Are Pelicans Only Team Betting Their Future On a 2 Point Shooter ?

[Randyfan]

Zion only shoots 2 pointers within a few feet from basket.He is incredibly capable doing this. He is almost unstoppable. SO WHAT
1.Why has he not learned to hit a 3 point shot with proficiency ?
2. He is injured all the time.
3. He gets overweight
4. I question his character ( Choose your own problem with him)
5. Isn't the NBA about 3 point shooting ( Name me a team with their primary superstar who ONLY shoots 2s)
6. Who does he make better (This could be Willie?)
7. Tell me his friends on the team (dearth of articles about Zion and any team player and/or team)
8.Has he adopted this city? Maybe I missed it.
9. The last few weeks his +/- is good prior its been bad
10.Because of him we have to have a center who can rebound shoot 3s block shots and sit on the bench out of Zion's way to play. (This is the absolute reason we should just cut him)

[JJackisangry]

Zion only shoots 2 pointers within a few feet from basket.He is incredibly capable doing this. He is almost unstoppable. SO WHAT
1.Why has he not learned to hit a 3 point shot with proficiency ?
2. He is injured all the time.
3. He gets overweight
4. I question his character ( Choose your own problem with him)
5. Isn't the NBA about 3 point shooting ( Name me a team with their primary superstar who ONLY shoots 2s)
6. Who does he make better (This could be Willie?)
7. Tell me his friends on the team (dearth of articles about Zion and any team player and/or team)
8.Has he adopted this city? Maybe I missed it.
9. The last few weeks his +/- is good prior its been bad
10.Because of him we have to have a center who can rebound shoot 3s block shots and sit on the bench out of Zion's way to play. (This is the absolute reason we should just cut him)

My problem with Zion is he is too high maintenance. I blame the league and its horrendous officiating partially for that one. The issue is less that he can't make 3's and more that players are allowed to get away with an absurd amount of contact on him without a whistle. There are games where several players would have fouled out if they actually called fouls for Zion. But that is why I believe he is too difficult to build around. We had a super team last year. Part of the reason we struggled mightily for long stretches is (Willie's coaching) and Zion's shortcomings. Teams would just go zone and we would try to bulldoze our way through it or freeze up. If the NBA was fair, Zion would make more sense. The fact that he is undersized and allowed to be abused at the rim, I think he is one of those stars that is a great player but not actually effective at winning games for the reasons mentioned.

[Randyfan]

I agree it's the Shaq effect too big too strong to call a foul (this should be point number 11)

[donato]

He's been a lot better?

The fact of the matter is, we are almost forced to see how this plays out with him on this team. The good news is he's been the best he's ever been lately and he's still youngish. If we were to get lucky and get Cooper Flagg (assuming he's as good as promised), I think with health and good coaching we'd automatically be contending.

[Randyfan]

I don't think you can read number 10 here it is more readable:
10.Because of him we have to have a center who can rebound shoot 3s block shots and sit on the bench out of Zion's way to play. (This is the absolute reason we should just cut him)

[Fedupfan]

I don’t necessarily think they are building around him anymore. I think they are building around Trey and Herb. But, Zion is the perfect compliment to Trey and Herb is the way I look at it. Draft a PG in this draft that can grow with them. Pels are doing their best not to be able to get Flagg.

[donato]

I think they're definitely building around him as they should. He looks amazing since coming back.

[Nichols]

I think they're definitely building around him as they should. He looks amazing since coming back.

Agreed. You don't trade him unless he demands it. I'd only consider it if he has a few more years of playing half a season.

[JJackisangry]

I can't really judge Zion on how he looks now in a dead season. I feel like that is a trap. It is much easier to perform when there is little to no pressure on you. If you want to persist with Zion, you have to get a better damned coach. You have to build a team that can stretch the floor and you have to have someone that can dictate the game alongside him. You have to be able to win games without him. The only way I can see a Zion team winning a championship is if you can ride homecourt advantage and limit his time on the court to a reasonable amount. If we don't think we can do that, try to get the best value you can for him.

[donato]

The 28 minutes a game and no back to backs seems to be working for him. Just keep doing that. Maybe in some playoff games you stretch the minutes, but there really isn't a reason to do it in the regular season going forward. I definitely agree we need a different coach next year. Hopefully the lottery works out, could be huge.

[ml wave]

Just cut him. Good call. Brilliant.

[P_B_&_G]

Just cut him. Good call. Brilliant.

