3 dream Zion Williamson co-stars to plug into Brandon Ingram's spot on Pelicans

It's unfortunate when two ultra-talented players don't gel — it happens, though. The Atlanta Hawks split up their All-Star backcourt this offseason. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray seemed to fit on paper, but at the end of the day, they are both point guards who are most effective with the ball in their hands.

The New Orleans Pelicans are in a similar predicament, though their star players don't play the same position. Brandom Ingram is a slinky scorer who keeps getting better. On the court, he's unselfish to a tee and has grown as a playmaker for others since his Los Angeles Lakers days. Ingram's co-star Zion Willamson is the modern-day Charles Barkley or a smaller Shaquille Oneal.

Willamson is similar to Barkley in that he's an undersized power forward with the might of The Hulk, who will give you 25+ a night. You'd think Zion was 6-foot-9 the way he ragdolls opponents in the paint (he's 6-foot-6). Williamson's points in the paint game are where the Shaquille Oneal comparison makes sense. Since the NBA began tracking points in the paint, only Shaquille Oneal, Giannis Antetokumnpo, and Zion Williamson have averaged at least 20 points. Williamson has proven to be a man amongst boys at every level. He needs the ball in his hand to achieve this level of dominance.

Here is where our dilemma hits us like a winter cold in Michigan. Brandon Ingram and Zion Willamson both need the rock in their hands to maximize their game. We know Williamson isn't much of a 3-point shooter, but Ingram has the skillset to shoot the ball from deep. He's more comfortable taking pull-up midranges, though.

According to Cleaning The Glass, over 58 percent of Ingram's shots were midrange shots, which ranks in the 99th percentile among wings. On the other hand, 3-pointers make up only 22 percent of Ingram's shot diet. He's shot over six threes a game in his career but hasn't reached that volume since 2021. Having two superstars who don't shoot accurately enough or frequently enough from three is a losing recipe in 2024.

Reports from the Big Bayou state that the Pelicans are open to moving Ingram. He's due for an extension, but the front office isn't sure they want to extend the 26-year-old, who was once compared to Kevin Durant. New Orleans has already committed five years and $197,230,450 to Williamson; they value his high usage paint scoring over Ingram's midrange scoring.

For the next few minutes, we're headed to the dream world. Get your best nightcap, close your eyes, and get ready to imagine an NBA world where contracts don't have to match for trades to occur. We will plug the three best players into Brandon Ingram's spot to build around Zion Williamson. We aren't worried about contracts or getting a flat-out star next to Williamson in this fantasy dream world. The fit around Williamson is the most important thing here, and to fit with Williamson, you can't be a high-usage star who is reluctant to shoot threes.

OG Anunoby

If there are two things about OG Anunoby's game that the casual fan will appreciate, they are his consistent shooting stroke and defensive versatility. The New York Knicks just extended the one-time steals leader this offseason; there's no way they're trading him already. But in our dream world, we'll examine Anunoby's glove fit alongside Williamson.

To fit nicely besides Williamson, you'd ideally be a two-way player who doesn't need the ball to score. Superstar talents like Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, and other forwards are elite scorers and versatile defenders, but they might not be the cleanest fit next to Williamson.

OG Anunoby shot 42 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts in New York. Anunoby is not a high-usage scorer who'll pound the air out of the ball. He's very comfortable playing off a superstar's gravity and hitting timely open shots — the type of player Williamson needs in that three spot next to him. OG isn't the scorer Ingram is, but he spaces the floor, allowing Zion red-carpet drives to the rim, and he's one of the most versatile defenders in basketball.

According to BBall Index, Anunoby scored an A in rim deterrence and perimeter defense. He's one of the most stout on-ball defenders, using his pterodactyl 7-foot-2 wing span to challenge shots at the basket. Anunbody is a stud-help defender who can guard up a position due to his sturdy frame. Anunoby would cover any holes in Williamsons' defense.

Anunoby could guard fives if the Pelicans ran out of a lineup of Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, OG Anunoby, and Zion Williamson. Anunoby would be a key spacer in this lineup. Imagine this defense with Herb Jones and OG Anunoby leading your troops. The number one scoring option would never get rest in this dream trade. The next dream fit would also provide a similar defensive impact (hopefully). The Knicks may be hesitant to trade him but they just moved Julius Randle for KAT and things could be more open there than they appeared to be a few weeks ago.

