A few dead teams across the NBA are essentially playing for pride the rest of the way—New Orleans is one of said teams. A forgettable 2024-25 campaign began in the preseason when Dejounte Murray suffered the team’s first significant injury. After that, the dominos fell one by one. Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson, who has suffered from injuries since being drafted out of Duke, is in another season marred by ailments. Questions surrounding his future in New Orleans are legitimate, as is his willingness to take care of himself. However, the franchise appears sold on Zion despite his issues. It’s a massive salute of approval for a player who has yet to live up to expectations.
Pelicans Stand Firm On Zion Williamson As The Future
New Orleans Pelicans VP David Griffin Hails Zion Williamson’s Growth On and Off the Court
Pelicans Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin knows a thing or two about dealing with superstars. He did so with LeBron James in Cleveland, and he’s now in the middle of it with Zion. Only with Zion is it an entirely different situation given its physical element: Zion’s body and health. Durability has victimized Zion every season he’s been in the NBA, and this season has been no different. Although Zion showed during the offseason the changes he made to his physical conditioning, he’s still only played 17 games. To counter that, Zion averages 23.9 points per game, which is fairly impressive considering his baggage. He’s also adding 7.3 boards and 4.9 assists, with 1.0 blocks and 1.2 steals.
Griffin has seemingly not lost hope in Zion, though. His faith in his superstar mirrors Philadelphia 76ers GM Josh Harris’s stance on his own superstar, Joel Embiid. It’s fair to ask how much faith these gentlemen should have before it turns around on them in a bad way. Griffin expressed his stance on Zion, believing that the superstar can and will be the focal point of the Pelicans franchise for the future, according to the Associated Press’ Brett Martel.
“If you take just his body of work this year, what he’s done for us when he’s been healthy, he’s taking steps every day and he’s grown by leaps and bounds, both on the court and off,” Griffin said. “The player he is now is better than he’s ever been…People mature at different rates in the league, and sometimes that maturity looks like a brushfire and sometimes it looks like a forest fire. I think he’s reaching forest-fire status now — and that’s exciting.”
Rebuilding Around Williamson, Smart Move?
New Orleans has already begun trimming down its roster due to financial reasons. Brandon Ingram shipped out last week to the Toronto Raptors and reportedly signed an extension today. Murray’s future is also up in the air. It’s not a lock that he will remain with the Pelicans past this season. He’s also an expensive player, and Griffin remarked that paying the team currently constructed is no longer feasible. If Ingram is out, Murray could eventually be, too.
If Zion is reinforced as the Pelicans focal point moving forward, Griffin will have to retool around him. It’s a significant risk to give in to because of Zion’s sketchy injury shadow that follows him season after season. Nevertheless, the Pelicans appear to stand firm on Zion, injuries and all. If that’s the course of action they choose to take, wish them good luck and hope that Zion can overcome his mountains. Without question, when healthy, he’s an unstoppable force of power.
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