Or call the Mavs, might be able to get Kyrie and AD for him!

[Randyfan]

Clearly the point I was making is that he is not the be all. He is valuable but no where near a superstar. To base a team on Zion, as if he is a superstar would be doomed.

[Blattman]

To answer on your point 5 on the OP, Milwaukee built a championship team with Giannis so 3point shooting is not a must-have for a superstar. What really matters is his ability to score efficiently.

Now your questionning the possibility of building a championship roster with him as the centerpiece is quite valid. Zion's skillset and measurements command a very specific supporting cast and in the meantime you have also to build a roster that can compensate his time of unavailability.

In my opinion, it's impossible to build such team. If I was in the FO, I'd go with building the team around another player and using Zion, when available, as the secondary star. Given his salary, it might not be doable but the pels better try since I don't see another path towards contention.

[Pierre Pelican]

Look at the attention he gets when he gets in the paint. He is so good and so physical that he demands that attention which opens up the 3 pointer for the other players. I think with that very high draft pick we get this year we need a two way star that has the 3 point shot. Pair him with Z. I have been pretty disappointed with the Pelicans 3 point production this year. It needs to improve. Why has Trigga regressed? It's bad enough that Hawkins is a shadow of his pre back injury self. 3 point shooting percentage is way down this season.

[13 - 3]

Think of what you could get if you trade him. Some of the draft picks we got from Davis / Lakers draft picks materialized well. Herb Jones, Trey Murphy . Didn’t want to pay Ingram but paid Zion . How much longer do you want to give Zion? How is it working out for the Sixers keeping Joel Embiid?

[13 - 3]

Yeah after last night probably a good idea just to shut him down. Spurs shut down Fox for the year. Why risk Zion's trade value and possible start of next season if he gets a serious injury. Yes there is Vegas odds on this. Embrace the lottery balls.

[P_B_&_G]

To answer on your point 5 on the OP, Milwaukee built a championship team with Giannis so 3point shooting is not a must-have for a superstar. What really matters is his ability to score efficiently.

Now your questionning the possibility of building a championship roster with him as the centerpiece is quite valid. Zion's skillset and measurements command a very specific supporting cast and in the meantime you have also to build a roster that can compensate his time of unavailability.

In my opinion, it's impossible to build such team. If I was in the FO, I'd go with building the team around another player and using Zion, when available, as the secondary star. Given his salary, it might not be doable but the pels better try since I don't see another path towards contention.

I think this was the plan with Ingram but it showed he was not that guy in the playoffs last year and generally not being able to carry the team without Z. Now its painfully obvious that we don't have another player that can consistently generate buckets outside of Z. Ingram was the only other guy on the team with that ability. Unfourtunately, it just didn't work out.

[ml wave]

Look at the attention he gets when he gets in the paint. He is so good and so physical that he demands that attention which opens up the 3 pointer for the other players. I think with that very high draft pick we get this year we need a two way star that has the 3 point shot. Pair him with Z. I have been pretty disappointed with the Pelicans 3 point production this year. It needs to improve. Why has Trigga regressed? It's bad enough that Hawkins is a shadow of his pre back injury self. 3 point shooting percentage is way down this season.

Umm, regressed? Like the only bright spot from this season has been the improvement from Trey.

[P_B_&_G]

Umm, regressed? Like the only bright spot from this season has been the improvement from Trey.

Missi has been a nice find as well. Karlo has surprised also. Other than that it's been terrible.

[JJackisangry]

Missi has been a nice find as well. Karlo has surprised also. Other than that it's been terrible.

I am pleased with our big men. If we got anything right, I think those two will be very useful going forward. It takes the pressure off of those positions which aren't always easy to fill in the current NBA climate. We have to build a functional team that can play every night. We are still missing some pieces including a competent head coach.

[ml wave]

Missi has been a nice find as well. Karlo has surprised also. Other than that it's been terrible.

I mean, sure, they've shown that they can not be terrible as maybe 9th-11th man types in the rotation but having decent cheap depth hasn't exactly been the problem with our roster.

[JJackisangry]

I mean, sure, they've shown that they can not be terrible as maybe 9th-11th man types in the rotation but having decent cheap depth hasn't exactly been the problem with our roster.

Strictly speaking as rookies, they have impressed. You never know the trajectory or whether they will decline, but if they improve as expected you got a hit with both. Competent cheap big men are a boon in this league. They are difficult to find.