Zion Williamson’s Starting 5 Skill Set Developments: Summer League Edition

3) The New Orleans Pelicans are on the constant lookout for available shooting talent. Until Zion Williamson makes opposing teams respect his three-point range, he could find the paint packed to thwart any drives.

The modern NBA is a shooters league. Zion Williamson’s body and game fit the 1980s perfectly, but that does not help the team. Williamson has to develop consistency on a year-2020 jumper to realize his full potential.

Williamson knows it is a make-or-miss league. He has been impressed with the spacing which is due to the shooting proficiency of the surrounding talent. He told Jim Eichenhofer after a recent New Orleans Pelicans practice:

"“(In NBA), everybody can shoot. You can’t really help (defensively) too much, otherwise it’s an open three. I love the spacing. It’s almost like a dream come true for me. Because every time I attack the basket, there is space.”"

Zion Williamson has to prove he should be included in that statement. He only shot 68 percent while at Duke University. Most of his shots were layups or dunks.

A consistent jumper comes from a solid foundation. Williamson’s weight has been questioned as much as his shot mechanics. Fears that Williamson could become too big to play too far from the rim are probably overstated.

DeMarcus Cousins was useful even after his Achilles injury, mainly because he could shoot three points effectively. Williamson will look to step into plenty of open jumpers in Las Vegas. Not every play requires a contact-inducing drive.

Williamson should look to take at least two trail-man three-point attempts per game this summer. He should actively look for these opportunities. The coaches should point them out when he misses his chance.

Exerting extra energy to crash a board is not a smart play. Cousins was hurt over-extending on a missed free throw. Playing smarter in these moments would allow Zion to play harder at the end of the game. That is when weary legs under a heavy body can leave shots short, especially in an 82-game season.

His catch-and-shoot three-pointer form should get some practice as well. The New Orleans Pelicans coaching staff knows Williamson can catch and drive. Find a couple of spots per game to run Williamson off a pin-down screen.

Can he catch and shoot without hesitation? Can he do so consistently, or at least enough to create other options because the defense respects his game? There should be opportunities, especially on an inbounding play with an exhausted shot clock. It will be interesting to see if he takes those chances, and how the coaching staff reacts.