When it comes to the New Orleans Pelicans, everything revolves around Zion Williamson. How far they'll go this season rests largely on his very broad shoulders.
But one player alone does not a championship team make. LeBron James and Michael Jordan both learned that the hard way during the early portions of their career, as singular greatness can only take you so far.
The Pelicans are much better equipped to surround Zion Williamson with everything he needs to turn last season's playoff team to a bona fide contender in the 2022-23 season.
Here are three (3) non-Zion Williamson reasons the Pelicans are serious contenders not to be trifled with this year:
The winning culture
If it feels early to call a team that's won a grand total of two playoff games in the past four seasons one with a winning culture, you'd be dead right. But the team has transformed into one of the healthiest locker rooms in the NBA ever since the arrival of Willie Green as head coach last season.
They went from Zion Williamson trade rumors all but guaranteeing his departure to having their superstar experiencing major FOMO as they took the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to six games. We see from teams like the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers that raw talent doesn't equate to winning. Now more than ever, team chemistry and building a roster with the right personnel is crucial in a league that's just brimming with talent like never before.
The Pelicans have that secret sauce spread on them, with vocal leaders and the complete buy-in of the team holding strong right now. When your best players can just focus on basketball, the GM and coach have done their jobs well.
The perfect mix of veterans
Nobody thought much of the CJ McCollum trade when the Pelicans made it last season. It was just one of those trades where an aspiring team takes a chance on a proven veteran. McCollum proved himself to be much more than that on the court last season, emerging out of Damian Lillard's shadow to become the primary ball-handler and 24 point-per-game scorer that the Pelicans needed from the guard spot.
But beyond the on-court fit, CJ McCollum is also one of the most level-headed and trusted players in the league. He brought with him a level of professionalism that resonates with young players along with the right amount of skill to back it up.
He's one of several veteran voices who the Pelicans have brought in to surround Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Jonas Valanciunas, Larry Nance Jr., Devonte' Graham, and Garrett Temple comprise the teams' old guard. None of these names have ever made waves with their previous teams or invited drama of any kind. Temple in particular has been a well-respected figure in NBA circles despite never being a standout player on the court.
With a roster loaded with young talent, having the right mentors around them to speak out and lead by example will prove invaluable over time.
The Pelicans have enough for a home run swing trade
It's almost unfair how rich the Pelicans are in assets right now.
They were able to offload Jrue Holiday for serious draft compensation from the Milwaukee Bucks. They got CJ McCollum for a much, much smaller package. They still lay claim to two of the Lakers' first-round picks. Plus they have several young players on their rookie deals such as Dyson Daniels, Kira Lewis Jr., Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy III, and Naji Marshall.
With young players and draft picks galore, they could very easily strike on the next disgruntled star who wants out. The financial finagling might get complicated, but it's not impossible with Devonte' Graham and Larry Nance Jr. making over $22 million between them to match contracts.
Ingram, Williamson, and McCollum are all locked up until at least 2025. Their title window could very easily be now even without a trade move to add a fourth star. But thanks to savvy moves, they have more than enough to swing big without having to gut its roster of supplementary talent.
The NBA title race is as wide open as its ever been with no teams looking like the clear favorites to come out of either conference. Few teams boast the raw talent, team culture, and trade assets that the Pelicans have. With Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and a stacked supporting cast, New Orleans is going to be a force come April and beyond.
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