I may live to regret this take, but I believe Zion Williamson and Derik Queen can become one of the NBA’s better pairings. It will come down to surrounding their stars with the appropriate defensive-minded players.
At first glance, the numbers don’t support that optimism. The duo posted a negative net rating while sharing the floor this past season, and critics are quick to point out the fit concerns. Both former first-round picks have defensive limitations, and each is most effective with the ball in his hands. But as Pelicans President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars recently noted, it takes time for players to learn how to complement one another.
That’s why patience is key. That's right, I'm preaching patience. Queen just completed his rookie season and still has plenty of room to grow. The Maryland standout and Williamson didn’t even log a full season together, and developing real chemistry doesn’t happen overnight.
Offensively, though, the potential is obvious. Williamson and Queen are both gifted playmakers with strong vision and passing instincts. While they thrive with the ball in their hands, neither needs to be taking shots to influence the game on the offensive side of the ball. With more reps and the right coaching, their two-man game could evolve into a legitimate strength and, eventually, one of the league’s more dynamic offensive pairings.
I will submit that defense is not a strength for either player, though Williamson has shown flashes when he’s in shape and fully engaged. The good news is, there are three other players on the court and the Pelicans already have some good defensive stoppers on the roster. It may end up being a matter of what personnel coaches put around their star players.
The Pelicans have the necessary pieces on defense
The Pelicans have a number of above-average to great defenders on the perimeter in Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey, Herb Jones and Micha Peavy. Any combination of those players will help on the defensive side of the ball. The last piece would be a rim protector. The Pelicans already have one in Yves Missi but could always search for another impact defender down low this offseason. Either way, I think the Pelicans have the defensive talent to help mitigate Williamson and Queen’s defensive shortcomings.
Time will tell if the Williamson-Queen pairing will work. One thing that I know for sure is that the more time the Pelicans’ stars spend playing together, the better they will become. They will hopefully have a full offseason and training camp to work together.
As a fan, I am excited to see what they can do on the offensive side of the ball, and I believe the Pelicans already have the personnel to help on the defensive side of the ball. There hasn’t been a lot for Pelicans fans to get excited about recently, but they have two supremely talented players in Williamson and Queen; they just need to figure out how to make them work together.
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