<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/sneakers/zion-williamsons-new-voodoo-jordan-zion-4-coming-soon');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson’s new ‘Voodoo’ Jordan Zion 4 coming soon');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Zion-Williamsons-new-Voodoo-Jordan-Zion-4-coming-soon.jpg"></figure><h1>Zion Williamson’s new ‘Voodoo’ Jordan Zion 4 coming soon</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T13:53:52-07:00">September 9th, 1:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T13:54:14-07:00">September 9th, 1:54pm</time><address><a>Dominik Zawartko</a>Dominik Zawartko is a Michigan State graduate with a degree in Political Science and English. Having previously worked in the nonprofit and legal sectors, he decided to pursue his true love of writing with ClutchPoints. Dominik's hobbies include painting, cooking food, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and always having a laugh. His main focus areas are UFC coverage and all things sneakers.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans’ former No. 1-overall pick Zion Williamson is still looking to find his footing as he enters his sixth year in the NBA. Over the last five seasons, Williamson has only been able to appear in 214 games, but the Duke Blue Devil is confident he can live up to his own lofty expectations. Williamson also serves as a face of Jordan Brand, preparing for another “Voodoo” release for his latest <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers/zion-williamson-releases-new-jordan-zion-4-iridescence">Jordan Zion 4</a> sneakers.</p><p><i><b>Check our <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers">Sneakers news</a> for more upcoming releases and breaking content!</b></i></p><p>Zion Williamson signed with Jordan Brand in 2019, shortly after he was drafted to New Orleans with the first overall pick. Shortly after, the Jordan Zion 1 made its debut in 2021 and before we knew it, Williamson was already dropping his fourth signature model in January 2025. As he heads into his latest campaign, we can expect the Jordan Zion 5 to arrive sooner rather than later.</p><p>For now, the Jordan Zion 4 will sport a previously-seen “Voodoo” colorway, paying homage to New Orleans roots and the voodoo roots around the region. Previously appearing on his Jordan 1 Low PE, the “Voodoo” concept will hit the main signature line.</p><h2>Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo”</h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo” is releasing on September 20 🧷 <a href="https://t.co/52rQHMTGzY">pic.twitter.com/52rQHMTGzY</a></p><p>— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicekicks/status/1965413769842229350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="in">Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo” 🎎<br>📆 September 20th<br>💵 $145 <a href="https://t.co/q93Gwkln6F">pic.twitter.com/q93Gwkln6F</a></p><p>— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SneakerNews/status/1965090512974532775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><br>The “Voodoo” concept, typically characterized by loose stitching and earth-toned canvas materials, officially arrives in <em>Sesame/Gum Light Brown-Black-Flash Crimson </em>for a very clean look. We see the burlap/canvas uppers complete with random stitch marks throughout as the majority of the sneaker remains monochrome. We see a tiny pop of Flash Crimson in the translucent AirZoom unit as the shoes are finished with a gum outsole.</p></figure><p>The Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo” will release September 20, 2025 for a standard retail tag of $145. The shoes will see a formal drop on Nike <a href="http://nike.com">SNKRS app</a> and should be available at select Jordan Brand retailers in limited quantities.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson’s new ‘Voodoo’ Jordan Zion 4 coming soon

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-espn-votes-zion-williamson-most-likely-star-request-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'ESPN votes Pelicans’ Zion Williamson as most likely star to request trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>ESPN votes Pelicans’ Zion Williamson as most likely star to request trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-25T11:17:08-07:00">August 25th, 11:17am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-26T06:36:31-07:00">August 26th, 6:36am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-espns-f-grade-2025-offseason">New Orleans Pelicans have had</a> quite the interesting offseason, trading CJ McCollum and bringing back Jordan Poole, as well as trading a potentially highly valuable 2026 first round pick in order to draft Derik Queen. Making that move even more puzzling is the fact that Queen plays the same position and has many of the same strengths and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-photo-fans-new-orleans">weaknesses as Zion Williamson,</a> who was once thought to be the franchise cornerstone but has proven unavailable to stay on the floor.</p><p>However, one possibility is that Williamson gets traded at some point in the near future, which would open up the door for Queen to fill that role. In fact, ESPN recently voted Williamson as <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46030771/nba-predictions-summer-forecast-2025-2026-turnarounds-turbulent-teams-biggest-questions" rel="noopener">the number one star</a> in the NBA most likely to request a trade this year. Williamson got 10 votes in the poll, followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo with seven, LeBron James with six, Ja Morant with one and Trae Young with one.</p><p>“If Williamson can have a strong start to the season — and avoid the injury bug that has plagued his career — it’s feasible that he could seek a fresh start instead of remaining with a New Orleans franchise that seems stuck in neutral,” wrote NBA insider Tim McMahon on ESPN.com.</p><p>He also added that “Williamson’s stay in New Orleans might have been extended by the Pelicans’ front office change, with Joe Dumars replacing David Griffin as the primary decision-maker.”</p><h2><b>A new era in New Orleans?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Indeed, the Pelicans brought in Joe Dumars this year to be the team’s new decision-maker and Dumars wasted no time in stirring up controversy, primarily with the 2026 draft pick he gave up to draft Queen. That choice means that the more favorable of either the Pelicans’ or the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2026 pick will be headed to the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>When healthy, Williamson remains one of the toughest covers in the NBA, but fans in New Orleans have all but given up on the hopes of ever seeing Williamson put together a full season of consistent basketball.</p><p>If he were to request a trade, it would certainly be interesting to see what the market looks like for Williamson at this stage of his career.</p><p>The Pelicans are slated to kick off their 2025-26 season on October 22 against the Memphis Grizzlies.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