Jabari Smith Jr.

What has Jabari Smith Jr. accomplished to be labeled a dream fit next to anybody? I know what you're thinking but hold your horses. Projecting long term, Jabari would grow into the perfect fit next to Zion Willaimson. He's shown flashes in areas that would suit Williamson's game.

Coming out of Auburn University, Smith was labeled a 6-foot-10 Klay Thompson. Some scouts pegged his shooting as his most valuable trait over his defense. That hasn't quite translated to the NBA level yet, but he's laying a foundation. Smith shot 30 percent on five 3-point attempts in his rookie campaign and bumped that percentage to 36 on the same volume. This shows us Smith took huge strides over the offseason; he was shooting the same shots at a much more effective clip. Smith had an F openness rating, meaning teams weren't giving him much daylight to get off open shots.

When Smith develops into the 40 percent 3-point shooter he's on pace to be, the fit alongside Zion Williamson would be a chef's kiss. Smith has already flashed the ability to put the ball on the floor and take advantage of his gravity. His developing handle is a swing skill in his trajectory. If his handle gets tighter, he could be one of the main cogs on a championship team. Smith grew defensively last season as other scouts assumed defense would be his calling card.

At 6-foot-10 and with a slim frame, Smith can move laterally like someone half his size. The young big has quick feet, allowing him to mirror quick guards better than most bigs. Being in the Houston Rockets culture amplifies Smith's defensive mindset.

Defense is more complex than we make it, but effort is still a huge part of playing defense at a high level. Gaining the mentality that it's just as important to stop my man as scoring on him is essential in creating winning habits. Smith is coached by Ime Uduko, who is known for being a hard-nosed, defensive-minded coach. He's on the roster with Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, who get after it every play and will let teammates know about it. Smith is young and impressionable; this defensive mindset must be laid down as he blossoms into his peak self.

Smith played 2,424 minutes on a Hoston Rockets defense that finished seventh. He's agile enough to defend in space and has the size to challenge fives. As Smith ages, his resistance to heftier players should only grow. Right now, he can guard 2-4 consistently, but he has the tools to be a one-through-five defender at his peak. He's a low-usage shooter with massive defensive potential, which is the antidote to Brandon Ingram. His fit alongside Williamson would keep coaches up at night if he reaches said potential. Our last dream fit isn't a versatile big, but he's just about flawless as a second option.

Jalen Williams

The OKC Thunder are one of the most fortunate franchises in the association. They have superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 7-foot unicorn Chet Holmgren, and a do-it-all future All-Star in Jalen "J-dub" Williams. J-dub taking Ingram's spot on the Pelicans would juice their offense and give them different looks.

Williams looks to create for others and himself but doesn't need the ball like other stars to achieve this. According to NBA.com/stats, Williams averages 3.83 dribbles per touch. For reference, Brandon Ingram averaged 4.1 dribbles per touch, more than Zion's. Jdubs is higher, too, but if he played with Zion, that number would be lower as he'd give in to the hierarchy.

Williams is a more decisive decision-maker and makes quicker passes. Ingram has grown as a playmaker throughout his NBA tenure, but Williams entered the league with point-forward status. Where he could improve is his low 3-point volume, considering he was bull's-eye accurate last year.

After shooting a measly 2.7 3s a game in his rookie year, Williams upped that to 3.4 in his second year. We want more Jdub — especially when you're going to scorch the earth, shooting a blistering 42 percent from deep! He's such a threat to get to the rim off the catch, and shooting the ball accurately makes him more valuable. We want to see a 3-point increase, but Williams's rim game will aid Zion, too.

Williams has shot 70 percent at the rim in both seasons to jumpstart his NBA career. He is an elite finisher at his position, and this versatility makes him a nightmare cover. If he were paired with Zion, you'd have two forwards who feast when they're at the basket and a point forward who doesn't mind playing the background.

Williams already does that with Shai and Holmgren, and I struggle to find something he's bad at in a second-option role. He wet the bed in the postseason last year, but you take your blows and lumps as a young NBA player. The playoffs aren't kind to youth. He'll be back this year to redeem himself. This dream fit would become a reality if the Pelicans had it their way.