Generally speaking, the expectations for an NBA team stay low when they’re without the guy who’s widely regarded as their most important player.
That was the situation in the Big Easy heading into the 2021-22 season. It was never clear when franchise player Zion Williamson would return to action. In the end, he never did.
That should have hurt the Pelicans worse than it did. Yes, Brandon Ingram is an All-Star caliber talent, but Williamson is supposed to be their game-changer. However, in his absence, something miraculous happened: They won games anyway.
Enough games, in fact, to make an appearance in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Next year, they’ll be looking to capitalize on that momentum with Williamson returning to the team.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: ‘I Do Want To Be Here’: Zion Williamson Embracing New Orleans Pelicans As NBA Home
A couple of win-now trades could land this group in the Western Conference’s upper echelon.
Here are three that find Myles Turner on the New Orleans Pelicans.