ESPN votes Pelicans’ Zion Williamson as most likely star to request trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-newest-teammate-is-jaden-mcdaniels-brother');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson’s newest Pelcians’ teammate is Jaden McDaniels’ brother');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pelicans-Zion-Williamson-.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Zion Williamson’s newest Pelcians’ teammate is Jaden McDaniels’ brother</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-18T08:36:03-07:00">August 18th, 8:36am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-18T08:36:03-07:00">August 18th, 8:36am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-former-nba-champion-contract">Pelicans are adding to their roster</a> late in the offseason, and it’s forward depth that <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1957427366650630266" rel="noopener">could help the team</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Free agent forward Jalen McDaniels has agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. McDaniels has averaged 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds over six NBA seasons,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>McDaniels is the older brother of Jaden McDaniels, who is currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jalen was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, as he enters his seventh season in the league. He played with the Hornets for three seasons, and then was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in his fourth year.</p><p>Last season, he signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards.</p><p>The Pelicans have much-needed size on their roster, and McDaniels adds to that. He can defend and also knock down 3-pointers, and he can be a good player off the bench. This will be an interesting season for the Pelicans, as they have some new pieces on the team. The success of the team will hinge on what Zion Williamson is able to do, and if he can stay healthy.</p><h2><b>Pelicans still believe in Zion Williamson</b></h2><p>With the talent the Pelicans added to the team, the hope is that it’s enough for them to be better than they were last season. Another thing that the Pelicans are banking on is Williamson being healthy, and he could be the player who makes the biggest difference for them.</p><p>There were trade rumors surrounding Williamson during the offseason, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy">a Pelicans executive shared</a> that they still believe in him.</p><p>“Zion is still our guy,” the executive said. “If he wasn’t, we could have waived him for like nothing on the books. We could have reset everything. But we believe in Zion. He wants to make it work, and so do we. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.”</p><p>When Williamson is healthy, he’s one of the best young players in the league. He only played 30 games last season, but he averaged 24.67 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. If the Pelicans can get that type of production from him for 70+ games, they could exceed the expectations that many have put on them for the upcoming season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson’s newest Pelcians’ teammate is Jaden McDaniels’ brother

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celebrity/pelicans-zion-williamson-mercilessly-trolled-by-jid-with-savage-joke');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson mercilessly trolled by JID with savage joke');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pelicans-Zion-Williamson-mercilessly-trolled-by-JID-with-savage-joke.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson mercilessly trolled by JID with savage joke</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-14T12:13:52-07:00">August 14th, 12:13pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-14T12:13:52-07:00">August 14th, 12:13pm</time><address><a href="http://designsux.com">Burtland Dixon</a>As an avid enthusiast of entertainment, Burtland Dixon is a passionate individual who revels in the magic of movies, sports, music, and pop culture. Whether it's catching the latest blockbuster, watching the marquee matchup of the week, attending live concerts, or getting immersed in the world of gaming, Burtland finds joy in all forms of entertainment.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Dreamville artist JID recently dropped his highly anticipated album God Does Like Ugly on August 8, 2025, and with it came a wave of interviews. In one of his recent stops, Fieldhous asked JID to build an NBA team roulette-style. Whatever logo appeared, he had to select an all-time player from that franchise. <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@fieldhous/video/7538126583656172831" rel="noopener">When the Pelicans popped up first</a>, JID initially said “<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-photo-fans-new-orleans">Zion Williamson</a>” in a joking tone, then quickly followed with, “I’m going Moriah Mills!” The whole room erupted in laughter.</p><p>For those familiar with Zion Williamson’s less-than-ideal romantic history, that name drop hits different. The Moriah Mills scandal was one of the biggest NBA-adjacent headlines of 2023, when Mills went public about her relationship with Williamson and sparked a wave of public scrutiny, social media bans, and emotional upheaval.</p><p>Once a headline fixture for her public discussion about the NBA star, Mills endured a swift and severe reaction. Her accounts were removed due to reported violations of platform guidelines, critics questioned her credibility, and countless headlines reduced her to a stereotype.</p><p>“I stayed silent while others shaped the narrative that wasn’t mine,” she told The Blast exclusively. “But I needed time to personally reflect, heal, and grow. Speaking too soon when I was still hurting would’ve done more harm than good. Now, I’m finally in a good space where I can speak from peace and clarity.”</p><p>So, she’s been through the ringer, but JID still let the joke fly. He eventually swapped his Pelicans pick to Baron Davis, a solid choice, though it’s safe to assume Williamson will catch wind of the crack. Not the most sensitive moment given Mills’ past, but JID clearly couldn’t resist.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson mercilessly trolled by JID with savage joke

