Vibes are high after the New Orleans Pelicans' third win of the season. This win meant a lot—it was the first of the post-Willie Green era, and it also snapped a nine-game losing skid.
All game, the Pelicans pounded the paint as the Chicago Bulls played without two of their key big men, Nikola Vučević and Zach Collins. With the game plan being to attack the basket because of the Bulls' lack of size, it was no surprise that Zion Williamson performed the way he did.
Z finished the night with 29 points and shot an efficient 8/14 from the field to go with two rebounds and one assist. This performance from Williamson felt like vintage fresh out of Duke Zion, but fans can’t let one game cloud their judgment surrounding him and his future with the Pelicans.
It is true that winning cures all, but at the same time, the Pelicans were one bad quarter away from losing their 10th straight game. And a primary reason for New Orleans' being on that losing streak was Williamson’s inability to stay on the court.
We all know Williamson is an incredible player who can be a number one option on a playoff team when healthy. But the keyword there is 'healthy,' because he’s rarely that. Before this season, Williamson had only appeared in 214 of his potential 400 games, and if he keeps on the pace he’s been on to start this campaign, Williamson is only expected to play between 36 and 37 games this season.
A few good games can’t distract you from the glaring health issues.
Williamson's counting stats are still really impressive. To start this season, he’s averaging 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals, but the one stat category he’s struggling in is the same one he always does…games played. The Pelicans' front office has to realize that if they continue this cycle of building around Williamson and expecting him to stay healthy for more than 40 games, they will remain perennial bottom feeders.
Season after season, there is hype surrounding the Pelicans and what they can do as a healthy team heading into the season. And while it looks good for maybe five to ten games, it always comes crashing and burning with a Williamson injury.
While Zion Williamson is a walking highlight reel who can put butts in seats when he plays, at a certain point, enough is enough—we have to stop drinking the Kool-Aid. And wake up to realize that the front office's reliance on Williamson as a franchise player is not just a disservice to the fans but to Williamson himself. It's time the front office gives both the Pelicans and Williamson a fresh start apart from one another.