3 biggest needs the New Orleans Pelicans must address in the 2021 NBA off-season

Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans drives to the basket.
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans drives to the basket.

#1 The New Orleans Pelicans must keep Zion Williamson comfortable and surround him with shooters

Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans.

The New Orleans Pelicans' hope for the present and future is Zion Williamson. Reports are not facts, but if there is noise surrounding certain situations, it is because someone is not feeling as comfortable as that individual hopes.

Reports that Zion Williamson was unhappy with the New Orleans Pelicans' situation emerged after the NBA regular season, but talks about him leaving the Pels have not been noisy lately.

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If he stays with the team, the front office must work to keep Zion, a first-time All-Star last year, as happy as possible with the franchise on and off the court.

Last season, the New Orleans Pelicans' offense was led by a sophomore Williamson, who averaged 27 points, seven rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He also shot 61% from the field and made around 70% of his free throws.

At the start of the campaign, Williamson was not getting as many touches as he should've on offense when Brandon Ingram was guiding the attack. However, as the season progressed, the team worked around Williamson as he went on attack, and he worked tremendously.

His scoring efficiency is great and he can impose his offensive game on almost every defender. Still, it wasn't enough for the New Orleans Pelicans to win with consistency, and that's something to address.

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The team made only 34.8% of its three-point attempts in the regular season, which ranked them 26th among the 30 NBA teams in the 2020-21 campaign. For the upcoming campaign, the New Orleans Pelicans might not have one of the two best shooters on the team, Lonzo Ball.

Surrounding Williamson with shooters could work magnificently for the team's offense, while Zion's own defense should improve to help the New Orleans Pelicans reach an NBA Playoffs spot next year.


Also read: 5 NBA players who showcased All-Star potential during the 2020-21 season

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