NBA Rumors: Pelicans changing their approach with Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson has yet to play a game for the New Orleans Pelicans this season. He has been nursing a foot injury that required surgery over the summer.

As the season got underway, reports piled in detailing his various health issues. One of the most common claims was that the Pelicans forward weighed over 300 lbs this offseason.

For an NBA player who is only 6-6, that weight is extremely unhealthy, especially considering what Williamson looked like. He was visibly overweight and looked bigger than ever.

NBA Rumors: Pelicans changing their approach with Zion Williamson

Since then, there have been some NBA rumors stating that New Orleans has completely changed their approach in regard to protecting the health of the young superstar.

According to Brian Windhorst and Andrew Lopez, the Pelicans have “poured resources, time, and energy to protect Williamson’s health.” This includes changing his diet, recovery plan, and more. Considering how dominant he was last season, this makes total sense.

Williamson had a phenomenal rookie season, averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. The stat-line was enough to get him nominated to his first-ever All-Star game.

Unfortunately, the Pelicans have been struggling without him this season. They currently sit at 3-14, good for 14th in the Western Conference.

Jonas Valaniunas, who the team traded for this offseason, has been playing at an All-Star level, and so has former All-Star Brandon Ingram. However, it hasn’t been enough to lead the team to a solid record.

As of now, the playoffs aren’t looking like a good bet for the Pelicans. The return of Williamson could help in that regard, but only if the young star is healthy.

That’s what all of this is about, at the end of the day. The organization knows how much of a generational talent Williamson is, and they want to do everything possible to help him get healthy again.

Williamson being over 300 lbs is not good for him, the team, or the team’s chances of earning a playoff bid. They need him to be in tip-top shape and ready to dominate opposing defenses once again.

The resources they are putting into helping Williamson get healthy again will be well worth it if he can help them as much as he did last season. It’s all a matter of how quickly he can return to the court.