Pelicans projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
New Orleans Pelicans starting power forward: Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson has been a source of controversy off the court for myriad reasons, some more valid than others. The conditioning concerns are real. Williamson has played over 60 regular season games once in four years. There aren't many players built like Williamson, and none stress their knees/ankles/feet in the way Zion does with his atomically explosive leaping force. He does need to work harder than most to keep his body in peak physical shape.
For the first time, this summer involved genuine Zion trade rumors. There were reports that the front office legitimately mulled over the possibility of moving on from the former No. 1 pick, which would have been unthinkable even a year ago. Fans are growing restless, as is the organization. All that is understandable.
At the end of the day, however, Zion is one of the best players in the NBA. Straight up. Injuries have robbed him of appearances, but he has never been less than elite when on the court. Williamson is impossible to keep away from the rim, and he's impossible to stop once he gets there. Teams actively sag off Williamson at the 3-point line and it doesn't matter. He's unreasonably quick for a 6-foot-6, 284-pound forward. Zion's first step and subsequent ability to change direction is unmatched at his position. Add in the brick wall of muscle and ability to walk on air, and you have the league's best under-seven-foot rim finisher.
Williamson doesn't just score either. He operates as the Pelicans' lead ball-handler, kickstarting fast breaks off the rebound or initiating the halfcourt offense with his constant rim pressure and underrated passing chops. He's a unique offensive hub, the sun around which a healthy Pelicans offense orbits. The Pelicans, at full strength, will score more points than 90 percent of the league. It's a given. Williamson will make a lot of preseason player rankings look terribly nearsighted if he can stay on the floor.
Primary backup power forward: Naji Marshall
Naji Marshall has emerged as a rotation staple for the Pelicans, who should have no shortage of quality wing defenders next season. Marshall is built strong at 6-foot-7, capable of handling bulkier wings on defense and splashing a few 3s on offense.
The numbers don't leap off the page — 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists on .433/.303/.789 splits in 23.3 minutes — but Marshall does the dirty work, screening and cutting on offense, making the extra pass, and leaning into the confines of his role. On defense, he's pure hustle. Marshall isn't the flashiest Pels player, but he will earn his chunk of minutes.
Other players who could receive minutes at power forward: Larry Nance Jr., Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram