Pelicans Issue Suspension to Zion Williamson for Violation of Team Rules

The forward sat out of Wednesday night's contest due to "precautionary" reasons on the second night of a back-to-back.

The New Orleans Pelicans suspended star Zion Williamson for a violation of team rules. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans have suspended star forward Zion Williamson one game for a violation of team rules, according to a report from ESPN's Shams Charania.

Williamson's suspension comes after he was late for Thursday's team flight to Philadelphia.

Zion Williamson was late for Thursday's team flight to Philadelphia, leading the Pelicans to suspend him for tonight's game against the 76ers, sources said. https://t.co/sI5YHaouLr

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 10, 2025

Williamson will sit out Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers before the team reinstates him. Williamson returned to the lineup on Tuesday night after missing two months with a hamstring strain. He sat out of Wednesday's contest on the second night of a back-to-back for precautionary reasons as he works his way back into game shape, but will now miss Friday's game as well due to the suspension.

The suspension continues the frustrating season for Williamson, who continues to struggle to stay on the court. After playing 70 games last year—by far the most he's played in a season his career—Williamson has managed to suit up in only seven games this season. He's averaging 22.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

When he's on the floor, he's an excellent player.

It remains to be seen if he will play against the Boston Celtics Sunday once his suspension ends.

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