Stephen A. Smith makes a major claim about Pelicans' Zion Williamson

Stephen A. Smith is apparently hearing some things through the grapevine about Zion Williamson.

On an episode of “First Take” this week, the ESPN personality made a big claim about the New Orleans Pelicans star. Smith said that Williamson does not want to be in New Orleans and instead wants to be in a major market such as New York or Los Angeles.

“Zion doesn’t want to be in New Orleans,” said Smith. “He doesn’t want to be there. He wants to be in a major market like L.A., New York or whatever because he wants the marketability.”

Smith’s comments come in the wake of the former No. 1 overall pick Williamson getting suspended by the Pelicans after multiple reported instances of tardiness. Williamson, who has often been injured and out-of-shape throughout his NBA career as well, is reportedly being shopped by New Orleans ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline on top of that.

Williamson’s supposed preference for a bigger market is nothing new as he recently switched representation and has also been linked to one particular mega-market team over the last couple of months.

But all indications since then have been that Williamson wants to remain with the Pelicans. A report just weeks ago claimed that Williamson was not pushing for a trade, and the multi-time All-Star forward also had a classy gesture for the city of New Orleans after the recent terrorist attack there. Smith is hearing otherwise though and thinks that Williamson wants out.