Former NBA player Matt Barnes added on NBA Today: “I don’t think Zion wants to be there. “There’s been rumblings, not from him but from his family, from the jump. And it’s hard for small market teams to keep young superstars. “… I think the writing’s been on the wall for a minute and the Pelicans have overlooked it, hoping they can change things.”
Source: NY Post with staff writers @ FOXSports.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
The Ringer @ringernba
Zion may have played his final game in the Big Easy.
Presented by @FDSportsbook. pic.twitter.com/dOuJHUYhmM – 11:24 PM
Jason Walker @JasonWalkerNBA
Zion Williamson is trending? pic.twitter.com/sSbPPprqfJ – 10:04 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Breaking:
Four-star guard Zion Cruz commits to DePaul: ‘I just felt like that’s the right place’.
zagsblog.com/2022/02/22/fou…
@PSACardinals
@DePaulHoops – 7:43 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Digging into LBJ’s comments about Cleveland, what’s gone right in Boston, JJ Redick sounds off on Zion and why locker room access is important to media—and you. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 7:00 PM
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
I actually think that JJ Redick is calling Zion out publicly and trying to help in his own way. At least that’s what I hope.
In all my dealings with Zion over years, he’s always been awesome. Just have to wonder if injuries have affected him & his relationships w/ teammates. – 6:18 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
J.J. Redick: Pelicans star Zion Williamson a ‘detached teammate’ nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/22/j-j… – 5:23 PM
Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner
COLUMN:
Zion Williamson has chosen silence.
And it’s only amplified the noise surrounding him and the Pelicans.
nola.com/sports/pelican… – 4:48 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Zion Williamson posted minutes ago an Instagram story containing a video clip of Devonte’ Graham’s game-winning shot from the Nov. 26 victory over the Utah Jazz. pic.twitter.com/fvl5edpPx9 – 4:27 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
The last time we saw Zion fully healthy was his lone season at Duke – and the highlight reel he put together over those few months was insane pic.twitter.com/iH7gCmrsqf – 4:01 PM
Malika Andrews @malika_andrews
As reported on NBA Today: CJ McCollum told ESPN that since his interview over the weekend with the TNT Crew, Zion Williamson reached out and the two have spoken. – 3:26 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Malika Andrews just said on ESPN’s NBA Today that CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson HAVE spoken directly to each other since the guard revealed on All-Star Saturday that he hadn’t. – 3:21 PM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
Zion has not played a game for the Pels this season, and it’s unclear if he will. JJ Redick slammed him for being a “detached teammate” and didn’t exactly pour cold water on the notion that Zion never wanted to be here in the first place. nola.com/sports/pelican… – 1:34 PM
CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
JJ Redick calls Pelicans’ Zion Williamson a ‘detached teammate’ after not speaking to CJ McCollum since trade
https://t.co/KxutAl9o3P pic.twitter.com/phEYlNQsE4 – 1:15 PM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
In hindsight, we probably should have made a bigger deal out of Coach K saying Zion wasn’t in the “playing shape or the mental shape to play” to even play at Summer League. forbes.com/sites/adamzago… – 12:52 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Admit it, you’re not the least bit surprised by JJ Redick’s words today.
However, either Williamson’s behavior gets rectified asap (Zion/his camp get with program) or toxicity gets removed from New Orleans.
Should be zero tolerance on a team whose culture is finally blossoming. – 12:23 PM
Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner
The Pelicans should not be let off the hook.
David Griffin did not optimize the relationship. Hiring Stan Van Gundy was a catastrophically bad mistake that poisoned the Pelicans’ culture last year.
But, Zion is absolutely at fault here as well.
It’s a bad situation. – 12:03 PM
Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner
JJ Redick is a Duke guy, a CAA guy and someone with a personal grudge against David Griffin.
For him to light Zion up as a bad teammate and not invested in the franchise or his career, is the most damning condemnation I can think of, short of a current teammate doing it. – 11:51 AM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
JJ Redick doesn’t hold back. Describes Zion as a “detached teammate.”
“This just shows a complete lack of investment in your team, in the organization, in the city.” youtube.com/watch?v=XCtNWB… – 11:48 AM
Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Zion could quiet this all down by doing easy little things. He might be faking it/lying when he does that. But it quiets everything.
But sometimes silence is an answer – 11:48 AM
Jake Madison @NOLAJake
You don’t need to read between the lines of what JJ Redick is saying regarding Zion.
Says there is a pattern of behavior and it’s even something Redick addressed with Zion in front of the team his rookie year.
youtube.com/watch?v=XCtNWB… – 11:42 AM
Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
happy Kyle O’Quinn/Matt Barnes/Franz Wagner day to all whomst celebrate – 11:32 AM
More on this storyline
Fletcher Mackel: Interesting 🤨 The #WBD #Pelicans just sent email to season ticket holders about renewals for 2022-23 season and… NO MENTION OF ZION 😳 -via Twitter / February 22, 2022
The teams that have a star are feverishly doing everything to keep them happy. The rest are plotting to poach them. Around the league, team executives are already bracing (and/or plotting) for the next disenchanted star to ask out, with speculation focused on Zion Williamson in New Orleans, Damian Lillard in Portland and Donovan Mitchell in Utah. -via Sports Illustrated / February 20, 2022