New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson primed for NBA’s return

With the NBA preparing for its return, there are plenty of exciting storylines. Zion Williamson having a chance to make the playoffs is one of them.

The long-awaited return of the NBA is now only a month away, with play resuming from July 30 at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The excitement surrounding the league’s return has been evident since the season was put on halt due to the pandemic, but with only a matter of weeks until it returns there are plenty of things to talk about. One of the biggest stories is rookie sensation Zion Williamson, who will return with the New Orleans Pelicans, as they look to make a run at the playoffs and according to reports, he is ready to go.

The Pelicans are currently three and a half games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings. The eight games that each team will play in Orlando, to end the regular season, will provide Williamson and the Pelicans with a realistic opportunity of making this season’s postseason.

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There is plenty of competition as the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings are both level in the standings with the Pelicans, and the San Antonio Spurs only sit half a game back, but it gives New Orleans a chance to end this long season on a high, nonetheless.

Williamson’s rookie year has been a delight to watch. He’s played just 19 games but has shown glimpses of absolute brilliance each time that he’s stepped out onto the floor. It looks certain that Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant’s performances this year will be enough to make him the Rookie of the Year, but Zion has a chance to make big things happen when all eyes will be on him later this summer.

According to reports from ESPN, Williamson has spent a lot of time at the Pelicans’ training facility during the extended break that everybody has had to endure. He was granted special access to use the area to deal with his injuries and conditioning and to prepare to return when the league does.

The Pelicans struggled at times this year but with Brandon Ingram having himself a breakout year, and then the team being strengthened with the return of Zion, they’ve made strides in the right direction. Williamson’s presence alone will bring the team to new levels when going up against sides that they’ll face down this quick stretch to end the regular season. There are no expectations for the 2019-20 Pelicans now, just anticipation and excitement about what could happen here and what kind of show Zion will be able to put on in Orlando.

In the 19 games that Zion Williamson appeared in, he averaged a dominant 23.6 points per game and his usage rate stood at 29.6 percent. He’s a player who is going to make special things happen whenever the ball is in his hands, even in his first year in the league. With the players around him in Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball, there will certainly be reluctance in opponents’ confidence while going up against this team, especially as every game from here on out may as well be a playoff game.