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-photo-fans-new-orleans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson summer photo has fans thinking Pelicans are ‘cooked’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Zion Williamson summer photo has fans thinking Pelicans are ‘cooked’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-13T07:19:29-07:00">August 13th, 7:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-13T08:28:34-07:00">August 13th, 8:28am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The future of the lowly New Orleans Pelicans is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy">very much on the shoulders of Zion Williamson</a>. GM Joe Dumars <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-shares-clear-demand-for-zion-williamson-as-franchise-face">expects Williamson to be the face of the franchise</a>.</p><p>However, he’s faced criticisms of a perceived lack of dedication. Those critiques resurfaced with a recent photo of Williamson living it up, per Legion Hoops.</p><p>“Zion Williamson enjoying summer” the caption read. It shows Williamson at a summer party with fans <a href="https://x.com/DuffyBag5/status/1955078562152845658">chiming in with their concerns</a> about his priorities.</p><p>“Pelicans are COOKED” @DuffyBag5 posted on X. Another user <a href="https://x.com/Navidr9/status/1955133436668133383" rel="noopener">boldly predicts</a> the best will never come.</p><p>“Yea this guy will probably never reach his potential sadly” @Navidr9 said on X.</p><p>One other fan <a href="https://x.com/DanielWoodward/status/1955317809321255264" rel="noopener">jokingly referenced</a> Luka Doncic, who recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-slovenian-tv-claims-luka-doncic-lost-31-pounds">lost a considerable amount of weight</a>.</p><p>“We found where Lukas weight went.” @DanielWoodward posted on X.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zion Williamson enjoying summer</p><p>(h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/big_business_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@big_business_</a>) <a href="https://t.co/vkTtK2ZcrZ">pic.twitter.com/vkTtK2ZcrZ</a></p><p>— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1955078022551240900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Williamson has faced a considerable amount of mockery for not being in tip top shape. Last year, he<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-carmelo-anthony-hits-zion-williamsons-weight-loss-with-reality-check"> lost plenty of weight prior to the start of the season</a>, which garnered praise from NBA legend Carmelo Anthony.</p><p>Additionally, Williamson averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. The Pelicans finished the year at 21-61.</p><p>While the team floundered, Williamson put up some considerably decent numbers. But does putting in position to carry the franchise a real risk/reward?</p><h2><b>Can Zion Williamson be the face for the Pelicans?</b></h2><p>It’s understandable as to why the Pelicans lament Williamson. On a good day, he is one of the most talented players and has the potential to be even greater.</p><p>However, he is notorious for experiencing a rash of injuries. Last December, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-definitive-injury-timeline-practice-return">Williamson suffered a hamstring injury</a> which forced him to miss 27 games.</p><p>Furthermore, some off the court issues have called into question the nature of his character. In May, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Williamson was accused of rape</a> in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles. A Jane Doe claimed that she and Williamson began dating in 2018 when he was at Duke.</p><p>She says he sexually assaulted her in September 2020 in his home in Beverly Hills, California. The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson assaulted her again in October 2020.</p><p>Williamson, through his legal team, <a href="https://x.com/WillGuillory/status/1928520188581863529">denied the accusations</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson summer photo has fans thinking Pelicans are ‘cooked’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-joe-dumars-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'What Joe Dumars thinks about Zion Williamson after trade speculation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-on-March-17-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>What Joe Dumars thinks about Zion Williamson after trade speculation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-31T14:17:29-07:00">July 31st, 2:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-31T14:17:29-07:00">July 31st, 2:17pm</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans. One is the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-bill-simmons-hypes-buzz-about-possible-relocation">possibility of the Pelicans relocating</a> due to a lack of productivity in the Big Easy.</p><p>The other is what <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jeff-teague-grim-zion-williamson-retirement-prediction">lies ahead for Zion Williamson</a>. Rumors swirl that the Pelicans are looking to trade him after an injury-riddled season.</p><p>However, Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1951021286865641601">thinks highly</a> of Williamson, per Marc Spears of ESPN. Essentially, defusing any rumblings of discontent.</p><p>“From what I’m hearing from Joe, he’s been really, really impressed with Zion,” Spears said on NBA Today. “When Zion plays, they win.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">ESPN's Marc Spears says Pelicans vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has been really impressed with Zion Williamson's offseason 😳</p><p>"From what I'm hearing from Joe, he's been really, really impressed with Zion. When Zion plays, they win."</p><p> <a href="https://t.co/4GauvMXCFf">pic.twitter.com/4GauvMXCFf</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1951021286865641601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Despite injuries, Williamson finished last season averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. Meanwhile, the Pelicans finished with a 21-61 record.</p><p>In 2019, Williamson was the No.1 pick in the NBA Draft after a standout tenure at Duke. Since then, his time with the Pelicans has been marred by injuries and underperformance.</p><p>Among the injuries include problems with his hamstring, back, calf, and ankle. This past year, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-definitive-injury-timeline-practice-return">Williamson battled a back injury</a> that made him miss 30 games.</p><p>Nevertheless, the Pelicans are still putting their trust into him.</p><h2><b>Zion Williamson as the Pelicans franchise player </b></h2><p>For all intents of purposes, the Pelicans are setting their sights on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy">making Williamson their franchise player</a>.