During a recent interview with ANDSCAPE Joe Dumars spoke about many things. He touched on why he drafted Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, discussed why he traded for Jordan Poole, provided an update on Dejounte Murray's recovery, and much more. But what stood out the most was what he had to say about Zion Williamson. Dumars said.
"We are in constant contact with each other. I've talked to him about the responsibility of being great and the responsibility of being a leader, of being a captain, of being the best player, of being the face of a franchise. I've talked to him about how all of those things come with responsibility and how it's time now at 25 years old to embrace those responsibilities."
This quote from Dumars makes it clear that Williamson will continue to be the face of the Pelicans franchise in the future. Dumars' admitting to his close relationship with Williamson and the fact that they are in constant contact is something that shows he is invested in the 25-year-old star. After all the criticism Williamson has faced, receiving this type of endorsement from the GM suggests that the Pelicans and Dumars are committed to building around Williamson long-term.
In this quote, Dumars also highlights that being a leader and a captain should be Williamson's next step. When Zion was drafted in 2020, the Pelicans had vets like Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, and Derrick Favors. Now, Williamson is the veteran; he is expected to be a leader in the locker room and on the court, alongside other veterans like Kevon Looney and Dejounte Murray. He is also now the longest-tenured player on the team, and with that comes more responsibility than ever before.
Williamson sticking around should excite fans
The Pelicans have never really been a free agent destination. New Orleans' biggest free agent signing ever was either Julius Randle back in 2018 or Peja Stojaković in 2006; outside of those two, the Pels have never made a true splash in free agency. New Orleans not being a place star players are dying to go to makes it even clearer how keeping an all-star like Zion Williamson around long-term is essential.
Williamson has never once mentioned wanting to leave and has embraced the city and its fans. Obviously, he's had his fair share of injuries and off-court issues, but I believe Joe Dumars is the perfect guy to continue holding him accountable. When healthy, Williamson is arguably a top 15 player in the league and can be the best player on a competitive playoff team, so keeping him around is in the Pelicans' best interest.
If the Pelicans have another down year next season, there's no doubt in my mind that Dumars and his staff will open discussions around trading the former No. 1 overall pick. But for now, it seems the Pelicans and Williamson are committed to one another, which sets this team up for an exciting 2025-26 season.