Zion Williamson has been box office during his time in New Orleans although when it comes to the results out on the court, they have been lackluster, to say the least. This isn't necessarily his fault as he has been putting in work on the offensive end of the court. Instead, it's been the team's lack of depth and coaching that has led to their problems. For instance, Stan Van Gundy was fired after just one season, and now, it's obvious as to why the firing happened.
According to a new report from The Athletic, it was revealed that Zion's family is upset with the Pelicans staff and that they were particularly disappointed with Van Gundy, who was reportedly too strict on the players. In fact, if things don't quickly improve, his family would prefer that he leaves New Orleans for good.
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“The Pels made changes to their support staff to fit Williamson’s wishes over the offseason, and he returned in much better physical condition. But for most of this season, certain Williamson family members voiced displeasure with the organization,” the Athletic explained. “Among the targets of their criticism was Van Gundy, who they felt was too rigid and demanding as head coach, but also with the Pelicans, which they claim did not live up to what they felt should be the standard for a star like Williamson. Numerous opposing league executives had heard the complaints, and they were confirmed by Pelicans officials.”
Considering Zion is entering his third year in the league, this is a very strange position to be in, and it will be interesting to see how it all gets handled. With this story in mind, the Pelicans have a lot of pressure to perform, and it could get ugly if the results don't show up right away.
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