NEW ORLEANS – Possibly good news for Zion Williamson: the NBA is constantly changing.

The modern NBA has become increasingly focused on spacing, pace and efficient offense. Teams are shooting more threes, playing faster and looking for ways to create advantages before the defense gets set. The league was already coming off a record-setting stretch of offensive efficiency entering last season.

For Zion, that's an opportunity.

More Space Means More Zion

The biggest trend working in Zion's favor is spacing.

The more teams surround their primary players with shooters, the harder it becomes for defenses to pack the paint. And there may not be a player in the NBA who benefits more from an open lane than Zion.

If a defender stays attached to a Pelicans shooter, Zion gets room to attack.

If that defender helps, New Orleans has an opportunity for an open three.

It's a difficult choice for a defense.

Pace Can Make Zion Even More Dangerous

The NBA has also continued to embrace faster offensive basketball.

That should be music to Zion's ears.

Few players are more dangerous when they can attack a defense before it gets organized. A defensive rebound, quick outlet and Zion sprinting into space can create an advantage before the opponent has five defenders behind the ball.

The Pelicans don't necessarily need to play at the fastest pace in the league. They simply need to recognize when they have an opportunity to attack.

Efficiency Over Volume

Another important trend is that the NBA increasingly values how you score, not simply how much you score.

Three-pointers, free throws and shots around the rim remain the foundation of efficient offense.

That's practically a blueprint for Zion.

He doesn't need to become a high-volume three-point shooter to be one of the NBA's most efficient offensive players. His ability to score around the basket and draw fouls already fits perfectly into the modern offensive landscape.

Zion averaged 21.0 points while shooting 60.7% from the field in 2025-26, according to Basketball Reference.

The modern NBA is increasingly built around the things Zion does best: attacking space, getting downhill, drawing fouls and finishing efficiently, and the Pelicans' challenge is taking advantage of that environment.

If New Orleans surrounds Zion with shooting, plays with pace and uses his ability to collapse defenses, the league's evolution could work in his favor.

Understand the Pelicans. Don't just watch them.