Why it makes sense for the New Orleans Pelicans to continue developing Zion Williams as a point forward
Stan Van Gundy's adventure as the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans may have been a short one. Still, he stumbled upon something worth developing when he began tasking Zion Williamson with more ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities last season.
Williamson came into the NBA billed as the league's next generational talent, a basketball phenom, blending unrivaled strength with elite athleticism. We all remember those highlight videos of him tearing up high school competition, right?
Throughout his one-and-done collegiate career and rookie NBA season, Williamson has been a mouthwatering finisher around the rim - a play finisher of the highest pedigree. After making his belated debut for the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2020-21 NBA season, opponents raved about the power forward's elite second jump.
“I’ve never seen anyone that has a second jump quicker or more accurate than his. He shoots it, and he has a good feel of where it’s going to come off if it’s not going in. And I think the most important thing is he plays all of his shots as a miss. He doesn’t assume that any of them are going in. He’s on the floor and back up trying to create rebounding position on every shot. That’s why I think he gets a lot of them back.” Then head coach Alvin Gentry told NOLA.Com
That second jump, coupled with his mule-like strength, allows Williamson to attack the glass like few others in the league can. Second-chance points and secured defensive rebounds are part-and-parcel of what Williamson brings to the New Orleans Pelicans rotation. However, Stan Van Gundy wanted more; he wanted to develop Williamson into a multi-faceted offensive weapon capable of leading the team to deep playoff runs in the not-too-distant future.
As a rookie, Williamson averaged 2.7 assists per game while operating as the focal point of the offensive game plan. As a sophomore, the ball has regularly found its way into Williamson's hands, as the franchise began to explore those playmaking abilities in more depth. He ended the season averaging a shade under four dimes a night.
Sure, Williamson was very much a secondary playmaker for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, but his growth as a distributor was clear for all to see as the year wore on.
Side note: Brandon Ingram also began flashing a higher upside as a playmaker last year, which in turn allowed Lonzo Ball to flourish as an off-ball threat from deep. Obviously, Ball is no longer with the New Orleans Pelicans, but the team's two stars remain and will be looking to further build on their playmaking roles.
The thought process of Stan Van Gundy and the New Orleans Pelicans front office was clear: allow Williamson to handle the rock at pace, build ahead of steam and bully his way to the rim at will. And judging by Williamson's 12.9 drives per game, the plan worked. When driving the ball, the North Carolina native passed the rock on 29.7% of his possessions, averaging 0.9 assists in the process.
Side note number 2: Brandon Ingram averaged the same amount of drives per game but was far more willing to distribute, with 39.2% of his drives ending in a pass. This now provides the New Orleans Pelicans with a platform to build from with their two star players.
With Williamson attacking the paint both as a ball-handler and as an off-ball low-block threat, the 6'7'' forward led the league in attempts at the rim (14.3 attempts per game) and allowed 63% of his total offense to come from within 5 feet of the basket.
With Williamson's shot selection clear for all to see, it's easy to envision teams setting their defense up to contain the immense rim pressure they will face. And with his pull-up game still developing, the New Orleans Pelicans had to find another way of adding an extra layer to Williamson's offense.
Entering the 2021-22 NBA season, Williamson will not command any scoring gravity from the perimeter, nor will teams respect him from the mid-range area due to his limited attempts. Instead, Williamson will get the Giannis Antetokounmpo treatment - teams will build a wall and make it as difficult as possible for him to get easy looks at the rim.
With Ball now on the Chicago Bulls roster and Devonte' Graham replacing him as the New Orleans Pelicans' starting point guard, it's logical to expect both Williamson and Ingram to be tasked with additional playmaking duties for the Pelicans this season.
Moreover, Williamson is yet to experience a full NBA season, with his first cut short due to injury and then the COVID-19 pandemic, and his second being the league-truncated year. It takes time to develop reliable scoring chops, especially for players so used to bullying their way down low and overpowering the opposition.
While Williamson continues to develop both his shot selection and shot-making abilities, learning how to champion an offense and make others around you better is a sure-fire way to ensure longevity within the league.
Players with builds like Williamson and those who rely solely on athletic ability have a very defined shelf expiration date. However, those who can carve open defenses with heads-up plays or intelligent manipulation of the defense can be impactful late into their 30s.
As we head into the new NBA season, keeping a close eye on Williamson's role for the New Orleans Pelicans and his playmaking ability is highly advisable. As a non-perimeter threat, Williamson's passing skills are what's going to open space for his drives. Teams will be forced to push up on him when on the perimeter to close down passing lanes. They will blitz him to force the ball out of his hands - all of which will play directly into Williamson's skillset - and the New Orleans Pelicans' gameplan.
Furthermore, if the New Orleans Pelicans use Williamson as a screener, there will be a multitude of short-roll offense or secondary swing passes at their disposal. And can you imagine an outside-in game developing between Ingram and Williamson? The roster may have gone under slight domestic surgery this season, but the New Orleans Pelicans' two rising stars are still on the team, and both are learning how to punish defenses with decisive playmaking.
And for that reason, the New Orleans Pelicans continuing to develop Williamson as a point-forward makes perfect sense.
Also Read: 3 bold predictions for New Orleans Pelicans' 2021-22 NBA season