Cavs All-Star Kevin Love feels that Duke standout Zion Williamson should “shut it down” for the rest of this season to avoid further complications.
Williamson is projected to be a top-three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. He was enjoying an outstanding rookie season at Duke, but he suffered a Grade 1 right knee sprain in the first quarter of a game against the UNC Tar Heels on Feb. 21, which has forced him to the sidelines. Currently, he’s listed as day-to-day with the ailment:
“If I were him, I’d probably say, especially after a scare like this, I’d heavily consider telling the NCAA to pay us or else shutting it down and doing what’s best for his family,” Love told The Athletic. “That kid is really an exceptional talent and from everything I’ve heard, he’s a great kid. I think he’s going to have a lot of success in this league. I would lean toward not coming back.”
Love, who’s back on the court after dealing with a big toe injury for much of this season, has a good point. With just two games remaining until the start of the ACC Tournament, perhaps it would be best if Zion was allowed to fully recover.
There was some hope that Williamson would be able to return to action for Saturday’s game against Miami, but he was held out for precautionary measures.
Though he’s dealing with a minor setback, Williamson is still the likely No. 1 pick. In 26 appearances with the Blue Devils this season, the South Carolina native has racked up averages of 21.6 points on 68.3 percent shooting from the field (29.2 percent from beyond the arc), 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in 28.2 minutes per outing.
The Cavs have the third-worst record in the NBA right now, meaning they’re set to have a 14.0 percent chance at winning the top pick and having the opportunity to draft Zion Williamson.