</p><p>During this offseason,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-shares-clear-demand-for-zion-williamson-as-franchise-face"> Dumars has encouraged Williamson to embrace that role</a>. Even with injuries, Williamson has shown flashes of dedication.</p><p>Last preseason,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-carmelo-anthony-hits-zion-williamsons-weight-loss-with-reality-check"> Williamson shed pounds</a> after enduring weight issues since he came into the NBA. The hope for many was for him to translate his new leaner physique into production.</p><p>The Pelicans signed Williamson to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6496572/2025/07/15/pelicans-will-fully-guarantee-zion-williamsons-salary-for-2025-26-source/#:~:text=The%20New%20Orleans%20Pelicans%20plan%20to%20fully,%2439.4%20million%20salary%20for%20the%20upcoming%20season." rel="noopener">guaranteed contract</a> worth $39.4 million for the 2025-2026 season. His future earnings will also be tied into his ability to be at his best on the court.</p><p>Altogether, New Orleans is still looking to build the team around Williamson for the long haul.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What Joe Dumars thinks about Zion Williamson after trade speculation

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Zion Williamson is still Pelicans’ ‘guy’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Zion-Williamson.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Zion Williamson is still Pelicans’ ‘guy’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-22T13:15:19-07:00">July 22nd, 1:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-22T13:15:19-07:00">July 22nd, 1:15pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite another injury-marred season and a franchise-worst record since his arrival, Zion Williamson remains central to the New Orleans Pelicans’ long-term plans.</p><p>During the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, Spotrac’s Keith Smith spoke with coaches and executives from across the league. A Pelicans front office executive made it clear that Williamson, now entering his sixth NBA season, <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/news/_/id/2913/western-conference-summer-league-notes" rel="noopener">remains the cornerstone</a> of their rebuild.</p><p>“Zion is still our guy,” the executive said. “If he wasn’t, we could have waived him for like nothing on the books. We could have reset everything. But we believe in Zion. He wants to make it work, and so do we. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.”</p><p>Williamson, 25, averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 56.7% shooting across just 30 appearances last season. While productive when healthy, his continued availability remains a concern. The Pelicans ended the 2024–25 campaign with a 21–61 record — their second-worst finish in franchise history — amid a rash of injuries across the roster.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">offseason has seen a significant reshaping of the team’s structure</a> under new head of basketball operations Joe Dumars. Among the most notable moves was a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-wizards-cj-mccollum-jordan-poole-trade">trade that sent CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk to the Washington Wizards</a> in exchange for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the No. 40 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which the Pelicans used to select Texas Tech wing Micah Peavy. The team also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-signs-3-time-nba-champion-warriors-free-agency">signed veteran center Kevon Looney</a> to a two-year, $16 million deal to bolster its frontcourt depth.</p><h2><b>Pelicans double down on Zion Williamson as centerpiece amid draft additions and roster overhaul</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bucks-star-ideal-Zion-Williamson-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In the first round of the draft, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jeremiah-fears-fuels-hype-extremely-bold-career-prediction">New Orleans selected guard Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick</a> and later <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/the-move-new-orleans-pelicans-still-must-make-in-2025-nba-free-agency">traded up with the Atlanta Hawks to acquire Maryland big man Derik Queen</a> at No. 13. The front office expressed strong confidence in the selections.</p><p>“We loved Jeremiah where we were drafting. We didn’t have a long-term player at point guard. We feel like Jeremiah is going to be that guy for us for years and years,” a team executive told Smith.</p><p>“As far as Derik goes, he was right there with Jeremiah for us. When we had the chance to trade for Derik, it wasn’t something we hesitated on for a second. We now have a floor leader and a versatile big man. That’s huge for our future.”</p><p>In addition to adding young talent, the Pelicans addressed depth by signing veteran big man Kevon Looney and acquiring Poole, who the front office views as a durable and proven scorer. While Bey missed the previous season due to injury, he’s expected to provide needed reinforcement on the wing.</p><p>New Orleans also recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/grading-herb-jones-68-million-pelicans-contract-extension">extended All-Defensive First Team forward Herb Jones</a> on a three-year, $68 million deal, further solidifying its core.</p><p>Despite past frustrations, the Pelicans are signaling belief in their current foundation — with Williamson still at the center of it. As the franchise pivots toward a new era under Dumars, internal faith in the former No. 1 overall pick remains unwavering.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Zion Williamson is still Pelicans’ ‘guy’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-shares-clear-demand-for-zion-williamson-as-franchise-face');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Joe Dumars shares clear demand for Zion Williamson as franchise face');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zion.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Joe Dumars shares clear demand for Zion Williamson as franchise face</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-15T23:49:29-07:00">July 15th, 11:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-15T23:49:29-07:00">July 15th, 11:49pm</time><address><a>Miguel La Torre</a>Miguel La Torre is a lifelong sports junkie and seasoned sports writer whose passion for the game has been with him since childhood. A former soccer player turned dedicated runner, he's now chasing his dream of completing all seven major world marathons. Miguel is also a proud Utah Jazz believer, a passionate Manchester United and Real Madrid supporter, and loyal Novak Djokovic fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Joe Dumars shares clear demand for Zion Williamson as franchise face

