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Kendrick Perkins Slams Zion Williamson, Reveals New Nickname For Pelicans Star

Matt Levine

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans have been waiting to take that next step forward for years. Since the 2019-20 season, New Orleans has had the feeling of a team that is one step away from fully contending for a title.

But it seems that injuries and inconsistent play continue to get in their way. One player, in particular, has seen multiple injuries take place that have derailed his hopeful career so far.

That would be forward Zion Williamson. The former No. 1 overall pick has missed significant time since being drafted and it has hurt New Orleans.

He entered the league with as high of anticipation as any player in recent memory but so far, hasn't lived up to the hype. His injury history is concerning and has left the Pelicans scrambling to figure out what to do with him moving forward.

The criticism of Williamson has seemed to reach the boiling point with multiple members of the media calling him out. Former NBA center Kendrick Perkins is one of the more recent ones, revealing his new nickname of 'Pajamas" for the Pelicans star.

"AD had a nickname a couple years ago as "Street Clothes" well we need to call Zion "Pajamas"... If you're an organization that has championship aspirations, Zion cannot be the face of your team because he's never available"

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania provided an injury update on Williamson recently, citing that New Orleans was bracing for the star to be out for a while.

"The Pelicans are bracing for him to be out about 4-6 weeks. His return will be based on rehab and how that treatment goes... They said indefinitely. They are not sure exactly how long this rehab will take him"

He played in 70 games for the Pelicans last season, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. His year ended early as he suffered an injury during the Pelicans' Play-In matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.

New Orleans went on to lose to Los Angeles but found a way to clinch a playoff berth. They were then swept in the first round of the playoffs, leading to another frustrating season.

If Williamson can return this season and help New Orleans win, the narratives will go away. But if he can't, the Pelicans may have to make some difficult choices at the end of the year.

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Matt Levine
MATT LEVINE

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