The New Orleans Pelicans are doubling down on injury-plagued, sixth-year pro Zion Williamson, hoping he can be a more reliable and productive centerpiece in the years to come.

Williamson had a historic performance in Saturday's loss, becoming the first player in NBA history to record 40+ points, 4+ assists, and 2+ steals while shooting over 76% from the field and playing 28 minutes or less, via Stathead.

A few dead teams across the NBA are essentially playing for pride the rest of the way—New Orleans is one of said teams. A forgettable 2024-25 campaign began in the preseason when Dejounte Murray suffered the team’s first significant injury.

Brown was on the Denver Nuggets championship team two seasons ago. His best year was last year when he averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds for the Indiana Pacers. Known for his versatility, he can guard all five positions, something he said he had to do to survive in the NBA.

The New Orleans Pelicans made some important moves ahead of the NBA trade deadline as they now have both Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk on the roster. The Pelicans are currently in last place in the Western Conference,

The Pelicans achieved one of their primary goals going into Ingram negotiations, according to league sources: shedding salary from an already expensive roster ahead of the 2025-26 season. Kelly Olynyk accounts for $13.