Zion Williamson leaves NBA bubble to address family matter

The New Orleans Pelicans announced that forward Zion Williamson left the NBA bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida on Thursday morning and that he intends to rejoin the team at a later date.

"We fully support Zion's decision to leave the NBA campus to be with his family," Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said in a statement. "Out of respect for the Williamson family, we will have no further comment at this time."

Per NBA protocols, if Williamson is tested daily while he is away, the maximum he could be in quarantine would be four days and the minimum would be two. However, if he doesn't get tested daily, it would be a minimum of seven days in quarantine.

Williamson played in just 19 games this season for the Pelicans after coming back from meniscus surgery in January.

The Pelicans push for a playoff spot starts on July 30 when the team plays the Utah Jazz on the opening night of the league's restart.

Williamson practiced with the Pelicans in Orlando last week and told reporters he had spent the time off during the NBA hiatus working out with his stepfather, Lee Anderson, when he wasn't rehabbing with Pelicans staffers.