The New Orleans Pelicans have been the team on the cusp for what feels like forever. But now entering year three of the Zion Williamson era, it's very much a make or break season for the team.
There are many unanswered questions left on the Pelicans, but Zion Williamson is not one of them. He's barely played over a full 82-game season and yet he's already shown a level of dominance that rivals some of the NBA's best superstars today. 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game through what basically feels like one full NBA season is astounding.
Zion Williamson's insanely consistent dominance
Williamson in many ways looks destined for the path of the safe-bet superstar for the Pelicans. Think Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Shaquille O'Neal. These guys are going to put up their numbers virtually no matter what thanks to their imposing physical dominance.
While high-scoring guards like Damian Lillard and James Harden can post performances that rapidly fluctuate from one game to the next, Zion Williamson will remain steady and undeterred to post his 25 points every single night.
That's exactly what he proved last season. In the last 41 games he played for the Pelicans, the exact equivalent of half an NBA season, he only dipped below 20 points one time, a 16 point performance against the Brooklyn Nets. Even that game was an anomaly since he played just 22 minutes after it turned into a blowout affair early.
Think about how insanely consistent and unstoppable you'd have to be to pull off a feat like that. Neither Giannis, LeBron, nor Stephen Curry even came close to that level of consistency. Neither did fellow big men Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, the MVP and runner-up last season. Trust me, I checked each of their game logs.
The Pelicans need you, Brandon Ingram
The fact of the matter is Zion Williamson is going to produce for the Pelicans, no matter the matchup or level of opponent. When you have a table-setter like that, you've got a solid foundation. It's the peripheral stars around him that need to bring it for the team to succeed. We've seen it with Giannis in Milwaukee, LeBron during his first Cleveland stint, and Shaq back when he was with the Magic.
Each of those superstars faced the same type of adversity early in their careers. And while all were great enough to win a title down the road, just as Zion Williamson seems destined to one day, two of them had to leave the team that drafted them to do it.
That's what makes Brandon Ingram so crucial for the Pelicans. Beyond Zion Williamson, there is no player on the roster who possesses the level of superstar talent necessary to elevate the team other than Ingram. If he could morph into Zion's own version of what Khris Middleton is to Giannis, then they may have something brewing.
But if he turns out to be more like Penny Hardaway, who showed flashes of stardom but fizzled out, in his case via injury, then Zion Williamson could leave the Pelicans in search for the superstar teammate who can match him.
Brandon Ingram is just about to enter his age-24 season. He already has an All-Star selection and five years of NBA experience under his belt. He's got all the tools to make it work this season with a bona fide All-NBA talent alongside him. If the Pelicans don't figure it out this season with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, then they might not get many more chances given this new era of player empowerment.
There are only two things assured for the Pels next season. Zion Williamson is going to get his buckets every night and it's going to be a wild ride in New Orleans next season.
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