With Joe Dumars taking over the front office of the New Orleans Pelicans, there are immediate questions surrounding the future of former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson.
During his formal introduction on Tuesday, Dumars acknowledged having previous interactions with Williamson in his former capacity as NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations, where he oversaw player conduct.
“At the league office, I’ve had to talk to Zion a few times,” Dumars said. “I won’t go into those conversations. But we talked since then, and I’ve talked to Zion since I became the EVP here, and we had exceptional conversations on the phone.”
The 24-year-old Williamson, selected first overall from Duke in 2019, has shown star potential when healthy, averaging 24.7 points across 214 career games. However, durability remains a major concern, with injuries sidelining him for 258 regular-season games and all of the Pelicans’ playoff appearances since his arrival. Williamson was one of the NBA’s most productive players this season when he returned in January.
According to ESPN reports from March, multiple teams would have “significant interest” in trading for Williamson should New Orleans make him available. Williamson is signed through the 27-28 season and is represented by Bill Duffy.
Beyond his injury history, Williamson has faced disciplinary issues, including a one-game suspension this season for missing a team flight and several off-court controversies involving romantic partners that became public on social media platforms.
Dumars, without specifically addressing Williamson, made clear his expectations for organizational standards.
“You have to set standards – and you can’t waver from those standards,” he stated during his introduction at team headquarters.
CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado were the only current Pelicans’ players who attended Dumars’ introductory press conference.