On Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers wrapped up their home stand with a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. Recently returning from injury, Zion Williamson was expected to be in action. However, things ended up taking a sharp turn when reports surfaced of him being suspended.

A few hours before tip-off, it was announced that the Pelicans suspended Williamson for one game. Further developments stated this decision came from the team after being late to multiple practices and not arriving on time for the flight to Philly. Because of these infractions, the Pelicans made the decision to suspend him for the matchup against the Sixers.

While on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show, Lou Williams gave his thoughts on Williamson in light of the suspension news. He feels it’s time for the former No. 1 pick to get a change of scenery because things aren’t working out in New Orleans.

“I would love to see Zion Williamson be happy and healthy in a new place,” Williams said. “It look like it’s not gonna happen down in New Orleans in a Pelicans uniform.”

It’s been an up-and-down run for Williamson with the Pelicans since being drafted first overall in 2019. He’s had stretches where he’s played like a top talent in the NBA, but numerous injuries have impacted his ability to stay on the floor consistently. Based on the reasoning behind Williamson’s suspension, it appears the disconnect between player and franchise goes much deeper.

Despite not having Williamson in the lineup on Friday, the Pelicans still managed to secure a win over the Sixers. Thanks to a 38-point outburst from CJ McCollum, they walked out with a 123-115 victory.

As for the Sixers, they’ll look to get back in the win column on Sunday when they hit the road to take on the Orlando Magic.