When Zion Williamson has been on the court for the New Orleans Pelicans, he has been nothing short of a sensation, getting to and dominating at the rim at a rate we’ve not seen since prime Shaq — which is impressive given Williamson stands just 6’6.
However, staying on the floor has been an issue, as he’s played in just 85 career games across three seasons, including missing the entirety of last year with a foot injury. There has been concern within New Orleans that Williamson’s weight has at the least exacerbated some of his injury issues, and when they inked him to a new 5-year max extension to keep him with the Pelicans long-term, that was addressed in writing.
Per Christian Clark of NOLA.com, Williamson will have regular weigh-ins with the Pelicans throughout his contract, and stay below a target number with his weight and body fat percentage.
According to league sources, Williamson’s contract stipulates that he will have weigh-ins periodically throughout the entirety of his new deal. The sum of his weight and body fat percentage must be below 295. If it is not, the amount of guaranteed money in Williamson’s contract can be reduced.
Williamson is naturally a very big man, and he’s currently listed at 284 pounds, which means his body fat percentage would need to be 10 percent or less to hit this benchmark at his listed weight. The star reportedly topped 300 pounds last year when he arrived in camp while rehabbing his foot injury, and that seems to have served as the impetus for the clause in his new deal to ensure that he stays in shape for the entirety of his contract, or risk losing some of his guarantee.
Now, the only way the Pelicans would ever trigger that clause is if Williamson is unable to play and is not hitting these benchmarks. If he creeps above that threshold but is playing and playing well, they wouldn’t ever take away money from him, but it does provide them a bit of insurance for if injuries persist and weight plays a role in them. The Pelicans and Williamson will hope this clause is never talked about beyond this offseason, because the only way it comes up is if something’s gone wrong.
The good news is that Williamson’s foot has looked fully healthy in social media updates we’ve seen of the star on court this summer, and he’s also shown off the work he’s been doing in the weight room as well as on the court to be in top shape as he gets ready for a big season in New Orleans with a team that reached the playoffs without him last year.