Fans, Media Mad At Zion Williamson Update Messaging Miss The Point
NEW ORLEANS- The New Orleans Pelicans knew they messed up the messaging around Zion Williamson's progression through the rehab process last season. Executive Vice President David Griffin even said "We did a really bad job organizationally" last July. Sadly, Williamson has again spent most of the season on the injury report and Griffin addressed some issues hours before the regular-season finale in the Smoothie King Center.
Griffin's press conference came the morning after Williamson's scheduled two-week update stoked up backlash from fans and local media personalities on social media. Those frustrated by not getting an all-or-nothing answer are missing the point. They are also starting to show their true colors.
The Pelicans mapped out a recovery plan and there was a setback in February. NBA front offices play it coy with trade and contract negotiations so of course, don’t take everything heard at face value in those conversations. However, take the mental and physical health comments with a bit more faith and trust. There are even some positives to be found in the messaging.
Sep 27, 2021; New Orleans, LA, USA; David Griffin during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Griffin said last summer, "If we would have controlled the narrative, it would have made your jobs a lot more boring but it would have put (Williamson) in a better position to succeed. I feel like to a huge degree I failed him in that sense."
Well, the messaging was on-point but boring since February's setback. Two-week updates charting a slight progression back up to three-on-three work. The team was working with Williamson and would not commit to a complete shutdown for the season. Updates were concise but kept everyone mostly up-to-date at regular intervals. That's an improvement.
The most recent update riled some feathers for not giving a timeline even though there are just a few days left to the regular season. It stated "Williamson will continue his rehabilitation and conditioning regimen. We will continue to monitor his progression, and updates will be provided as warranted.”
For a team that does not know its postseason path, what more could anyone ask for? Griffin did admit on Friday that Williamson is still working his way back into game shape and would not be a full participant in practice with the team on Saturday. The NBA Play-In Tournament has been ruled out but Williamson could be cleared for a full seven-game series in a couple of weeks.
See? Boring, but at least it gives an outline and keeps hope alive. "As warranted" was appropriate.
Williamson has shared his frustrations with being ruled out last season and Griffin wanted to do a better job being there for him. This approach to doling out information shields Williamson from criticism while also keeping the All-Star engaged with the team down the stretch. Last year he was in Oregon for months. Just being in the building is a message that speaks louder than words.
Griffin cannot deal in absolutes here. Addressing the situation publically can only do so much to appease the masses and there is not much to really say this close to the end of the season. No one knows if this team will be on vacation in two weeks. They could be eliminated from the Play-In in a matter of days.
"I would say that if you just look at, like, the logistics of where we're at, it's not possible to get the work in that would put him in a 5-on-5 workout in time for any play-in," Griffin said. "I think, based on today, our best possible outcome would be if everything lined up perfectly, maybe you're in a position to practice prior to a first-round [series] or maybe during a first-round [series].
The VP added, "But it's gonna take more than one, right? So it's really hard. And again, we may never get to that point either. If it's not a situation where all those things align and he feels the way he needs to feel, then we're not gonna let him go to the next phase."
As for that next phase and getting on the court Griffin explained, “I know it’s very disappointing for everyone. It’s disappointing for him, and it’s disappointing for his teammates. I think it’s just a matter of all of the objective metrics we can have on where he’s at and how he feels lining up. To this point, they haven’t. If they had, we certainly would have said, ‘OK, he’s cleared for 5-on-5.’ And they don’t. So it’s complicated, and yet it’s really not. When these things converge, he can advance to the next step. They haven’t converged for him to do that.”
Griffin said the metrics range from weight room drills in terms of strength and flexibility as well as on-court speed.
The medical team is watching "(Williamson's) reaction and the way he feels after each exercise. When he feels like him, he'll tell us, 'Yeah, I'm ready for the next phase.' And to this stage, he hasn't felt like that. He hasn't been quote, reinjured. He has never even reported soreness. It is more like a hesitancy you can see," Griffin said.
"I think we went through this before with Brandon Ingram, when he said, when I feel like me, I'll play. You can see when somebody is trusting it and confident, and he's not in that space right now."
Williamson can end a workout with a dunk but is not quite right mentally and has let the team know where he is mentally along the way. Griffin gave another update today but cannot give an exact date nor say Williamson is being shut down. Not when the All-World talent is still engaged with the locker room.
That's another message to pay attention to: Zion is in a better head space than last year. That's a plus. Now is a time for patience and a long-term outlook with this core locked in place. Keep building the culture, do not introduce unneeded chaos.
The Pelicans gave the update. Griffin knows exit interviews are coming and could have waited to clear the air. Instead, the issues were addressed head-on. The outside noise won't affect the relationships in the building much because internal communication has improved, as evidenced by what Griffin could and did actually say in Friday morning's update clarifying press conference.
Zion ain’t there yet and the postseason is far more intense than a game in December. Brandon Ingram needed more time than the initial diagnosis and talked about how gaining trust and confidence was a challenge. Coming back too soon and either playing poorly or getting re-injured and the disappointment will be exponentially worse.
No one has to 'buy' what the Pelicans are saying but it's the truth. Paying customers were going to be mad either way. There is still no point in dragging Zion out to re-hash things in a press conference right now. It does not help anyone mentally, including those still suiting up every night and dealing with the questions.
Griffin cannot say something that is not known. It would be reckless to try and divulge information for some end game, whatever that could be. Can’t win that way with Williamson, the locker room, or fans. The team is not deviating from the process, not with an All-Star investment worth $200 million. The messaging has improved and been on point, some just chose to miss it.