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jeff-teague-grim-zion-williamson-retirement-prediction');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T10:32:40-07:00">June 29th, 10:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T10:32:40-07:00">June 29th, 10:32am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade">New Orleans Pelicans have had</a> a busy offseason so far, recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-stephen-a-smith-calls-jeremiah-fears-the-second-coming-of-kyrie-irving">drafting both Jeremiah Fears</a> and Derik Queen in the first round of the NBA Draft to try to kickstart their franchise. The Pelicans are coming off of a disastrous 2024-25 season in which they finished with the second worst record in the Western Conference, thanks in no small part due to injury.</p><p>While most teams may be able to chalk that up to an unlucky year, the injury concern is perpetually hanging over the Pelicans’ heads due to the presence of Zion Williamson on their roster.</p><p>Williamson has missed more games than he has played so far in his five-year NBA career, and recently, former NBA All-Star point guard Jeff Teague made <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=69&amp;v=8ENOgTmLHVM&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="noopener">a grim prediction</a> about Williamson’s future.</p><p>“He isn’t going to ever play. Like Zion’s going to retire in two years. Bro, you think he’s going to play until he’s 30?” wondered Teague, via his Club 520 podcast.</p><p>Teague then clarified that he would give Williamson “four years max.”</p><p>Williamson has dealt with a wide array of injuries throughout his career but remains one of the game’s most unique players when he is on the floor.</p><h2><b>A consequential season for the Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jeremiah-Fears-selected-by-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In order to draft Derik Queen in the first round, newly minted Pelicans general manager and NBA Hall of Famer Joe Dumars traded away the team’s right to swap picks with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2026 draft, meaning that whoever has the more favorable of those two picks next year will see that selection be shipped to the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>It was a hefty price to pay to draft Queen, whose fit next to Williamson would appear to be suspect on paper.</p><p>Teams generally don’t trade unprotected first round picks unless they are quite confident that they will be a good team in the ensuing year, and it’s unclear where that confidence is coming from for Dumars, as the Pelicans have several injury red flags on their roster and also will play at least part of the season without starting point guard Dejounte Murray.</p><p>Still, sometimes swinging for the fences can pay off.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-joe-dumars-cj-mccollum-pelicans-stressing-second-chances-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Joe Dumars stressing second chances amid Zion Williamson drama');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-news-Joe-Dumars-stressing-second-chances-amid-Zion-Williamson-drama.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Joe Dumars stressing second chances amid Zion Williamson drama</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T13:55:39-07:00">June 23rd, 1:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T13:59:24-07:00">June 23rd, 1:59pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It was apt that construction sounds could be heard bouncing off the Smoothie King Center’s walls during the “Beyond the Record: Second Chances Summit” hosted by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-pelicans-not-completely-shutting-door-herb-jones-trey-murphy-iii-trades-nba">Zion Williamson’s open-for-business New Orleans Pelicans</a>. This is a city accustomed to constant remodeling by well-monied interests as the community’s greater individual needs get drowned out by tourist revelries after all. Still, an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-owner-gayle-benson-breaks-silence-zion-williamson-rape-lawsuit">ever-graceful Gayle Benson opened the show</a> with tender respect; Joe Dumars and CJ McCollum stuck around to hear the stories and <a href="https://www.nba.com/pelicans/photos/gayle-benson-joe-dumars-cj-mccollum-beyond-the-record-second-chances-summit-community-photos-june-6-2025" rel="noopener">share some tears</a> in a touching, culture-building convention.</p><p>“It is critically important to educate business leaders,” Benson began. “Understand that individuals who qualify for these opportunities have earned and are deserving of a second chance.”</p><p>Hosted in partnership with the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, the Justice &amp; Accountability Center of Louisiana (JAC), and Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) brought out over 1000 community members looking for new hope near a basketball court. The summit sought to address real-world barriers and highlight actionable solutions that could drive further community-driven reform.</p><p>“The New Orleans Pelicans continue to demonstrate what it means to lead with purpose,” said James Cadogan, Executive Director of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. “Through this Second Chances Summit, they’ve not only opened doors for individuals impacted by the justice system, they’ve also set a powerful example of how basketball can drive real change.”</p><p>Finding the mercy and grace to bless someone with a fresh slate takes character, compassion, and most importantly, some understanding of one’s situation. You cannot help the headlines, regardless of what is actually said or done. Joe Dumars is hoping that mindset permeates the culture a bit more with the Pelicans moving forward.</p><p>“There are people out here that care…trying to reach people, trying to help people,” Dumars added. “Many of the players that I signed (with the Detroit Pistons) were guys that other teams had given up on.”</p><p>Giving up when things are tough will not going to be in the cards with an accountability-driven Dumars in charge. CJ McCollum was just glad no one gave up on him decades ago.</p><p>“I was the kind of kid that would go left,” McCollum admitted. “But my brother would go right, so I followed him. That kind of saved me. I just think a lot of us need second chances.”</p><p>CJ McCollum and Joe Dumars were not the only influencers in the Smoothie King Center, of course. Several campaigning for office (or already elected) decided to stop by as well; Senator Royce Duplessis served as a panel member. A few even stuck around for the entire event, making a lasting impression with many in the crowd looking to regain voting rights.</p><p>“Laws and policy are not enough,” Congressman Troy Carter stressed. “We need community.”</p><p>Well, that, some attention on a small market team trying to make an impression, and good health. The Pelicans want to make the postseason next summer after all. Nothing would bring the fanbase together more than an NBA Finals run with Zion Williamson leading the way.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Joe Dumars stressing second chances amid Zion Williamson drama

