NBA insider Marc Stein reported recently that the New Orleans Pelicans want to make things work with former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson (subscription required). The 2025-26 season will be his sixth, and he's failed to live up to the hype, spending more time off the court than on it.
New Orleans fired David Griffin at the end of this past season, replacing him with Joe Dumars. The new regime sent Williamson to the draft lottery, a sign that the 24-year-old won't be traded this summer. However, that doesn't mean he should feel comfortable. The February trade deadline proved that any player can be traded at a moment's notice, no matter how good they are.
Williamson's biggest offseason goal should be preparing his body to play as many games as possible next season. It'd be a win if he hits the 70-game mark like in 2023-24. The Pelicans need Zion to be at his best to stay in Play-In Tournament range in a stacked conference. The offseason hasn't officially begun, and the West has already gotten stronger with the Mavericks and Spurs getting the top two picks in the draft. How lucky are the Pelicans to be in the Southwest Division?
The 2025-26 season will be telling for Zion and the Pelicans
New Orleans needs more than Zion to put itself in the best position to win, starting with who the team selects with the No. 7 pick. Maybe the Pelicans will go with another Blue Devil, like Kon Knueppel or Khaman Maluach. Dumars is reportedly still deciding whether to prioritize Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk in free agency (Brown might be as good as gone anyway).
A lot of things will need to go in New Orleans' way next season, including healthy seasons for Trey Murphy and Herb Jones. Zion will be the one to decide which direction the team goes in, as he gives them the best chance to win. It'll be yet another season for Zion to prove himself — fans can only hope the result will be different from years past.
Maybe Zion won't last the full season with the Pelicans if they get off to a bad start. Or perhaps he'll be one of the top names on the trade market next summer if New Orleans' playoff aspirations fall short.
All Zion can do is focus what's in his control. If he does that, good things will follow.