Pelicans Troll Stephen A Smith Over Zion Williamson

The Pelicans poked fun at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith after he criticized Zion Williamson on First Take, posting a clip of his on-air miscues and telling him to "stick to solitaire." Smith, photographed playing solitaire in the 2025 Finals, said "He's played in 259 games in his career, he's missed 275" and added "They were losing games because you wasn't on the court, now they're losing games with you on the court." New Orleans is 19-43 and Zion was ruled out vs the Clippers with an ankle after a career-high 35-game streak. Merlin sees a bit of theater and a deeper truth. The team’s public jab is a defense of its biggest talent, while Smith’s point about availability cuts to the bone. Williamson’s health still shapes New Orleans’ fate. If he stays on the floor, the Pelicans can surprise. If not, they drift toward a reset.