CJ McCollum still hasn’t spoken with Zion Williamson since Pelicans trade
CJ McCollum has only been on the New Orleans Pelicans for about a week, and has only played in five games since he was traded by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Still, though, McCollum said he hasn’t spoken with Zion Williamson.
McCollum confirmed at the All-Star events on Saturday night in Cleveland that he’s yet to make contact with the injured Pelicans star, and doesn’t know anything about his possible return.
“I haven’t had conversations with him directly,” McCollum said on TNT. “I’ve spoken with some people close to him and I look forward to sitting down with him sooner [rather] than later. I know about as much as you do right now but I’m gonna get to the bottom of it.”
CJ McCollum — the president of the NBA Players Association — says he hasn’t spoken directly to teammate Zion Williamson.
McCollum tells TNT broadcast crew, “I know about as much as you do right now. But I’m going to get to the bottom of it.” pic.twitter.com/KXfBBn5tym— Christian Clark (@cclark_13) February 20, 2022
While it’s tough to know how much to look into that lack of communication, it certainly doesn’t come off great.
Zion Williamson reportedly hit another setback
Williamson has yet to play this season while dealing with a foot injury he sustained over the summer that required surgery. He was supposed to be ready to play to start the season.
Since then, however, he’s faced multiple setbacks in his recovery — and reportedly showed up to practice weighing more than 300 pounds. He has left New Orleans to focus on his rehab. He issued a statement about his status in January through the team, but didn’t say much.
“As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult process for me,” Williamson said. “I know there’s work to be done in my recovery before I can safely return to the court, but I will continue to put in the time necessary so I can get back on the floor with my team and represent Pelicans fans and the city of New Orleans at the highest level."
Yet on Wednesday, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune reported that Williamson may need a second surgery on his foot — which would only hinder his chances to see the court this year even further.
So even though McCollum’s addition to the team is sure to be helpful, it’s still completely unknown when, if at all, the team will end up getting their former No. 1 overall draft pick back on the floor.
