Pelicans will rest Zion Williamson for Friday's game vs. Wizards

Those of you planning to catch New Orleans Pelicans star rookie Zion Williamson Friday night may want to make other plans.

As ESPN's Andrew Lopez noted, the Pelicans have confirmed the club will rest the 20-year-old for Friday's tilt versus the Washington Wizards. Williamson isn't listed as injured.

The 20-year-old has played in four games since the NBA restart held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, but he failed to register more than 25 minutes in any of those outings. He was on the court for roughly 22 minutes during Thursday's 140-125 loss to the Utah Jazz.

The decision to voluntarily rest Williamson comes just two days after Dr. Brian Sutterer, an expert in evaluating sports injuries, provided a worrisome outlook of the rookie's career path while speaking with The Athletic.

"He’s in a race against his own body. If you go watch his Duke highlights compared to now, the difference is profound. In my opinion, his athleticism and conditioning have regressed substantially. He’s less explosive, less conditioned, slower on defense, has already had a portion of his meniscus removed from his knee after an injury, and he’s still under close monitoring from the medical staff."

Even if the Pelicans manage to play their way into the postseason tournament, it's unlikely they'd achieve anything of note in the playoffs with or without Williamson. Resting the first-year pro as a precaution is what's best if there's any concern about his long-term health.