The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to sign Alize Johnson to a 10-day contract.

Johnson played for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards earlier this season.

Johnson has appeared in 68 career games since the 18-19 season.

CJ McCollum confirmed on Thursday that he and Zion Williamson have spoken. McCollum previously commented that he had yet to hear from Williamson following his trade to the New Orleans Pelicans. 

“Leave the young fella alone, man,” McCollum said. “He’s trying to rehab in peace. Trying to get himself ready to come back. We spoke, and I’ll speak to him later this week or next and just catch up with him.

"He’s a very talented player. He’s going through a lot. You guys are putting him on the spot on the daily. I think he’s just trying to recover on his own time and focus on his rehab.”

Williamson has been recovering from a right foot fracture away from the Pelicans. 

Several people within the Pelicans organization have felt Williamson has been uncommunicative since he left the team to recover on his own.

Adam Silver said his preference is that teams and players honor the contracts that they sign. But Silver also noted that players making trade demands isn't anything new, and that he's not sure exactly how to stop it.

James Harden and Ben Simmons were the latest example, but NBA teams are preparing for the next wave of superstar trade demands. Multiple executives around the league are preparing for Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans to be the next wave of stars to ask out.

Lillard has three years and $137 million owed to him after this season. Portland just kicked off a major roster reset, as they traded Lillard's long-time backcourt mate C.J. McCollum to New Orleans. It's rumored that Lillard could eventually seek to win elsewhere, if he can't compete for a title in Portland.

For the Pelicans, Williamson is extension eligible this offseason. He's missed the entire season to date, as he's recovered from a foot injury. In his three-year career, Williamson has played in only 85 games. Various reports have said Williamson is unhappy in New Orleans and would welcome deal to another team.

As for Mitchell, he regularly fends off rumors that he's unhappy playing in Utah and with Rudy Gobert. He's only in the first year of a five-year, $163 million contract extension. If he was to ask out this soon, it would be Simmons-like in asking for a trade so early into an extension.

C.J. McCollum was a guest on TNT's pregame show before All-Star Saturday. McCollum surprised the hosts when he said he hasn't spoken to Zion Williamson since the trade deadline deal that brought McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.

"I haven't had conversations with him directly. I've spoken with some people close to him and look forward to sitting down with him sooner than later," McCollum said. "I know about as much as you do right now, but I'm gonna get to the bottom of it"

Williamson has been rehabbing from a foot injury away from the Pelicans. Oddly enough, Williamson is reportedly rehabbing in McCollum's former city of Portland.

At the 2019 NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans were intrigued by the possibility of pairing AAU teammates Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. The Pelicans offered the Memphis Grizzlies multiple packages that included the No. 4 pick, but all were rebuffed.

The Grizzlies have subsequently become one of the Western Conference's best teams with a young core around Morant. Williamson has struggled with injuries during his first three seasons with the Pelicans.

The Pelicans traded down from No. 4 instead of taking Darius Garland and ended up with Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Garland, like Morant, is an All-Star in his third season.

Zion Williamson may need a second surgery on his right foot but nothing has been decided, sources told Christian Clark of the Times Picayune. 

Williamson was supposed to return to practice in December, but he began experiencing soreness in his right foot. Williamson flew to Los Angeles that month to have an injection to promote healing. 

Williamson has been overweight for virtually all of his pro career, which has complicated the recovery process.

Last week, David Griffin said Williamson will have another round of medical imaging done on his right foot either this week or next week. 

The New Orleans Pelicans still don't "have enough information" to give an update on when Zion Williamson may return from his broken foot.

Griffin said Williamson will have another round of medical imaging to evaluate his fractured right foot either next week or the one after that.

"We hope that toward the end of next week or the beginning of the following, we’ll have some imaging done and we’ll have a better update," Griffin said.

Williamson broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot before NBA Summer League, which was in August. 

Williamson has suffered a series of setbacks and has been recovering in October since at least Jan. 6. 

Larry Nance Jr. will undergo meniscus surgery on Friday and likely miss approximately six weeks.

Nance initially suffered the injury in January, but wasn't diagnosed with a meniscus tear at the time.

The New Orleans Pelicans acquired Nance as part of the CJ McCollum trade this week.

Larry Nance Jr. is expected to undergo surgery on his right knee on Friday.

The New Orleans Pelicans acquired Nance as part of the CJ McCollum trade on Tuesday.

Nance injured his right knee while jumping for a layup in the third quarter of a Jan. 5 game against the Miami Heat. Nance had an MRI, which showed “no significant damage,” the Trail Blazers announced Jan. 6. Their initial plan was for Nance to be reevaluated in one week.

Nance is owed $9.7 million next season.

The New Orleans Pelicans expressed interest in trading for De'Aaron Fox, but were unsuccessful in finding a workable deal with the Sacramento Kings before they pivoted to their deal for CJ McCollum.

Adrian Wojnarowski reported the interest of the Pelicans in Fox during Tuesday's NBA Today telecast.

The Kings instead shifted to a trade of Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis.

Fox is in Year 1 of a five-year, $163 million deal.