Even before the 2025-26 season begins, the New Orleans Pelicans have suffered a major blow.
First, rookie Derrick Queen went down with an injury. With less than a week until the start of the regular season, Kevon Looney has also suffered an injury.
With these injuries in mind, it’s clear head coach Willie Green expects star forward Zion Williamson to lead the team.
But can Williamson overcome this situation? Legendary point guard Steve Nash recently shared his honest thoughts on the same.
After losing a significant amount of weight, Williamson’s new look made headlines during the offseason. The former No. 1 overall pick appears to be in the best shape of his career.
Nevertheless, Nash raised some big questions about Williamson’s performance next season.
“The biggest thing is what we have with Zion. Will he play well? Will he be as dominant as we think he is? … A lot more will depend on Zion,” Nash said on the Zach Lowe Show.
He added: “There will be a lot of pressure on him and his tires have worn out quickly in the past.”
Fitness is a big concern for Zion given his NBA career thus far. But with $90 million on the line for Williamson, the New Orleans Pelicans star may finally be able to reach his full potential.
While Nash questioned Williamson’s commitment, Lowe decided to take a different path and encouraged the 25-year-old to play point forward for NOLA.
“(CJ) McCollum is gone. (Jordan) Poole, I don’t think he’s a traditional point guard, so to speak. (Dejounte) Murray has been injured for some people, maybe all season,” Lowe began.
“They’re going to need ‘Point Zion’ more than ever. With (Brandon) Ingram gone, ‘Point Zion’ has to be the focal point of the offense.”
This is a valid suggestion. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James often plays as the team’s point forward. But can Williamson follow in his footsteps? Only time will tell.