Last season marked Valanciunas' first with the Pelicans after he signed a two-year, $30.1 million extension with the team following a trade from the Grizzlies. Playing alongside Lillard, he had six straight seasons in which he averaged at least 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists. It's possible that Williamson's return could result in a decline in points and assists for McCollum, but he's still a reliable guard option in fantasy who can contribute in multiple areas. One big difference, though, will be that he should be playing alongside a healthy Zion Williamson, who sat out all of last season. Now with a full offseason to build relationships with his new teammates, McCollum will be tasked with helping the Pelicans make a playoff run. His most noteworthy difference with New Orleans was him shooting 49.3 percent from the field, compared to 43.6 percent over 36 games with Portland. He thrived with his new squad, averaging 24.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.7 three-pointers per game. He was ultimately dealt, landing with an up-and-coming young team in the Pelicans. CJ McCollumĪfter spending the entirety of his career with the Trail Blazers, McCollum found himself on the trade block last season with them floundering without the injured Damian Lillard. If you want him, though, you'll likely need to spend a second or third-round selection to add him to your roster. There is plenty of injury concern that comes with drafting him, and he could sit out one game of back-to-back sets to begin the season. He'll have the most talented group around him yet, with Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas all in the fold. With big money in hand, all signs point to him being ready to play at the beginning of the season. Those worries have been put to rest with him signing a five-year, $231 rookie maximum contract this summer. It appeared late in the season that he might have been healthy enough to play, and there was speculation that he might try to force his way out of New Orleans at some point. He only appeared in 24 games during his rookie season, 61 during his sophomore campaign, and he didn't play at all last season. He showed he can be a dominant fantasy force during the 2020-21 season, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 61.1 percent from the field. The brief flashes that we've seen of Williamson have been impressive. On the bright side, he's an asset with his efficiency, shooting at least 46.1 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the free-throw line in each of the last three seasons. Ingram's overall averages could still make him a valuable fantasy option, but asking him to match his numbers from last season might be too much. Not only is McCollum a good passer, but Williamson averaged 3.7 assists during the 2020-21 season. Second, his assists totals could decline. First, it will likely be difficult for him to duplicate what was a career-high 29.3 percent usage rate. With a full season of McCollum in the fold, and Williamson looking ready to return, Ingram could see a decline in two areas. New Orleans eventually brought in CJ McCollum to help offset the loss of Ball, but Ingram still finished with terrific averages of 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 three-pointers per game. Williamson would end up not appearing in a single game, leaving Ingram to shoulder more of the scoring load. Lonzo Ball was sent to the Bulls in a sign-and-trade, Jonas Valanciunas came over from the Grizzlies, and Zion Williamson started out on the sidelines. The Pelicans underwent significant changes last season. New Orleans Pelicans Fantasy Basketball Preview Brandon Ingram
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