How Zion Williamson's Injury Affects The New Orleans Pelicans?

There has not been a player more hyped than Zion Williamson, the hype surroundingĀ  Willamson has been increasing in each level that he plays. The kid started as an internet phenom and has made his way to Duke, where he was a player of the year and was the projected number one pick. Williamson got to the NBA and showed glimpses of his dominance, but came in with concerns about his weight his ability to play. Williamson has been in the news lately about an injury, let’s take a look at the severity of his injury and how it affects the New Orleans Pelicans.

No Zion For Opening Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTbNbpranqU

Everyone has been waiting for NBA opening night after the craziest NBA offseason to date. Everyone is also waiting to see the number one overall pick in this year’s draft. But fans will not get to see Williamson on opening night as he is out for 6-8 weeks after receiving arthroscopic surgery to address a torn right meniscus. Williamson will miss the first game on opening night as the Pelicans take on the Raptors. Williamson will lose approximately 27 games in eight weeks. New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach, Alvin Gentry, thought Williamson had injured his knee on the October 13 preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs

What Does This Mean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARPaIpKqIPY

The Pelicans are taking a significant hit with Williamson being out. The Pelicans would love to make the playoffs this year, and there was no doubt that Williamson was gonna be a big part of their offense. Williamson has been averaging 23.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Williamson was asserting himself as post bully shooting 71.4% from the field. Williamson’s weight has been a concern for him, especially for NBA scouts. Willamson weighs around 275-280 lbs, and he is only 19 years old. An injury like that could prove problematic for Williamson down the line. Williamson tends to rely on his big frame and explosiveness to make plays on both ends of the floor. So many scouts and executives believed that his weight would take a toll on his knees and would have knee issues. David Griffin, Vice President of the Pelicans, thought that his weight has nothing to do with his injury. Williamson had had knee problems in the past when he sprained his knee at Duke or him being shutout for the Summer League.
Zion Williamson joins a select group of former number one picks that missed opening day due to injuries. That list includes players like Greg Oden and Ben Simmons. Now that Williamson is out, the lineup will involve Brandon Ingram playing power forward, Derrick Favors, Lonzo Ball, J.J Reddick, and Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans will be relying on Ingram for a significant portion of their offense. Now that Williamson is not there, they will try to stretch the floor more instead of relying on the pick and roll. Fans will await the return of their franchise star.

NBA Power Rankings 2019-2020: Rankings & Season Preview
NBA Power Rankings 2019-2020: Rankings & Season Preview
Read More:
BasketballNBA