Zion Williamson’s decision to part ways with Creative Arts Agency (CAA) could stem from an unlikely clause in the 24-year-old New Orleans Pelicans star’s contract.

The star forward split with CAA just recently and it is unclear why the decision was made just 17 games into the 2024-25 NBA season, per The Athletic. Williamson will have to 15 days after firing his previous representation before hiring a new agent.

Adding to the intrigue is the fact that the final three years of Williamson’s five-year, $197 million contract extension is not guaranteed. Williamson signed the extension in July 2022, with the contract formally set to begin in the 2023-24 season.

However, because Williamson only played in 29 games during the 2022-23 season, that triggered a clause within his contract that states New Orleans can waive the talented star following the 2024-25 season with no financial repercussions, The Athletic has reported.

Additionally, his contract is laden with stipulations which was New Orleans’ way of safeguarding itself if Williamson continues to miss time throughout the life of his deal. For example, 20 percent of his salary next year will be guaranteed if he stays below 295 lbs throughout the entirety of the season.

Also, 40, 20 and another 20 percent of his contract for next season will guaranteed if he plays in at least 41, 51 and 61 games, respectively. The final two years of Williamson’s contract will be fully guaranteed if he can hit the aforementioned milestones for those two seasons. Furthermore, the forward’s contract for the 2025-26 season is fully protected, if he is not waived on or before July 15, 2025.

Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at the Smoothie King Center on November 06, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana

A unique clause in Zion Williamson’s contract could see him be waived by the New Orleans Pelicans thought the odds of that happening are slim ( 

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Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Though the Pelicans can choose to waive Williamson after this season because his seemingly never-ending battle with injuries, New Orleans have no incentive to do so. When healthy, Williamson is one of the most explosive and talented young stars in the NBA, showing the Pelicans a glimpse of the team’s ceiling.

However, Williamson has struggled to stay healthy, playing in more than 60 games just twice in his career. In his first All-Star season in 2020-21, Williamson played 61 games averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 61.1 percent shooting from the field, though he missed the next entirely with injuries.

In 2023-24, Williamson played in a career-high 70 games, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists, shooting 57.0 percent from the field en route to a play-in tournament appearance against the Los Angeles Lakers. His appearance was shortened however, departing from that game with an injury in the fourth quarter.

This season, Williamson has only played in six games as New Orleans struggled with a 4-13 record thus far. However, it appears as if the star will continue to sit out games for the foreseeable future as he recovers from a hamstring strain.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday that the former No. 1 overall pick in 2019 is not close to a return, despite having gone “multiple treatments” on his left hamstring.

“The Pelicans have been bracing for Williamson to be sideline for at least four to six weeks, which places him out through mid-December, but his absence could extend beyond that as he rehabilitates a body part that has sustain multiple strains over the past few years,” he wrote.

Williamson has played in 190 games in his five years in the NBA. In that same time span, the 24-year-old has missed 401 total games due to injury.