Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns at Smoothie King Center on April 28, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chris Graythen/Getty Images/AFP
Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed on a maximum rookie-contract extension that could be worth up to $231 million, his agents confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.
Austin Brown, the co-head of basketball for CAA Sports, told ESPN that the contract is worth a guaranteed $193 million. If Williamson makes the All-NBA team, or wins the league’s MVP or Defensive Player of the Year awards next season, escalator clauses will kick in to increase the contract value.
Williamson, who turns 22 on Wednesday, sat out the entire 2021-22 season with a foot injury. He was fully cleared physically by the team on May 26 and has been working out in New Orleans with some of his teammates.
Since being the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Williamson has played just 85 games (all starts) for the Pelicans. He missed the first three months of the 2019-20 season due to a knee injury.
Williamson was an All-Star in the 2020-21 season, when he averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 61 contests. He has career averages of 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
The extension will kick in for the 2023-24 season. In the upcoming campaign, he will be playing on the final season of his four-year, $44.27 million rookie contract and is due to make $13.5 million in base salary next season.