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-hit-with-focal-point-label-by-joe-dumars');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson hit with ‘focal point’ label by Joe Dumars');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson hit with ‘focal point’ label by Joe Dumars</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-04T10:58:13-07:00">June 4th, 10:58am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-04T12:56:52-07:00">June 4th, 12:56pm</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trade-offers-to-feature-bad-contracts-no-picks">rumors have surrounded New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson</a>, the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, spoke about the plans surrounding the former No. 1 overall pick. Away from basketball, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Pelicans player in Williamson also has allegations of rape</a> according to a recent lawsuit, adding more controversy to the 24-year-old.</p><p>Despite the immense amount of speculation around Williamson and possibly being dealt this offseason, Dumars would say to Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune that the team will move “forward” with the star. He would even go as far as to say that Williamson will <a href="https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/zion-williamson-to-remain-the-cornerstone-of-pelicans/article_8aead765-a4fc-4757-b4bb-4f02303a3e43.html" rel="noopener">“continue to be a focal point”</a> for the franchise.</p><p>“I’ve had really good conversations with Zion,” Dumars said. “We’ve had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We’ve done it all. I’ve had some real, honest conversations with him. Some real, direct, and honest conversations. We’re going to go forward with Zion. He’s going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward.”</p><p>It seems as if Dumars and Williamson have cemented a relationship together, even mentioning when they attended the NBA Draft Lottery this past May.</p><p>“I sent him to the lottery for a reason,” Dumars said. “I want him to start focusing on the responsibilities of being the best player here and the focal point. There are some responsibilities that come with that. Go represent your organization.”</p><h2><b>Some within Pelicans speak about the allegations against Zion Williamson</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While some of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-owner-gayle-benson-breaks-silence-zion-williamson-rape-lawsuit">Pelicans have broken their silence over the allegations</a> against Williams, such as owner Gayle Benson, it seems as if she downplayed the news. Saying that “people can sue you for anything” when asked about the recent court filing in Los Angeles which accusses Willamson of rape and assault in 2020.</p><p>“You know, lawsuits are lawsuits,” Benson said. “You really can’t, you don’t know. I mean, people can sue you for anything. There’s no reason. You can be innocent or not. It’s just something that people do, unfortunately.”</p><p>Dumars wouldn’t give his full thoughts on the matter since he doesn’t delve into legal matters.</p><p>“I’ve been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues,” Dumars said.</p><p>Speaking about Williamson’s ventures on the court, it’s been an arguable mixed bag as he’s a two-time All-Star, but has missed a ton of time with injuries.</p><p>“We’ve had some real direct conversations with him about that,” Dumars said. “Expectations. Accountability. That’s our plan going forward with Zion.”</p><p>At any rate, New Orleans is looking to vastly improve after finishing last season with a 21-61 record, which put them 14th in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson hit with ‘focal point’ label by Joe Dumars

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-owner-gayle-benson-breaks-silence-zion-williamson-rape-lawsuit');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T13:42:48-07:00">June 3rd, 1:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T13:42:48-07:00">June 3rd, 1:42pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans’ star forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Zion Williamson is facing legal trouble</a>, as he’s in a lawsuit facing rape allegations. The organization has been quiet about the allegations so far; however, on Tuesday, team owner Gayle Benson broke her silence and addressed the situation.</p><p>While talking with reporters of WWL-TV, an affiliate of CBS News based in New Orleans, Benson sort of brushed Williamson’s lawsuit <a href="https://x.com/WWLTV/status/1929973032514109596" rel="noopener">off her shoulders</a>, claiming that people sue others for all sorts of reasons. Zion Williamson is innocent until proven guilty, and that’s the exact approach the Pelicans’ owner is taking on this matter. Benson is seemingly supporting Williamson with the lawsuit ongoing.</p><p>“You know, lawsuits are lawsuits… People can sue for anything. There’s no reason. You can be innocent or not. So, it’s just something that people do. Unfortunately.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Gayle Benson on Zion Williamson lawsuit: 'People can sue you for anything'</p><p>Full story:<a href="https://t.co/gF9zHRGHUx">https://t.co/gF9zHRGHUx</a> <a href="https://t.co/bIQtXWWxXM">pic.twitter.com/bIQtXWWxXM</a></p><p>— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWLTV/status/1929973032514109596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Zion Williamson faces serous allegations that involve rape, physical assault, and death threats. Shortly after the lawsuit was made public, Williamson’s legal team <a href="https://x.com/WillGuillory/status/1928520188581863529" rel="noopener">issued a statement,</a> acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations while also denying them, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic.</p><p>“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” Williamson’s legal team said in a statement. