The Pelicans are heading into the season with plenty of uncertainty, but Zion Williamson is giving them at least one reason to look up.
According to The Athletic’s William Guillory, Williamson checked into camp at 271 pounds, down from the 284-pound weight he’s been listed at for most of his career. That came after an offseason in which he and trainer Chrisp “spent the entire offseason together and doubled down on their work,” with Chrisp also posting videos and updates on X and Instagram showing Williamson’s summer workouts and the progress they’ve made.
For a player whose career has too often been shaped by injuries and questions about conditioning, the number matters. Williamson, 26, entered the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2019 after a standout run at Duke, and the expectations were enormous from the start. But his rookie year lasted only 24 games, and availability has remained the central issue ever since.
There has also been long-running criticism about his weight and fitness. Williamson has frequently played near 300 pounds, and the concern around him has been that carrying that kind of load could affect both his durability and his effectiveness. Last season offered a small step forward on the availability front, with Williamson appearing in a career-high 62 games.
That’s part of why this slimmer version of Zion is drawing attention now. If he can keep the weight off and carry it into the season, the Pelicans may finally get the most mobile and most explosive version of him yet.
The on-court production is already there. Williamson averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game last season while shooting 60.0% from the field. The next leap comes down to whether he can stay on the floor long enough to build on it.
If that happens, New Orleans could at least have a foundation to work with, especially with Jordan Poole, Trey Murphy III, Derik Queen, and Dejounte Murray in the mix. For a team coming off a 26-56 season and facing a rebuild with no clear roadmap, Zion’s body might end up telling the biggest story of all.
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The uncertainty matters because the Pelicans are still trying to sort out how they will fix the weaknesses that have held them back while also keeping player development pointed toward a playoff timeline. With outside analysts and rankings already questioning the quality and direction of the front offices decisions, Dumars comments did little to calm the sense that New Orleans still has some big-picture clarity to find. [Read more 🡒]