Can a healthy Zion still revitalize the Pelicans?

For Pelicans fans, there may always be some questions in their minds:

If Zion can stay healthy, what will the team be like?

If this young core can grow as expected after entering the league, what level will it be now?

If this team's young potential could be fully realized, wouldn't they have entered the playoffs long ago?

For these questions, it seems that the answers can be seen at the beginning of each new season, but every time in the middle of the season, unexpected injuries always occur, which in turn delays the realization of the team's talents. But for the 2026 season that has just started, it seems that the situation will be somewhat different.

The core of all this situation is still Zion Williamson.

This player who embodies the team's hopes and frustrations has been a spectacle on the NBA court since he entered the league in 2019. The size of a peripheral player, coupled with the explosiveness of top talent, can crush any level of defender in the offense. Even if he has no achievements so far, he is still worth looking forward to. As long as he stays healthy, he will be the most difficult offensive killer in the league to defend.

And this is precisely his biggest doubt. Staying healthy has always been Zion's biggest obstacle. After entering the league for five seasons, Zion only played 60 games in two seasons. Injuries linger like a shadow, and outside fans continue to question whether the Pelicans at this stage can really build a playoff team with him as the cornerstone and core.

But in the summer of 2025, the story began to take a turn.

Some reporters reported that when reporting for training camp, Zion became noticeably leaner and stronger than last season, and began to show some rare concentration. When all this news was widely reported, the negative discussions surrounding his weight in the past gradually became positive.

The young player seems to be ready to take on the responsibility of team leader again.

But compared to before, Zion is no longer the only one in the Pelicans story. Over the past two seasons, the Pelicans have quietly built one of the strongest team defenses in the league. Herbert Jones at the forward position has emerged strongly, relying on his wingspan and mobility to become the league's top outside defender.

In addition, Trey Murphy, who partners with Jones, has gradually gotten rid of the limitations of shooters and begun to develop in a 3D direction, and has even begun to show the value of taking over the second offensive point. The two teamed up to give the Pelicans an offensive and defensive combination on the wings that could open up offensive space and defend multiple positions, coupled with Alvarado, a sharp stealer who ran all over the court.

As far as the reality is concerned, the Pelicans have built a defensive team in the backcourt and wings that is enough to become the core of the team.

In the past season, defense has not been the focus of the Pelicans, but it may be the key foundation for them to gradually move towards victory. Especially in the Western Conference, which is full of offense, being able to have versatile defenders who can cope with various lineups is even more difficult to calculate the value to the game.

In addition to the original team, the Pelicans' attitude towards strengthening the lineup can also be seen by referring to the team's operations during the offseason. After going through ups and downs with the Warriors and Wizards, Poole now has a chance to prove himself with the Pelicans. It is foreseeable that in the new season, Poole will not have to shoulder the responsibility of the team's main scorer, but may more likely play the third offensive option and become the auxiliary offensive firepower behind Zion and Murphy.

Based on previous performance, when serving as the team's main force, Poole's offensive touch is indeed prone to ups and downs, but when he gets into a rhythm, he can still play a decisive role in the outcome of the game; especially in key battles where hand-to-hand encounters occur, Poole still has the potential to become an X factor.

In addition to Poole, another new player, center Rooney, has declined significantly in the Warriors, but it just makes up for the Pelicans' shortcomings in the interior over the years. Excellent championship experience and a strong playing style are also what the young Pelicans lack.

This veteran who won three championships with the Warriors, although his personal data is mediocre, he can still cause headaches for his opponents by relying on rebounds, screens and defensive positioning. Considering that the Pelicans often lose control at the end of games, the calm temperament brought by insider Rooney may have a chance to become an important stabilizing factor for the team.

Looking at the new season, the biggest advantage of this Pelicans mainly lies in the continuity of the lineup and the maturity of the players.

The current Pelicans are no longer a rebuilding team from scratch. Three years ago, they won 49 games and once reached the top position in the Western Conference in the middle of the season. Even though Zion was absent at the time, the Pelicans still performed strongly against the Suns in the playoffs, which was enough to see the potential upper limit of this team's role lineup.

In the core team of the playoffs at that time, Alvarado, Murphy, Jones, Zion and others were still in the lineup. The difference is that this group of players is more mature and experienced. At the same time, they are also burdened with memories of past failures. For these teams in the middle of the division, the key to their ups and downs is often player experience, and the current Pelicans happen to be quietly accumulating these valuable experiences.

For the Pelicans, they know how injuries affect the team's progress, and they also know what it is like to lose a series that they had a chance to win. Now, with a healthier lineup and a star leader who is still at his peak, the Pelicans are ready to translate game experience into regular season results at least in the offseason.

Of course, the competition in the Western Conference in the new season is still fierce. The Thunder, Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves are all strong teams in the playoffs. The Warriors and Los Angeles duo are also eyeing the second tier.. Just considering that the strength of the NBA teams in the new season is more polarized than before, teams with extremely high upper and lower limits such as the Pelicans do have the opportunity to achieve some breakthrough results in the past.

Looking at the 2025-26 season, their goals are clear. If Zion can stay healthy and the team lineup can run smoothly, this young team should still have a chance to win at least 45 wins, or even reach 50 wins, and enter the top six safe playoff seats in the Western Conference.

But on the other hand, if unexpected injuries strike again, or Zion's condition declines, then the doubts of the past will reappear, and the potential waiting to be realized will also turn into a heavy burden, continuing to drag this team downwards.

The Pelicans' new season is not just about competing for victory, but more about proving that they are capable of getting rid of the infinite if theory of the past. Now they have a lot of ingredients for success: a superstar ready to return to the top of the league, a defensive system that can withstand the Western Conference's firepower, and a group of role players who can fill in the gaps when the main players rest.

This may also be the first time in many years that the Pelicans are no longer trapped in the if theory.