There are three years left in the contract! Can Zion, who is losing weight, get all his salary?

That's how it is. Recently, the Pelicans held a new season media day, and then Zion's makeup photos quickly became popular at home and abroad. The reason is very simple: he has really lost weight, and he has lost a lot.

Judging from the photos posted on Media Day, Zion, with a mustache, has really lost a lot of weight compared to previous years. Even if it is not compared to the fattest 2021, it is obviously different from 2024.

This is not the most exaggerated thing. After the media day, the Pelicans training camp started, and the official posted Zion's training photos - it's not an exaggeration. When I first saw the photo below, my first reaction was: Who are you?

Zion, who was once the first in the league, was so thin that his jawline came out. It was really surprising that the comments and opinions under the related photos were almost the same:

—"Zion looks like a brand new person"

—"He is even thinner than when he was in Duke"

—"I have never seen such a thin Zion"

Zion also confirmed in an interview that he did lose weight during the offseason , he said: "The training I used to lose weight quickly includes boxing and training on the NFL New Orleans Saints football field."

When asked about his health, Zion said: "I feel so good now. I haven't experienced this feeling for a long time, and I haven't experienced it since college."

It's hard not to look forward to him a little bit. After all, to be honest, a healthy Zion is really strong.

Take last season for example. Zion only played 30 games due to injury, and his attendance rate was extremely poor. However, in the games he played, he averaged only 28.6 minutes per game to hand in 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals, with a shooting percentage of 56.7%, and his scoring efficiency was amazing.

Zion's style of play is simple and rough. He cuts the basket without the ball and hits the box with the ball in. He has no three-pointers, and he has made 32 of 98 three-pointers so far in his career, and he has not made many mid-range moves. These are definitely his shortcomings.

But from another perspective, all opponents in the league know Zion's playing style and know that he will break through the basket if he gets the ball, but he still can't stop him. To a certain extent, this is exactly what Zion is capable of - the height of the shooting guard, the weight of the center, the athletic ability of James, and the end of O'Neal's basket. This talent can only be seen for many years.

The data also shows how outstanding Zion is: Last season, Zion made a total of 332 shots in the 5-foot range at the basket, with a shooting percentage of 63.9%, which is quite low, because in the past two years, the figures were 64.4% (529 of 821) and 67.4% (252 of 374), which can be said to be many and accurate.

and, there is also this data: when Zion was on the court last season, the Pelicans lost 1.8 points in a net loss of 100 rounds, but when Zion was not on the court, the Pelicans lost 11.3 points in a net loss of 100 rounds.

even went forward, and returned to Zion's rookie contract period:

—2019-20 season, playing only 24 games, averaging 22.5 points per game, almost snatched Morant's best rookie

—2020-21 season, playing only 61 games, averaging 27.0 points per game, and was selected for the All-Star for the first time in his career

—2021-22 season, reimbursed

—2022-23 season, playing only 29 games, averaging 26.0 points per game, and was selected for the All-Star for the second time in his career

As long as he is healthy, Zion is an All-Star player. I think there should be no controversy about this. The question has always been, when will he be truly healthy? It is generally believed that Zion's inability to maintain health for many years is related to his weight, and he has also been criticized many times for his weight and self-discipline.

It should be said that Zion has a reason to lose weight. In 2022, Zion signed a five-year, maximum salary renewal of 193 million yuan with the Pelicans, but this renewal is not fully guaranteed, and the Pelicans have added some terms to it.

For now, Zion's contract has three years left, with salary of 38.57 million (already guaranteed), 41.23 million (non-guaranteed), and 43.89 million (non-guaranteed). The contract coverage amount for the next two years is July 15 of that year. For example, if the Pelicans did not sack Zion before July 15, 2026, then his salary for the 2026-27 season will be guaranteed.

In addition, Zion's contract also has requirements for weight, body fat ratio, and number of appearances. Only when all of them are met can the contract be converted into a guarantee; and Zion has 6 weight checkpoints per season. If all passes, he can get 20% of the guaranteed salary next season; at the same time, only by playing at least 41, 51, and 61 games can he get another 40%, 20% and 20% of the guaranteed salary next season.

At this point, you can probably understand why Zion lost weight. Yes, everything is for money. Only health can he get the salary in his remaining contract.

Of course, no matter what the reason is, as long as Zion is healthy, he is a player worth looking forward to. After all, he is only 25 years old now and has not suffered any devastating injuries. There is reason to believe that we can see a fat tiger who is completely different from before in the new season.