While Zion Williamson has gone on record that he is prepared sign an extension with the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason, David Griffin is not necessarily expecting an easy resolution.
“Obviously, that conversation is going to be one that will be a challenge,” Griffin said last Friday. “When it’s time to have that, we’ll have it. And right now what we’re focused on is him being healthy, and (being in) kind of elite condition to play basketball and we’ll start there.”
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Pelicans are expected to attach some stipulations where they won’t offer Williamson a fully guaranteed five-year, $181 million max contract.
“I don’t think they’re offering a five-year max,” said Windhorst.
“I don’t think they’re going to want to guarantee the full five years. I think they’ll come into it not wanting him to have a player option. In other words, it will be a five-year contract and we’ll have protection. And they’ll want to haggle over what constitutes the protection.”
Windhorst then said he expects the contract talks to be similar to the one Joel Embiid signed in 2017 with the Philadelphia 76ers. Windhorst cautioned that the difference between the two situations is that Embiid was on the same page with the 76ers at the time.
