Pelicans mock draft sets the table for future without Zion Williamson

The New Orleans Pelicans continue to stack losses. Now 5-29 on the season, it feels like a lost cause. There is so much talent on paper — this was a 49-win team a year ago — but the Pelicans just can't seem to build the necessary continuity with injuries so rampant.

It's hard to pin specific blame on a given player or coach. Willie Green can't help that all of his best players have missed significant time. We can't really criticize Zion for his historic unluckiness on the injury front. Sure, folks will berate him online for his lack of conditioning, but Williamson has never lacked talent or on-court impact. He just needs a bit of luck from the basketball gods.

What we can do, however, is wonder what the future holds for this franchise. Lest we forget, the Pelicans were aggressively adding over the summer, trading for Dejounte Murray with plans to take the next step in a competitive Western Conference. Now, just two months and change into the season, it's fair to wonder if New Orleans is heading toward a complete teardown.

Is Zion blame-worthy for all these injuries? No, but at a certain point, the Pelicans need to admit defeat. For reasons outside his control, Williamson is not a stable foundation for New Orleans, which has led to a complete and utter collapse of the entire infrastructure around him.

Should the Pelicans decide to turn the page, don't be shocked if the NBA Draft is the starting point for the next chapter. That is why Oklahoma point guard Jeremiah Fears was the No. 5 overall pick to New Orleans in the latest FanSided mock draft.

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Pelicans mock draft sets the table for future without Zion Williamson

Jeremiah Fears, the 18-year-old Sooners freshman ranked No. 5 on our updated big board, has been the biggest riser of the pre-draft process. He won't turn 19 until October and his production pops — 18.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.2 steals on .503/.306/.864 splits in 29.7 minutes. Fears did not begin the campaign as a starter, but it took him all of three games to convince Porter Moser to flip the switch. That decision has launched Oklahoma to the next level.

He isn't the most consistent producer of this freshman class, but Fears' highs are among the most impressive to date. He is pure electricity on the court, weaponizing a devastating first step to get downhill and put pressure on the defense. Fears is one of the best iso advantage creators in the draft, and there's reason to believe in the continued development of his ancillary skills.

Fears' best moments so far stem from crafty, high-speed finishes around the rim and a smooth pull-up, mid-range jumper. His 3s aren't falling with much consistency now, but Fears' mechanics are tight and there are positive indicators, from his 86.4 percent free throw clip to his feather-soft touch on floaters and shots inside the arc. Fears has no fear of shooting under duress and off the bounce, and he's already a dominant slasher.

For New Orleans, this pick would signal a fairly unambiguous desire to change direction. Not only does Fears render Dejounte Murray redundant, but he takes the ball out of Zion's hands, in theory. Williamson's best stretches in a Pelicans uniform have come as the de facto point guard. He's a source of constant rim pressure, often straight-up initiating the offense as a result. Fears is not an off-ball guard by trade. The Pelicans would, presumably, view him as the centerpiece of a rebuilt lineup.

Only time will tell, but Fears would be a great prospect to center the Pelicans' next chapter on.