New Orleans Pelicans: The offensive evolution of Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson moving better off the ball

Another shift in Williamson’s offense has been his movement off the ball. Typically, the former number one pick starts possessions near the baseline so that he can go into the post or find a good angle to face his defender up. A smattering of cuts has been added to this.

This is a great way to use Zion Williamson and it is one I have longed for since the start of the season. Because of Williamson’s strength and explosiveness, his movement has a ton of gravity that Stan Van Gundy can exploit to get points for himself and the Pelicans.

Against the Lakers, Williamson got his first two points off a cut. The New Orleans Pelicans have many capable ballhandlers on the roster and I think it’s a waste if they just feed Williamson through entry passes.

Below, a pick-and-roll results in Nickeil Alexander-Walker being matched up with Marc Gasol and Dennis Schroeder on Steven Adams. Williamson is being guarded by Anthony Davis, who is distracted for a split second by Adams. Although Davis sees Williamson’s cut, it’s too late by the time he receives the ball. Williamson is just too skilled around the basket and it’s an easy two points.

Another look the Pelicans used, this time versus the Kings, was Williamson as a roller. For the same reasons as cutting, I think this can be efficient for the Pelicans—even if the stats don’t back this up right now. Per NBA.com, Williamson scores under a point per possession as a roll man, although in a tiny sample size.

However, I am confident that the stats will eventually tilt towards what I’m seeing if the New Orleans Pelicans use Williamson as a roller more often, especially with Eric Bledsoe who is putting up good advanced numbers as a pick-and-roll ballhandler.

Below, however, it’s JJ Redick making the pass. The action flows into a pick-and-roll after Williamson’s handoff, and Redick executes the simple read for a bucket.

The Pelicans’ road trip has not been ideal so far, with a health and safety protocols scare for Williamson, Bledsoe missing a game, and Lonzo Ball sidelined—and that’s without mentioning the two losses to the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers that could end up being important in the ever-so-tight Western Conference.

However, it does seem like the New Orleans Pelicans are willing to write a new chapter in their offensive playbook when it comes to Zion Williamson, who for all intents and purposes remains the Pelicans’ franchise star. In my eyes, this can only be a good thing.