Full case file · Forward · New Orleans Pelicans · Basketball

Zion Williamson

184 of 400 possible team games across his first five NBA seasons
Repeat offender 216 career games missed
Estimated salary collected across every game missed, career-wide
$32,915,395
Sum of each season's base salary, prorated per game and multiplied by that season's games missed — from 2019-20 through 2023-24.
5 seasons tracked
216 of 400 expected games missed
$78,223,237 in base salary paid
= $32,915,395 earned inactive
Games played
184
of 400 possible
Games missed
216
54.0% of tracked span
Full seasons lost
1
played 0 games
Base salary, tracked span
$78,223,237
excludes bonuses, endorsements

Availability, tracked seasons

184 played (46.0%)
2019-20 216 expected games missed across 5 seasons 2023-24

The ledger, season by season

Base salary ÷ expected games that season × games missed that season. "Expected games" is the team's full schedule for position players, or a starting pitcher's typical rotation turns (~team games ÷ 5) — a healthy ace was never going to start 162 games either. Figures are approximate, sourced from public salary and game-log reporting.

Season Expected Played Missed Base salary Per game Collected inactive
2019-20
Rookie season; preseason meniscus tear delayed his debut to January
82 24 58 $9,757,440 $118,993 $6,901,604
2020-21
Career-high games played to that point, no restrictions
72 61 11 $10,193,820 $141,581 $1,557,389
2021-22
Missed full season - fractured foot required surgery, complications delayed return all year
82 0 82 $10,731,910 $130,877 $10,731,910
2022-23
Right hamstring strain in January ended his season
82 29 53 $13,534,817 $165,059 $8,748,113
2023-24
Career-high 70 games, then a hamstring strain in the play-in game
82 70 12 $34,005,250 $414,698 $4,976,378
Career total 400 184 216 $78,223,237 $32,915,395

Sources