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless. This is the plaintiff’s third set of attorneys. This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zion Williamson's legal team releases a statement addressing the recent allegations against him <a href="https://t.co/dgQzbz9527">pic.twitter.com/dgQzbz9527</a></p><p>— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) <a href="https://twitter.com/WillGuillory/status/1928520188581863529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The 24-year-old forward has not made any public statements regarding the allegations. Instead, Zion Williamson is letting his legal team take charge of the lawsuit. In the meantime, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trade-offers-to-feature-bad-contracts-no-picks">the Pelicans star is involved in trade rumors</a> with the offseason quickly approaching.</p><p>Williamson played just 30 games for New Orleans this season as he’s been dealing with a bone bruise in his lower back. However, when healthy, he is undeniably one of the best players on the court. Zion Williamson ended the 2024-25 campaign averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 56.7% from the floor and 23.1% from the three-point line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celebrity/attorney-declines-representing-moriah-mills-in-zion-williamson-case');   ga('set', 'title', 'Attorney declines representing Moriah Mills in Zion Williamson case');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Attorney-declines-representing-Moriah-Mills-in-Zion-Williamson-case.jpg"></figure><h1>Attorney declines representing Moriah Mills in Zion Williamson case</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T12:19:02-07:00">June 3rd, 12:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T12:19:02-07:00">June 3rd, 12:19pm</time><address><a href="http://designsux.com">Burtland Dixon</a>As an avid enthusiast of entertainment, Burtland Dixon is a passionate individual who revels in the magic of movies, sports, music, and pop culture. Whether it's catching the latest blockbuster, watching the marquee matchup of the week, attending live concerts, or getting immersed in the world of gaming, Burtland finds joy in all forms of entertainment.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Moriah Mills won’t be heading into any potential legal battle with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/moriah-mills-reveals-possible-lawsuit-plans-against-zion-williamson">Zion Williamson</a> backed by powerhouse attorney Tony Buzbee. The high-profile lawyer <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/06/03/tony-buzbee-declines-to-represent-moriah-mills-in-case-vs-zion-williamson/" rel="noopener">confirmed he declined to take</a> Mills’ case after she reached out seeking representation regarding unspecified legal action she’s been considering against the Pelicans star, per TMZ.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Moriah Mills contacted attorney Tony Buzbee about suing NBA star Zion Williamson—but Buzbee declined to take her case, stating that they reviewed her claims and chose not to represent her.</p><p>Buzbee offered no further comment on her allegations.</p><p>“We can’t help them all.” <a href="https://t.co/JaHpcVoFhq">pic.twitter.com/JaHpcVoFhq</a></p><p>— No Jumper (@nojumper) <a href="https://twitter.com/nojumper/status/1929948637661999466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“A member of our staff spoke to her,” Buzbee told TMZ Sports. “<b>After review we declined to take her case.</b>” While he wouldn’t elaborate on the reasons, he noted that his firm hears from people across the country daily and only selects a few cases to pursue. Mills later confirmed that Buzbee passed on the opportunity, saying her situation didn’t align with the kind of litigation he typically handles.</p><p>This development comes amid renewed controversy surrounding Williamson. Last week, a separate woman filed a sexual assault lawsuit accusing him of a five-year pattern of abuse, including allegations of rape and physical, emotional, and financial harm. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, says she dated Williamson during his freshman year at Duke and continued their relationship through 2023. She is seeking monetary damages for emotional distress.</p><p>Williamson, through his legal team, has denied all claims in the lawsuit. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” his attorneys said in a statement shared with ESPN. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless. This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”</p><p>As for Mills, her prior history with Zion Williamson has mostly played out online. Roughly two years ago, she unleashed a string of damning social media posts, including one where she accused him of being intimate with her shortly before he announced his partner’s pregnancy. Whether she plans to continue pursuing legal action without Buzbee remains to be seen.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Attorney declines representing Moriah Mills in Zion Williamson case

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trade-offers-to-feature-bad-contracts-no-picks');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson trade offers to feature ‘bad contracts, no picks’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-on-March-17-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson trade offers to feature ‘bad contracts, no picks’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T08:05:35-07:00">June 3rd, 8:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T08:05:35-07:00">June 3rd, 8:05am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trey-murphy-iii-no-longer-untouchable">New Orleans Pelicans reportedly have no untouchables</a> on their team in regards to possible trades this offseason, the one name that has been centered around rumors has been Zion Williamson. With the recent <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Los Angeles court filing that accuses the Pelicans forward of rape</a>, there’s no doubt that there could be teams looking the other way in acquiring him.</p><p>However, Shamit Dua of The N.O. podcast would give insight into how the rest of the league looks at the Williamson situation. Saying if a team were to offer a package for Williamson, New Orleans would get back<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUX0WuSu0A&amp;t=1909s" rel="noopener"> “really bad contracts and likely no picks,”</a> giving an example with the Miami Heat.</p><p>“I’ve just been texting random executives across the league,” Dua said. “I was like, this is straight off asking people, like, would anyone touch Zion with a 10-foot pole? And there seems to be this general idea of like you kind of saw it with with like Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis that like there will be teams that do not necessarily care about the reputation provided they have enough general information to know that this is going to get settled out of court and the allegations won’t stick.”