extension. Nerlens Noel famously turned down a less than max extension (though quite significant) and signed the QO.
Everything is unprecedented until it happens, and a 9 figure shoe deal is a good start if someone wanted to take the financial risk to turn down that extension.

[MichaelMcNamara]

It would also be interesting to find how many max level players missed the playoffs their first 3 or 4 years (and thereby might want out). Most guys that good - who would be a guaranteed max guy after their rookie deal, usually have played for winning teams and/or have a foundation in place that will lead to a lot of future winning.

What happens if Pels stink again next year and the extension is offered? Why would/should he sign it?

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

It's not even a matter of declining any pick.

I swear to god some people tend to forget that when a rookie's contract is up they become restricted Free Agents, so they cannot just walk at 4 years. You have them for 7, regardless of what they want. Now, of course, if they demand out in year 6 you end up having to trade them anyway because you have to extract max value, we all know that, but they literally cannot just walk after the rookie deal.

Yeah a bit late to this convo, but he could accept his QO like Noel did, but IMO that would be a bad move. He is better to accept it and then force his way out.