New Orleans spent chunks of last season undermanned due to injuries and is starting this training camp without rising third-year forward Trey Murphy (knee), along with key role players Larry Nance Jr. (ankle) and Jose Alvarado (ankle). The good news, though, is that the team’s projected starting lineup entering 2022-23 is intact, something that occurred in barely double-digit games during the 82-game campaign. The quintet of CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas is now using early October to get reacclimated, after only logging 113 total minutes over 10 appearances. By comparison, Sacramento’s starting five was together for 900 minutes – one of eight NBA lineups that clocked in for at least 500.
Following Wednesday’s practice, McCollum discussed the opportunity to be on the floor again with both Ingram and Williamson, which occurred only in October and November of last season.
CJ McCollum talks practicing with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson 10/4/2023
“This being a new situation, (I'm) continuing to figure out new ways to get used to playing alongside high-caliber players,” McCollum said. “(Ingram and Williamson) play in certain spaces. We’re all out there trying to figure out how to make sure we’re existing together.”
Williamson is often a wrecking ball on offense, using his elite footwork, athleticism and strength to get to the rim or draw fouls. He last played in an official game with McCollum nine months ago at Philadelphia.
“Out of sight, out of mind, right?” McCollum said, referring to that long stretch. “You forget how impactful and dominant Z is when he’s not on the court. When he gets out there, you understand the physicality and his ability to finish around the basket. He’s a great player, obviously. Hopefully we get a large sample size where you can watch us play together this season.”
Willie Green talks team energy, ball handling distribution 10/4/2023
Training camp and the club's four preseason games will provide chances to fine-tune the group’s chemistry and offensive approach. McCollum recognizes that the equation changes for everyone when New Orleans is able to have both Ingram and Williamson on the floor at the same time, instead of having only one of the two available. Due to non-concurrent injuries to the high-scoring forwards, that was usually the case for the Pelicans during the first half of last season.
“It’s a work in progress,” McCollum said of the team’s starting lineup. “The more reps we get, the more practices and games we get, the better we’re going to be. I (only) played 10 games with (both) Z and B.I., so the shot chart and breakdown is going to be completely different than when we’re all coexisting together.”