Recent reports have no. 1 overall pick and New Orleans Pelicans future cornerstone Zion Williamson on the floor as soon as he’s ready. While that has come from some derived sources and rumors, we have not really heard much from the organization or anyone within it.

Until now.

Should Zion Williamson sit entire season? David Griffin says Pelicans will play No. 1 pick 'when he's ready' https://t.co/KSM9xKKg4c — BinoBola (@BinoBola) January 6, 2020

Pelicans vice president David Griffin talked to USA Today about when to play Zion Williamson. Notably, he says when he’s ready; we will get Zion.

“You see the narrative out there that we will intentionally shut him down. Or that they’re idiots for not shutting him down,” Griffin said. “Well, which is it? The reality is when he’s ready, he’s going to play.” … Griffin added, though, that Williamson is “going to have to practice several more times” before the Pelicans clear him to play. The only problem? Griffin noted, “we don’t have the days to do it.”

The article linked above goes on to point out that the Pelicans have several schedule breaks upcoming. For instance – in the middle of January – the Pelicans have a stretch of off-days where practice could be held in succession. By all indications, it seems like a good time for Zion to be inserted into the lineup could be January 20th or sometime within that timetable.

Obviously this ranks with Lebron James in 2003 as one of the most anticipated debuts of all-time. It didn’t help matters that the injury to Zion’s knee happened just before the regular season started, sending everyone into a fever pitch to see what he can do on the floor.