</p><p>“There will be teams who do not care, but those teams who do not care need to be sufficiently desperate, one, and two, they’re not going to give you anything of value,” Dua continued. “So you’re going to get really bad contracts and likely no picks. But if you do get a pick, it’s a late pick. So an example would be Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson for Zion and some small salary just to kind of make it even.”</p><h2><b>No Pelicans, including Zion Williamson, are untouchable</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-on-March-19-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/nba-rumors-celtics-urged-wild-jaylen-brown-zion-williamson-trade">rumors of the Pelicans trading Williamson</a> will be ongoing throughout the summer, the question is if some teams want to have a player on the roster with allegations like rape. But as Dua said, there will be teams that “do not care,” but could get a relatively good deal out of him with the bad contracts and lack of picks as mentioned.</p><p>If there’s one thing for sure, the former first-overall pick <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-mock-draft-30-top-prospects-returned-to-college-but-plenty-of-talent-remains-heres-our-latest-look-at-every-pick-160546750.html" rel="noopener">is not untouchable</a>, or anybody on New Orleans for that matter, as said by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.</p><p>“There are no untouchables in New Orleans. League sources say the Pelicans are gauging the market for everyone on their roster,” O’Connor reports. “They very well could end up keeping their core pieces, but it appears the Pelicans are looking into taking different paths this summer, depending on what opportunities become available.”</p><p>The Pelicans are looking to improve after finishing with a 21-61 record, which put them 14th in the West.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson trade offers to feature ‘bad contracts, no picks’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/sneakers/zion-williamson-releases-new-jordan-zion-4-iridescence');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson releases new Jordan Zion 4 ‘Iridescence’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-drops-new-Jordan-Zion-4-Iridescence.jpg"></figure><h1>Zion Williamson releases new Jordan Zion 4 ‘Iridescence’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-02T15:04:18-07:00">June 2nd, 3:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-02T15:04:37-07:00">June 2nd, 3:04pm</time><address><a>Dominik Zawartko</a>Dominik Zawartko is a Michigan State graduate with a degree in Political Science and English. Having previously worked in the nonprofit and legal sectors, he decided to pursue his true love of writing with ClutchPoints. Dominik's hobbies include painting, cooking food, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and always having a laugh. His main focus areas are UFC coverage and all things sneakers.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans have numerous questions to answer throughout this offseason, but it’s certain that former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson will be at the center of their plans. Although the 2024-25 season didn’t necessarily go according to plan, Williamson continues to expand his reach over at Jordan Brand as one of their signature athletes. Most recently, Jordan Brand dropped a new “Iridescence” colorway of the Jordan Zion 4.</p><p><i><b>Check our <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers">Sneakers news</a> for more upcoming releases and breaking content!</b></i></p><p>Zion Williamson first signed to Jordan Brand in 2019 shortly after being drafted to the NBA. It wasn’t long before the debut Jordan Zion 1 released in 2021 and Williamson officially began his signature sneaker journey. Four shoes in, he joins other names like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum as the faces of Jordan Brand Basketball.</p><p>The Jordan Zion 4 features the latest in Jordan Brand Basketball technology and is specifically designed to withstand the explosive game of the athletic freak they’re connected to. Contrasted with the blue tones on the Pelicans uniforms, Williamson will have another clean shoe to opt for on game days.</p><h2>Jordan Zion 4 “Iridescence”</h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">OFFICIAL LOOK: Jordan Zion 4 “Iridescence” ⚡️<a href="https://twitter.com/Zionwilliamson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Zionwilliamson</a></p><p>🗓️ May 29th<br>📝 FB1802-400<br>💵 $140 <a href="https://t.co/AAK1fIkrat">pic.twitter.com/AAK1fIkrat</a></p><p>— Sole Retriever (@SoleRetriever) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoleRetriever/status/1927762334560227522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="es">Jordan Zion 4 “Iridescence” 🦋</p><p>RELEASE INFO: <a href="https://t.co/TtIkoHWFi4">https://t.co/TtIkoHWFi4</a> <a href="https://t.co/iTOSnroUkL">pic.twitter.com/iTOSnroUkL</a></p><p>— Sneaker Bar Detroit (@SBDetroit) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBDetroit/status/1923791391584370949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><br>This <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-jordan-zion-4-releasing-summer-2025">Jordan Zion 4</a> arrives in <em>Light Photo Blue/Black/Blue Gaze/Coast </em>for an extremely vibrant and coherent ensemble. As the name suggests, the shoes feature iridescent blue hues throughout the upper, particularly around the ankle color. The “wave” pattern along the rest of the upper adds depth with various shades interacting and extending down into a matching midsole and translucent blue outsole.</p></figure><p>Finer details will reveal an AirZoom plate along the midfoot for added energy return, accompanied by a black Jordan Jumpman logo. The tongue, laces, and sockliner are done in black for a clean contrast while we see Zion’s personal logo etched onto the tongue. While this shoe hasn’t been particularly popular in the eyes of the public, this is certainly a clean colorway that’s sure to look great on the court.</p><p>The Jordan Zion 4 “Iridescence” is now available via <a href="http://nike.com">Nike</a> and <a href="https://stockx.com/air-jordan-zion-4-iridescence">Jordan Brand retailers</a>. The shoes come in full sizing and are available for $175 as they reflect added performance capabilities. What do you think of the latest from Jordan Brand and Zion Williamson?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.6	7.2	5.3	0.9	1.2

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.6	7.2	5.3	0.9	1.2

Zion Williamson news

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