Zion Williamson’s Contract Is Not Quite What Was Reported

Remember the hubbub the other day after former Duke star Zion Williamson’s contract was found to have a clause about his weight?

The idea was that he had to keep his weight and body fat under a combined number of 295 or get fined.

Well as it turns out, that’s not exactly the case.

New Orleans can only exercise that option if they waive Williamson and it’s hard to imagine them doing that without a heck of a lot going wrong.

Williamson is such a compelling figure - and such a novelty, given his unique physique - that people are always going to talk and speculate. There is a suggestion now for instance that New Orleans could work a trade with Brooklyn that would see them giving up Williamson to get Kevin Durant, presumably along with other assets going back and forth.

Could it happen? Sure. Is it likely? Well, no.

But that’s the fishbowl that Williamson lives in. Just this week he saw stories that he was resentful about the stories about his weight. Then it was said he was upset about the idea that he didn’t work hard.

The truth is that that sort of thing will go on for a while but a great year by Williamson will do a lot to tamp it down.