Pelicans' Zion Williamson Reveals Offseason Plans

The two-time All-Star acknowledges what he needs to do to get to the next level.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:09am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball player in motion, with the player's form broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the Pelicans' team colors of navy blue, red, and gold.Zion Williamson's commitment to improving his game and availability during the offseason could be a pivotal moment in the Pelicans' quest to become a consistent playoff contender.New Orleans Today

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson expressed his frustration with again not making the NBA playoffs this season. The two-time All-Star acknowledged he needs to be more available to play and said he plans to spend the offseason working closely with Pelicans executive Joe Dumars, a Hall of Famer, to improve his game and approach.

Why it matters

Williamson is a generational talent, but his inability to stay healthy has prevented the Pelicans from becoming a consistent playoff contender. His offseason plans to learn from a Hall of Famer like Dumars could be a crucial step in Williamson finally leading the Pelicans to sustained success.

The details

Williamson played in a career-high 35 consecutive games at one point this season, but still missed significant time due to injury. He averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 13.0 field goal attempts per game, all career lows. Williamson said he will spend the offseason working closely with Pelicans executive Joe Dumars, a Hall of Famer, to gain basketball knowledge and improve his approach to the game.

  • Williamson expressed his frustration with not making the playoffs after the Pelicans' season ended.
  • Williamson plans to work with Joe Dumars this offseason to improve his game.

The players

Zion Williamson

A two-time NBA All-Star forward for the New Orleans Pelicans who has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but is now focused on improving his availability and approach to the game.

Joe Dumars

A Hall of Fame player who spent his entire 14-year NBA career with the Detroit Pistons and is now the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the New Orleans Pelicans.

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What they’re saying

“I've got to be available. It's frustrating getting up here every year and not being in the playoffs. I take my responsibility in that.”

— Zion Williamson, Pelicans Forward

“Having someone like Joe, Hall of Famer... I'll put myself under his wing. Gaining any basketball knowledge I can from him and using my resources to reach out to other Hall of Famers... This is gonna be a different summer how I approach it”

— Zion Williamson, Pelicans Forward

“Listen, we have no intentions of doing that. We're going into the offseason looking forward to Zion coming back next year and playing great again next year.”

— Joe Dumars, Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations

What’s next

Williamson will spend the offseason working closely with Pelicans executive Joe Dumars, a Hall of Famer, to improve his game and approach to the NBA season.

The takeaway

Zion Williamson's commitment to working with a Hall of Famer like Joe Dumars this offseason is an encouraging sign that he is taking the necessary steps to become a more consistent and available player for the Pelicans. If Williamson can stay healthy and continue developing his game, the Pelicans have a chance to become a perennial playoff contender in the Western Conference.