The New Orleans Pelicans entered the 2024-25 NBA All-Star break with a lot of questions surrounding their franchise. This year, due to a litany of injuries and the Pelicans' subsequent awful record because of their absences, New Orleans didn't have anyone representing them at All-Star Weekend, although rookie phenom Yves Missi was named a Rising Star but ultimately couldn't play because of — get this — injury.
This season was supposed to be one of introspection for the franchise. They may have dropped out of the playoff race early in the year, but it presented them with an opportunity to take a step back and truly examine their roster without the pressure of having to win games in the immediate present. In the end, the Pelicans chose to mostly stay put at the trade deadline, opting to run it back for at least another season next year.
There was speculation before the trade deadline that New Orleans might actually move Zion Williamson and commit to a teardown and rebuild around their upcoming lottery pick instead. Clearly, Executive Vice President David Griffin and the rest of the franchise brass aren't quite ready to give up on Zion yet. This season did show a significant shift in the team's philosophy though, with them reportedly making Williamson available in deals ahead of the deadline and leaving him off of their list of "untouchable" young players. Zion Williamson is no longer the face of the Pelicans' franchise, and it's for a good, albeit obvious, reason.
The Pelicans can't keep betting all of their hopes on Zion Williamson's health
This season, just like in every other year, Zion Williamson has been absolutely dominant when he's been available. He's now up to 24.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 55 percent from the field. He's also logging a career-high 2.2 combined steals and blocks a night.
If it holds, 55 percent would be the lowest field-goal percentage of Zion's young career so far. That's a testament to how unstoppable he is when he's right. The 2.2 stocks he's putting up this season are quantifiable proof of his improved conditioning, agility, and motor. He dedicated his past summer to getting his body into optimal shape to buck his negative reputation and show his commitment to winning basketball. He brought that new-and-improved physique into the regular season and has maintained it two-thirds of the way through the campaign.
Despite his renewed focus and his excellent shape, Williamson still hasn't been able to remain healthy this season. On the year, he's played in just 18 games. It's one of the primary reasons the Pelicans are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 13-42 at the All-Star break. Even when he's "healthy," he doesn't consistently play. Zion hasn't played in both legs of a single back-to-back since returning from his hamstring injury, and he's unlikely to do so for the remainder of the year considering the Pelicans' current record and their aspirations for the rest of the season.
This was supposed to be the year for Zion and the Pelicans. It's why they traded for Dejounte Murray at the top of the offseason. They truly believed that they'd get another healthy campaign from Big Z after he played in 70 games last year and could make a deep playoff run with him leading the way. But, injuries didn't just derail Williamson's season this time; they took out the Pelicans' entire core, and, with them, New Orleans's season.
After all that, it was a bit surprising to see Griffin and the Pels stay put at the deadline, aside from making two highly expected and predictable moves. New Orleans has chosen to give it another shot with Zion, at least until next season's trade deadline. But, it appears that they're operating in ways that suggest he's no longer the face of their franchise or their first priority. The Pelicans have chosen a new cornerstone, and for good reason.