Zion Williamson was rightfully deemed questionable for the Wednesday game. In just 10 minutes of play, Williamson had managed to record six points, three rebounds, and an assist. The Pelicans power forward had been dealing with hamstring soreness since facing the Indiana Pacers. But looks like the troubles are not yet over for the 6-foot-6 power forward.

The former Duke athlete left the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers after an undisclosed injury forced him to head back to the locker room. He committed an intentional foul to stop the play before immediately making his way off the court. While the exact nature of the injury remains unclear, it likely could be his hamstring, causing him trouble again. It’s definitely concerning, and we’ll have to wait for more details to see what this means for his availability moving forward.

Before the third quarter kicked off, the Pelicans reported that Williamson was dealing with left thigh soreness, though they expect him to show up to the court in the second half. Before the game, it was his right thigh, and now his left thigh too. Williamson has had issues with his thigh and hamstring in the past, including last year when a left hamstring strain kept him out of the Pelicans’ first-round playoff series against the Thunder. Given his history with these injuries, it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

Update: the 2x All-Star has returned! He is starting the 3rd quarter for the Pelicans. And it looks like he never left… The 24-year-old received a lob pass from Jose Alvarado, which he buried into the hoop. So far this season, he’s been having a strong year, averaging 21.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 31.4 minutes per game. It’s been a solid campaign, and we are hoping this minor injury won’t hold him back too badly.

Can the Pelicans build a super team with Zion Williamson at the core?

Constructing a team around Williamson has proven to be incredibly difficult, and one can’t help but question if it’s even feasible to do so, effectively. He plays the power forward position but is undersized, and lacks strength as a shooter and rebounder. His injuries add to the uncertainty. However, where he does shine is in his ability to dominate near the rim, run the floor, and finish inside, all of which he does at a top-tier level. His career averages of 24.6 points and 58.8% shooting are a clear reflection of his scoring ability.

But you’d say everyone has a weakness, isn’t it? Yes, but the issue is the sharp contrasting gap between what he excels at and what he struggles with. It makes it challenging to establish a consistent foundation for his game and almost impossible to build a well-rounded roster around him. It’s a tough puzzle to solve.

Zion Williamson’s role as a center for the Pelicans has shown some improvement, particularly defensively, as the hoopster evolves from a young prospect to a more experienced player. However, standing at just 6-6, he’s limited in how much he can contribute at center, no matter how high he can jump.

In today’s NBA, unless you’re a defensive powerhouse like Draymond Green, it’s hard to play that position effectively.

Williamson also doesn’t stretch the floor, and in modern basketball, having two non-shooters on the court at once simply doesn’t work. For the team to succeed, the other center has to be able to shoot and space the floor. This is a key challenge the Pels must figure out to make the most of Zion’s talents.

To fully tap into 2x All-Star’s potential, the New Orleans side needs a center who can be a rim-running lob threat, space the floor, and rebound at a high level. Zion, a capable playmaker, requires the ball in his hands, so the center must be able to play off a creator and catch lobs.

For him to thrive, the team needs a center who can contribute defensively and offensively, complementing his skill set while unlocking his full offensive game.