Zion Williamson suspended by Pelicans for violation of team policies

Mar 4, 2020; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) laughs while warming up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Just when Zion Williamson had finally returned to the lineup for the New Orleans Pelicans, he is now at the center of some more drama.

The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Friday that they have suspended Williamson for one game due to a violation of team policies. Williamson will be serving the suspension during the team’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers later in the day on Friday before rejoining the team on Saturday.

The former No. 1 overall pick Williamson just made his return to the lineup on Tuesday after missing over two months with a hamstring injury. While he sat out of the second end of New Orleans’ back-to-back set on Wednesday, he was expected to play on Friday before the suspension news broke.

New Orleans declined to provide any details on what policy Williamson had violated. But Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the 24-year-old forward was late for Thursday’s team flight to Philadelphia, leading to the Pelicans suspending him.

We know there has been friction between Williamson and the Pelicans before due to his conditioning as well as due to other reported issues. In more recent weeks, the Pelicans have been said to be shopping Williamson, so his situation will be worth keeping a very close eye on in anticipation of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.