The New Orleans Pelicans announced that forward Zion Williamson left the NBA’s bubble campus on Thursday.
What We Know:
- On Thursday, the Pelicans announced that Zion Williamson had to leave Orlando for an “urgent family medical matter”. Williamson intends to join the team at a later date. When asked by reporters, head coach Alvin Gentry said he’s not sure when Williamson will be back. “We’re not concerned with the basketball side, we’re concerned with his family,” he said. Executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin said “We fully support Zion’s decision to leave the NBA campus to be with his family. Out of respect for the Williamson family, we will have no further comment at this time.”
- According to the NBA’s health and safety protocols for the bubble, players are allowed to leave the NBA’s campus for illness or family emergency without penalty. There are several factors which will determine how long Williamson will have to quarantine, if he returns to the bubble. As long as he does the required coronavirus testing and registers negative tests for each day he’s gone, he will quarantine for four days. If he doesn’t do the required testing, he will have to quarantine for ten days.
- Two NBA players have already been placed in quarantine for violating the league’s protocols or crossing the bubble line. Houston Rockets forward Bruno Caboclo left his hotel room before his initial quarantine period was over and Sacramento Kings forward Richaun Holmes crossed the bubble line to pick up a food delivery. Both will have extended quarantines and be subject to more rigorous testing.
- Zion Williamson was the 1st overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft. He was a college sensation at Duke for his electrifying dunks and was one of the most anticipated draft picks in recent memory. He only played 19 games this season due to injury.
The Pelicans are 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the 8th seed in the Western Conference, giving them an outside chance of making the playoffs. The Pelicans will play the Utah Jazz on the first day of the NBA’s return, July 30.
