Pelicans News: Zion Williamson’s Weight Transformation Sparks Uncertainty in Front Office’s Key Decision

The New Orleans Pelicans have a major problem: Zion Williamson appears to be in great shape. The electrifying forward has been hailed as the franchise’s centerpiece for years. However, his inconsistency, largely due to injuries, has never allowed the Pelicans to view him as the centerpiece of the puzzle. But now that he’s back in full health, the organization has some decisions to make.

Since the beginning of the offseason, it was thought that the Pelicans would want to bring in star forward Brandon Ingram. The sentiment was amplified when they traded Dejounte Murray, adding another offensive threat in addition to Williamson and veteran CJ McCollum. However, after watching the Boston Celtics come out on top with their crack roster, do the Pelicans have a chance to do the same thing? Kevin O’Connor and Chris Vernon of The Ringer couldn’t come to a mutual conclusion.

O’Connor thought the Pelicans might consider keeping the core of the team after the season is over. Vernon, however, wants Ingram gone, which would make this system a Zion Williamson-centric one. But would it hurt to at least take a chance? Especially considering the market has dried up for the wiry forward. Vernon was willing to give in, but on one condition.

“The sooner the Pelicans realize that Zion Williamson is the best player, that he needs to take as many shots as possible and that everyone will revolve around him, the better it will be for the franchise.” he said.

The Pelicans have never had a defender as solid as Zion Williamson. But now that he’s looking great in his new form, the organization could test out its star trio. When playing together, Williamson and Ingram have both thrived, averaging at least 22 points. Additionally, the Pelicans have won 79 of their 148 games.

Now, they also have a better defensive lineup with Dejounte Murray expected to be the starting point guard. Zion Williamson, who has his old defensive back, could open the field for an assassin like BI. There’s a wide-open playing field that could be a big money winner for the Pelicans if the experiment goes well. If not, they could find a trade for Ingram at the trade deadline.

However, if they can build a sustainable team without breaking their core, the Pelicans should take that risk.

Pelicans and Brandon Ingram have no interest in parting ways

The Pelicans never wanted to part ways with Brandon Ingram. They always considered him part of their plans. It’s just a matter of financial hardship to extend his stay. After the current season, BI becomes a free agent eligible to sign a $208 million contract extension. With the plethora of talent the Pelicans have, they’re not in a position to blindly hand out such a lucrative extension. It remains to be seen if their team’s dynamic translates into significant improvement.

However, Ingram has expressed his desire to remain a Pelicans player. And even Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin spoke in the same breath as the 6-foot-10 forward. “In some markets, you don’t have to make decisions: you get a max, then a max, then a max, and you accumulate talent. We’re not in that market. So we’re going to have to make sure that the fit is right and that we can keep the group together. So if there’s a way to do that with Brandon in a sustainable way, we want to do it. And I think he feels the same way,” said Griffin.

So even if their test with the revamped core is a success, there is no guarantee that it will remain the same. This could be the worst problem the franchise could have. Ingram would be the first of many to make a sacrifice if they wanted to stay intact and grow in New Orleans, similar to what Jalen Brunson recently did for the Knicks. Either way, the Pelicans will be forced to pay dearly while their franchise players will have to make adjustments to accommodate the components around them.

Are those sacrifices reasonable when the Pelicans have yet to make significant progress? It’s a tough choice for Brandon Ingram.