Each NBA team’s 2020 New Year’s resolution
New Orleans Pelicans: Be patient with Zion
There hasn’t been a rookie prospect this tantalizing since LeBron James, and possibly ever, so the urge to get him back on the floor immediately is understandable. That’s especially true for a New Orleans Pelicans team that’s floundered to an 11-23 start, which was extremely disappointing after such an impressive preseason.
But as much as Zion Williamson lit it up before the regular season began, he and the Pels are taking the right path by not rushing him back. This was supposed to be a dark horse playoff team, but that best-case scenario has quickly faded and in its place should be a more cautious approach with the new franchise phenom.
Remember, both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons missed their entire rookie seasons due to injury, and both are now superstars in this league. There is a precedent for such a gloomy situation turning out okay, and while everyone’s hoping Zion doesn’t have to miss the entire 2019-20 campaign, the Pelicans shouldn’t bring him back a second too soon unless he’s absolutely ready.