New Orleans Pelicans: How Zion’s return will affect the Pels
By Eliot Clough
2. Ball movement and Transition Game
Ball-movement and the ability to facilitate in the transition game that the Pelicans have exhibited are perfect for a player of the caliber of Williamson. While the Spartanburg, S.C. native’s fitness has come into question on multiple occasions since his leap into the limelight, David Griffin, New Orleans’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations has spoken quite bluntly on the topic, saying that Zion is ‘in elite condition.’
Williamson’s ability to run the floor and make high-flying dunks was shown at Duke, with players like R.J. Barrett and Tre Jones lofting up dimes to Williamson for thunderous slams.
Now imagine that with Lonzo Ball.
Pels GM David Griffin, pushing back on suggestions that weight has factored in Zion Williamson's knee injury, said just now after shootaround: "He's in elite condition"
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 22, 2019
Ball, known as likely one of the best passers we’ve seen in years coming out of the NBA Draft in 2017, will thrive as we’ve never seen before at the point guard position for New Orleans. While Ball has progressed — maybe not as quickly as some would like — the UCLA product still has plenty of potential to fulfill in his young NBA career. If Ball can stay healthy and the pair continues to reside in the Big Easy together, there may be many more years to come of the impeccable fast breaks that Ball can initiate.
In the ball-movement category, Williamson will be nothing but ecstatic about the frequent maneuvering of the rock. Being the team player, leader and culture changer that he is, Zion will do nothing but thrive off the constant ball-movement. Presuming that the shooting woes for the Pelicans subside, the motion of the ball will free up more and more easy buckets for Zion.