We don’t yet know what the New Orleans Pelicans’ roster will look like on the first day of the 2026–27 season, but we do know that the team’s core players are under contract. I’ve seen enough of Zion Williamson and the current roster to believe the former No. 1 overall pick’s unique offensive arsenal works best coming off the bench.
I’ve made the case for being patient with the Williamson and Derik Queen pairing, but those minutes don’t have to come at the start of the game. Ultimately, what is more important than the starters is who plays the most minutes, as well as who is closing the game. Even if Williamson doesn’t start the game, he should be closing the game on the court.
Rewind to December 14, 2025, when Williamson returned from an adductor injury. Jerimiah Fears, Herb Jones, Saddiq Bey, Trey Murphy, and Derik Queen were in the starting lineup, with Williamson coming off the bench to score 18 points in 27 minutes. The Pelicans went on to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 114–104, en route to a four-game winning streak featuring that same starting lineup and their star forward in a bench role.
Yes, it’s an extremely small sample size, but I think using Williamson as the Pelicans’ sixth man is the way to go. With Dejounte Murray already back to pre-injury form after returning from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the Pelicans have a solid starting five. A lineup of Murray, Jones, Bey, Murphy, and Queen would be formidable, and there’s a case to be made for each of them as a starter.
More flexibility is needed for the Pelicans star player
Williamson has a unique offensive game. Right now, he can’t space the floor, but he’s so dominant attacking the basket that he routinely scores while being defended by three or four players at once. The challenge is finding enough quality three-point shooters to properly space the floor around him.
The offseason hasn’t even started yet, so there still is a lot of time for Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars and General Manager Troy Weaver to change the roster to include more three-point shooters. However, with the current roster, Williamson is best coming off the bench.
Whoever ends up as the Pelicans’ head coach will have more flexibility deploying Williamson’s explosive offense in that role. Rather than forcing the entire offense to revolve around him, the coach can use him more strategically.
Credit to then-interim head coach James Borrego for making the decision to bring the Pelicans’ star off the bench. Williamson also deserves credit for embracing the role without any apparent pushback. Now the question becomes whether he’ll be willing to accept that role on a full-time basis.
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