Kushner: Zion's limited sample size gives Pelicans reason to stand pat at deadline
Channel: Deep Sporting
Date: 2020-02-07

Pelicans shootaround update presented by HUB International: Zion Williamson says toe injury ‘nothing major’

CHICAGO – There was brief concern among the New Orleans Pelicans – as well as presumably many Chicago fans planning to attend Thursday’s game – when Zion Williamson’s name appeared on the team’s injury report with a right toe sprain, but the No. 1 draft pick is not worried. Following Thursday’s morning shootaround at the United Center, Williamson said he’s fine and ready to play against the Bulls.

“I just had a tiny bit of discomfort,” Williamson said of the toe. “Nothing major. I’m fine.”

Other notes from Thursday shootaround in Illinois:

New Orleans (20-31) has experienced excellent results from its starting lineup since Williamson made his NBA debut, with the rookie finishing as a positive in plus-minus each of his first six games, prior to being a minus-11 vs. Milwaukee (the 43-7 Bucks tend to have that effect on a lot of opponents). Asked what the Pelicans have learned over the past two weeks while incorporating Williamson – and trotting out their projected starting lineup from training camp – the 19-year-old expressed optimism about the group’s potential.

“I’m learning that we can do a lot of great things together,” Williamson said. “We have a really bright future. We’re just learning game by game. We’re seven games in (with Williamson playing), and (opponents) are like 50 (into the season). You learn new tendencies about each player, the more and more you play with them.” …

Williamson on how New Orleans’ perspective is changing and being shaped by the roster’s belief in itself: “We discuss it as we’re a great team. So we need to start carrying ourselves as such. We need to eliminate those small things that cost us the game, because great teams don’t do that.”

One sometimes overlooked area where the Pelicans need to improve is turnovers, having ranked near the bottom of the NBA lately in the number they’ve committed, as well as how few they’ve created on the defensive end. If you exclude team turnovers (such as shot-clock violations), New Orleans has not won the turnover battle since Jan. 6 vs. Utah. …

Only a few hours before the NBA trade deadline at 2 p.m. Central, Alvin Gentry was asked about the potential distractions that stem from that and how the team deals with them.

“It’s a part of it,” Gentry said of the reality of today in the NBA. “Everybody’s name is thrown out there. There are a ton of guys, 30 or 40 guys they’ve talked about being traded. I think it’s something you don’t bother giving any time to (think about). Most guys go about their business and not worry about it. …

A Chicago native, Jahlil Okafor smiled when he was asked by local reporters how many tickets he had to purchase for family and friends to Thursday’s game.

“Not many,” the center said. “My first time coming to Chicago, I got like 70 or 80, but that was the only time I did that. Now I tell my family, you see the schedule, so get your own tickets ahead of time.”

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