3 adjustments Alvin Gentry needs to make after All-Star break

Even More Zion at Center

One of the weapons that Gentry has at his disposal is using Williamson as a small ball center. This is obviously something that cannot be used exclusively, but the Pelicans can pick spots to go small and potentially run other teams off the floor. The Derrick Favors/Zion pairing can work, as Favors provides valuable rim protection and allows Williamson to roam more freely and try to get out on the break, but at times Favors clogs the lane and doesn’t give Zion enough room to operate.

Williamson draws so much attention in the paint that it only makes sense to surround him with shooters and let him go to work on the post where he commands a double team and can pass out for open three-pointers. Williamson needs more run with Nicolo Melli, and J.J. Redick, two players who play almost exclusively on the perimeter and can make teams pay for double teaming Zion. Gentry needs to adjust his rotations to get these players more time together at the ends of quarters, when the Pelicans have been losing ground of late with Williamson on the bench.

The Pelicans are currently 4th in the NBA in three-point percentage and when their offense is flowing it is a thing of beauty. Zion has played approximately 46% of his time at center and that number should go up when Brandon Ingram returns. Gentry is going to have lineups that can absolutely run teams off the floor with spacing and it starts with Zion at center.