The New Orleans Pelicans acquired CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers at the NBA Trade Deadline with one clear stated goal: pairing him up with Zion Williamson.
Clearly the front office wanted to pick up an offensively potent veteran leader who could add a degree of calmness and stability to an otherwise shaky roster.
Unfortunately, things are already not going according to plan.
This week, McCollum made something of a troubling confession regarding his new teammate.
In a conversation with the TNT crew at NBA All-Star Weekend, he admitted that he has had no communication with Williamson.
CJ McCollum — the president of the NBA Players Association — says he hasn’t spoken directly to teammate Zion Williamson.
McCollum tells TNT broadcast crew, “I know about as much as you do right now. But I’m going to get to the bottom of it.” pic.twitter.com/KXfBBn5tym
— Christian Clark (@cclark_13) February 20, 2022
“I haven’t had conversations [with] him directly,” McCollum said.
“I’ve spoken with some people close to him [and] look forward to sitting down with him sooner than later. I know about as much as you do right now, but I’m gonna get to the bottom of it.”
Yikes.
Naturally, folks on Twitter had some reactions:
Unreal that the face of your franchise doesn’t reach out to talk to his new teammate that just happens to be the president of the NBA Players Association as well as one of the best shooters on the planet
— NOLA_P (@nolapivon) February 20, 2022
I keep saying he does not want to be there. Trade him.
— Demetrius Leblanc (@DemetriusLebl12) February 20, 2022
I keep saying he does not want to be there. Trade him.
— Demetrius Leblanc (@DemetriusLebl12) February 20, 2022
This looks so bad on zions part, like you that anti social that you don’t give a new teammate a call welcoming them, does he not go to the team facility at all for treatment?
— paul gov (@TheGov74) February 20, 2022
At this point, it’s hard not to feel like every story that comes out surrounding Williamson is negative in some way. There’s a new health complication daily; his weight continues fluctuating at an unprecedented rate (despite the Pelicans’ best efforts); and worst of all, Williamson doesn’t seem to care at all. It feels like he already has his sights set on his next locale.
Paige kept it real.https://t.co/U8ETy9F3XW
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 20, 2022
This situation is rapidly approaching the point of no return. And once it gets there, New Orleans may have no choice but to trade Williamson.
Assuming they can even get anything real back for him at that juncture.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
