Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson is a featured scorer on a team that started 0-2, and his workload has not been limited so far, though durability remains the standing concern.
Role
He is projected as a starter at about 30 minutes (Yahoo/SI Pelicans preview of opening night, about 4 days old), alongside Jeremiah Fears, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III and Yves Missi. That is a projection, and I did not confirm the actual starting five. In the first two games he played 32 and 33 minutes (Rotowire via CBS and ESPN, Oct 22 and 24), scoring 22 and 23 points. He averaged 29.7 minutes over 62 games last season per the same reports. Our data has him at 3 GP and 294 MIN last season, which differs from that 62-game figure, so I am not reconciling the two. Preseason usage was mixed: he started two preseason games and came off the bench in another (Rotowire, Oct 15). I found nothing on back-to-back rest plans.
He has topped 20 points in both games. He is playing 32 to 33 minutes, and Rotowire noted he reported to camp in great shape. He also made two threes on opening night, which Rotowire read as a possible new dimension. Lineup data shows the Murray, Williamson, Bey, Murphy and Missi group posting a 143.8 offensive rating in eight minutes (SI, 2 days ago), a small sample. Last season he averaged 21.1 points in seven bench appearances (SI), so he produces in either role.
Availability is the main risk, and Rotowire calls his durability a significant concern. The Pelicans are 0-2, and the fit with Missi is shaky. They allowed a 130.5 defensive rating in the 27 minutes the two shared the floor (SI). Pairings with Fears have also been poor, with a minus-37.5 net rating in 18 minutes. Free throws were a problem in a preseason game (0-4), and he had a limited-usage night against the Clippers late last season.
Where analysts split
The open question is whether Williamson keeps starting next to Missi, or whether coach Jamahl Mosley moves him to a staggered bench role to fix the defense. SI floats the reserve option, while the Yahoo/SI preview projects him as a starter. I found no confirmed lineup change.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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