The New Orleans Pelicans have a possible franchise player in Zion Williamson, although his unreliable track record has them backed into a corner with no way forward.
When Zion Williamson plays, it’s clear that he is the most physically dominant player since Shaquille O’Neal, despite being eight inches shorter.
However, Williamson has only played in 45% of his possible games in his six NBA seasons, making it impossible for the New Orleans Pelicans to find any degree of success with him as the centerpiece of the franchise.
The Pelicans are in flux. On one hand, Williamson has the talent to be in the MVP race. On the other hand, he simply has never been healthy for a sustained amount of time. The Pelicans’ hands are tied, and even NBA experts are unsure about what the franchise needs to do.
With Joe Dumars calling the shots, the Pelicans could have traded Zion, but are offering him one last chance to prove himself. He has three seasons left on his contract and could be traded after this season.
“Had there not been a change in the front office, I believe he would have been on the trade block this summer,” said ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
Instead, the Pelicans brought in Jordan Poole and rookie Jeremiah Fears to get the ball to their star, and Derik Queen to be another physical force backing him up, or a second option should Zion get traded or remain on the bench due to lingering injuries.
The clock is ticking, though. If Zion and company don’t find success this season, players like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III might join Williamson on the trade block, jumpstarting a full-on rebuild.
“It’s a get-to-know-you phase,” MacMahon said of the upcoming season. “It is an opportunity for Zion this season to prove first that he can stay healthy and also that he can be the face of the franchise in New Orleans.”
Despite not winning a playoff series since 2018, the Pelicans have a winning core. Jones is an All-Defensive wing, Poole and Murphy III are solid scorers, Yves Missi is full of promise, and Williamson can be a franchise centerpiece.
Despite the undeniable talent up and down the roster, New Orleans is yet to prove itself as anything more than an afterthought.
“The Pelicans are just, they’re a confusing team,” conceded Keith Parish on The Athletic’s NBA podcast. “You’re excited about Trey Murphy and Herb Jones. Those guys are so exciting.”
With the potential to be competitive, their playoff hopes simply hinge on Zion. However, until he proves himself as a reliable option, it’s hard to take them seriously.
“They’re not in the middle, they’re like the lower middle,” Parish continued. “The Pelicans’ situation is not ideal right now.”
Counting out a team before the season starts, especially one as promising as New Orleans, is usually a fool’s errand, although time and time again, fans have been duped into thinking that this will be the year.
