Pelicans' Zion Williamson breaks silence on trade rumors

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For the first time since Nov. 6, New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson took the floor. The Pelicans fell 104-97 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the return of Williamson overshadowed the outcome of the game.

In 28 minutes of action, Williamson recorded 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and shot 9-of-15 from the field. Additionally, Williamson stole the show with an impressive dunk that put the basketball world on notice.

Trade rumors seem to swirl around Williamson constantly. The 6-foot-6 forward took the opportunity to give his thoughts on the matter after his return to the court.

“At the end of the day, control the things you can control and accept the things you can’t,” Williamson said. “As a professional, the only thing I can do is come into work every day, work hard and have fun. At the end of the day, I feel like, ‘We get to play basketball for a living.’ I love hooping.”

Despite not coming out on top, Williamson enjoyed getting back to playing and was pleased with the effort he saw from his team.

“It was definitely good to be back out there,” Williamson said. “It was good to see my teammates competing. The Timberwolves started out hot but nobody was really bothered by it. Everybody was like, ‘Nah we good, stick with what we do.'”

With Williamson back in the lineup, the question is now about his ability to stay there. Williamson has been prone to being sidelined with injuries throughout his career, but he is determined to put those concerns behind him.

“Just keep learning more and more about my body and how my body reacts to certain things,” Williamson said. “Working with the team and just talking it through.”

Due to his extensive stay on the injury report, there has been speculation that Williamson will need some time to get back into game shape. He does not believe the process will take long as his team needs him to be at his best.

“I definitely feel like my legs are already under me,” Williamson said. “Now it’s just in-game rhythm. You don’t got time to take three to five games for that. We’re going to figure that out as soon as possible.”

What changes for the Pelicans with Zion Williamson back?

While having Zion Williamson back is certainly a step in the right direction for the Pelicans, they still have a steep hole to climb out of.

The Pelicans’ two wins over the Washington Wizards put them above having the worst record in the NBA, but they still sit at 7-30 and are 11.5 games out of the last play-in spot.

The return of Williamson could provide the team with a spark if he is able to stay healthy, but it will require more than that to make a legitimate push. Getting Brandon Ingram back on the floor as well would go a long way.

Williamson’s presence in the lineup could start the chain reaction that could get the team back where it needs to be, however.

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