Joe Dumars, hired in April as the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations, spoke on the plans for Zion Williamson in an interview with The Times-Picayune Wednesday morning. “I’ve had really good conversations with Zion,” Dumars said. “We’ve had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We’ve done it all. I’ve had some real honest conversations with him. Some real direct and honest conversations. We’re going to go forward with Zion. He’s going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward.”
Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune
Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune
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More on this storyline
Dumars’ plans to continue building the franchise around Williamson were revealed less than a week after a lawsuit was filed against Williamson in Los Angeles for rape and assault in 2020. Dumars wouldn’t speak on the lawsuit. “I’ve been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues,” Dumars said. Pelicans’ owner Gayle Benson spoke about the lawsuit Wednesday. “You know, lawsuits are lawsuits,” Benson said. “You really can’t … You don’t know. I mean people can sue you for anything. There’s no reason. You can be innocent or not. It’s just something that people do, unfortunately.” -via New Orleans Times-Picayune / June 4, 2025
New Orleans Pelicans owner Gayle Benson addressing the lawsuit filed against star forward Zion Williamson, who is accused of rape and physical abuse by a woman claiming to be his former girlfriend. Benson spoke briefly about the matter on Tuesday, saying, “you know, lawsuits are lawsuits. I mean you really can’t, you know…people can sue you for anything, there’s no, there’s no reason, you can be innocent or not, so it’s just something that people do unfortunately.” -via WWLTV.com / June 3, 2025
The second is Williamson’s current contract and the leverage New Orleans loses if an extension is signed. Williamson’s $39.4 million contract ($7.9 million protected) for next season is guaranteed July 15. The following two seasons ($42.2 million and $44.9 million) remain non-guaranteed. If Williamson does sign a two-year $128.4 million extension, his original contract will become fully guaranteed. What to expect: No extension, and Williamson enters free agency in 2028. -via ESPN / June 3, 2025