Pelicans VP: Offering Zion Williamson a max extension is 'a pretty easy decision'

Zion Williamson has played only 85 games with the New Orleans Pelicans since he was picked No. 1 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, but the team isn't even considering a future without him. Pelicans vice president David Griffin said Williamson will get a maximum contract extension offer from the franchise.

"It's not a big decision, it's a pretty easy decision," Griffin told Ryen Russillo of The Ringer on a podcast. "The kid's historically good when he plays ... this is a max player, that's easy."

Williamson, 21, is eligible to sign a five-year, $181 million max rookie extension this offseason. Griffin's emphatic support of Williamson did come with a caveat, though. He said the Pelicans plan to include protections against the risk of future injuries for the power forward. 

"What becomes significant as a team that's a small-market team and as a team that can't make mistakes in terms of injuries over time, you have to indemnify yourself in some way for that and that's fine," Griffin said.

Williamson, 21, played in only 24 games as a rookie after suffering a meniscus tear in preseason. While he missed 11 games in his second season, Williamson earned All-Star honors and finished the year averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists. 

During the 2021 offseason, Williamson suffered a fractured foot and underwent surgery. While the Pelicans were initially hopeful that he'd be back in time for the start of the 2021-22 season, multiple setbacks caused him to miss the entire year. In May, the team announced that Williamson has been cleared to return without restrictions.