The Pelicans are poised to make a title run in 2023, but how high the team flies all relies on the health of Zion Williamson.

The Pelicans 2022 campaign ended in a disappointing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the play-in tournament. The year was a rollercoaster, as the Pelicans started at the top of the West but slowly plummeted in the standings as the year progressed. This was mainly due to injuries to key players such as Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.

This year, the Pelicans return much of the talent that allowed them to be serious contenders last year. Most importantly, the starting five from a year ago remains intact, which will translate to chemistry on the court.

Some players who parted ways with the franchise include Jaxson Hayes, a first-round pick from 2018, Josh Richardson, a three-and-D weapon acquired in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs in 2022, and Garrett Temple, a 37-year-old veteran journeyman.

Despite losing three players in the offseason, the Pelicans will not lack talent in 2023. The biggest offseason move for the Pelicans was signing Herbert Jones to a three-year contract worth up to $56 million.

Jones had a career year in 2022, showcasing stellar defense and a career-high 35 points in an overtime comeback win against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Pelicans got incredible value with this deal, as Jones was the leader in defensive efficiency on a team that ranked sixth in the NBA in defensive rating, per ESPN Stats.

The Pelicans struggled from beyond the arc last season, and they addressed this need in the draft with the selection of Jordan Hawkins as the 14th overall pick.

Hawkins is a shooting guard out of UConn who is fresh off of a National Championship win and All-Big East First-Team Honors. He is a must-guard from three who will improve the Pelicans outside shooting significantly.

If the Pelicans are going to have success this year, then Zion will need to be on the court.

Through three years in the league, Zion Williamson has only played 114 out of 246 games. Williamson was an All-Star last season, averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, per ESPN Stats. He will have to be more available this year for the team to succeed.

Aside from Williamson, the Pelicans have one of the best starting lineups in the league. Pels fans seem optimistic about the team on paper. “We have the best starting five in basketball, and our bench is deeper than any other,” says Saint Paul’s junior Andrew James.

Despite having solid depth, the Pelicans will start the year missing a few pieces due to injuries. Forward Trey Murphy suffered a torn meniscus earlier this month and will be out for 10-12 weeks. Point guard Jose Alvarado will also miss the start of the season with a high ankle sprain.

“Hopefully, we can start off the year hot despite missing two prominent role players,” said optimistic Saint Paul’s junior Vinceio Montalbano.

Aside from the starters and role players, the Pelicans will be looking to see improvement from first-round pick Kira Lewis. Lewis has shown versatility in the point guard position. If he can develop and improve his game, then he could be a quality starter for the Pelicans.

For a team that has long been plagued by bad player management and horrendous coaching, Head Coach Willie Green and his promising crop of young talent have incredible potential.

If the squad can remain healthy, then this could be the most successful Pelicans team of all time.

Is a championship too much to ask? With a healthy Zion Williamson, this team doesn’t think so.