It is easy to see (and hear) that Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are still learning the new offensive playbook. There is one noticeable holdover staple from past regimes though: the Point Zion experiment. Admittedly he's still ramping up but Willie Green is sticking by his star with the gameplan. Williamson has the highest usage rate on the team and it does not look like that will change soon. It will likely increase actually.
Williamson's admission that he is still “trying (his) best to buy in right now” got everyone's attention. It was hard for fans to hear. It was a candid answer though that speaks to a bigger issue. The Pelicans have to see how much they can use him as a ball-dominant initiator. Getting Williamson firing on all cylinders is the priority. Trust and just learn from the inevitable mistakes before the playoff races really heat up.
“I’m not going to make any excuses,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said after the team's fifth straight loss last Sunday. “We have to play with more of a sense of urgency…It’s a long season, but it starts with our main guys. We’ve got to get up and down the floor faster. We only had two fast break points in the first half, so we’ve got to get some easy baskets, especially with guys being out.”
Pelicans need to move the ball
Well, Ingram has a hypnotizingly methodic game and tends to favor shooting off the dribble. He is literally the best in the world at it, but this team needs the ball to move more. Ingram's passing is now near-elite but is best used in certain situations. Williamson is more likely to push the pace and is averaging almost 10 potential assists per game. Simply, Zion draws more attention from the defense, is a better finisher when driving the paint, and is quicker getting the ball to teammates in good spots.
Don't pay too much attention to Williamson's 25 turnovers in 9 games. Arguably half of those came after uncalled fouls and Point Zion has served up 84 potential assists (38 converted). A far better assist-to-turnover ratio is attainable, especially once Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado are available.
More worrisome is the protective wrap around Williamson's thumb, Jordan Hawkins possibly hitting a rookie wall, or a cold shooting streak from a returning ‘Trigga' Trey Murphy III. The Pelicans will get friendly whistles eventually just by the law of averages. Those obvious infractions cannot go unnoticed all the time, which will cut down on turnovers and result in made baskets. If not, Executive VP David Griffin has already had to call NBA Headquarters once before.
Tough stretch upcoming for New Orleans
Sooner rather than later with those foul calls would be nice though. The schedule over the next three weeks might be the most challenging of the season. The easiest games come against Victor Wembanya's San Antonio Spurs and then the Chicago Bulls. Those two games are part of a back-to-back home then away set after facing six straight Western Conference playoff contenders.
Just consider the raw stats and current injury situation of the Big 3. Zion Williamson is averaging 21.3 points and 4.2 assists per game with a 30% usage rate. Brandon Ingram (22.9 ppg, 5 apg) has the 28th-highest usage rate with 27.7%. CJ McCollum (217 ppg, 5.7 apg) is back in 83rd at 24.1%, but he is out for at least a few weeks with a lung issue.
Williamson is not quite meeting generational talent level expectations according to these numbers, but there are plenty of promising moments with him initiating offense. His prime is years away. Giving him more freedom to explore within James Borrego's schemes shows trust and provides valuable data points. Keep pairing Williamson with Hawkins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Matt Ryan as much as possible. Really get the maximum value out of Ryan's two-way contract.
Between the stats, efficiency numbers, and Green's priorities, it is clear the Pelicans should lean into the Point Zion part of the playbook while McCollum is out. Ingram has proven he will get his shots in his spots in almost any offense. There is no better time to let Williamson experiment than early in the season while adjusting for injuries.
Pelicans can't put too much on Zion's shoulders
Analytics and the eye test come to the same conclusion. However, this isn't an argument to roll the ball out and hope the two All-Stars can singlehandedly win a game. Don't be too married to ideas. Don't try to do too much, too soon, and too fast. That only leads to trouble, as Alvin Gentry and Stan Van Gundy found out.
The devil is in the details. It's on Green's coaching staff to find the right balance. Listen to what your All-Stars are telling the world. It has led to success before, as the standings showed during last year's holiday season. That trust tends to trickle down. Ingram and Williamson will only be given more space to operate if they trust their shooters. Thankfully, Trey Murphy III could possibly be back soon and Jordan Hawkins has been a rookie revelation.
Coach Green has built a highly respected culture and Williamson signed the five-year contract extension. Staple it, etch it in stone, and put it on a billboard across from the Smoothie King Center: The Pelicans will continue to trust Zion Williamson. The “back seat” comments were also a slight look into his psyche after recently becoming a father. He also mentioned “trusting the process” and recognized there were “some things (he) could do better.”
Williamson has attempted a comeback from a long layoff before. Now's he doing it with a newborn. How quickly some forget that life-changing moments have happened in the last few weeks. Lots of things take a backseat in those situations, especially considering the setbacks suffered. Williamson was forthright in answering a post-game question after a tough loss. Appreciate the honesty and trust that those soundbites will be far more positive after winning streaks.
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