Kawhi was blasted and very unpopular when he did this. It was harder to hate Kawhi at that point, though, despite it being a more inexplicable stance on his part (wanting to leave a successful franchise that developed him perfectly). He had given them a Finals MVP performance and multiple titles, and he’s simply not a hatable person.
Zion will be torn apart and then he’ll go somewhere better, probably revive his career like Embiid, and he’ll be the most popular player in the league again if that happens. This is a smart move, IMO. A long as he performs, all is forgotten. I mean, just look at LeBron’s career, if the Kawhi example isn’t compelling.
They should definitely move the Pelicans to Seattle or Vegas, though. Enough is enough. They’ve been handed generational talent after generational talent and been one of the most consistently trash franchises in sports. I have a feeling a lot of star players would want to play in Vegas. Maybe even Zion Williamson.