Now we’ll see just how good the Pelicans can be

METAIRIE – And here we go.

The New Orleans Pelicans finally have the essence of the team they planned to compete with this season.

Rookie forward Zion Williamson became the final piece – a really big, important corner piece – to the puzzle when he made his long-awaited debut Wednesday night against San Antonio in the Smoothie King Center.

It had been 248 days since the Pelicans won the NBA draft lottery.

It had been 216 days since the Pelicans officially drafted Williamson, the generational talent from DukeUniversity that famously told New Orleans, “Let’s dance,” shortly after being picked.

It had been 93 days since Williamson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on the eve of the Pelicans’ season opener.

Now he’s in uniform.

And now Lonzo Ball is healthy and so are Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart. Jrue Holiday, Derrick Favors and JJ Redick are at least healthy enough to play.

The top seven players were together for the first time when Williamson joined in for the first time in a 121-117 loss to the Spurs.

Williamson’s insertion into the lineup allowed Ingram, the team’s leading scorer, to move back to his more natural position at small forward. It allowed coach Alvin Gentry to start a more traditional two-guard lineup with Ball at the point and Holiday at the shooting guard.

Redick and Hart can now settle into more consistent roles coming off the bench after taking turns in three-guard lineups in the absence of Williamson and others.

The first outing with all the pieces was sloppy at best as Ingram had one of his poorest offensive games of the season – making just 6 of 22 shots, including 2 of 8 3-pointers.

Williamson’s arrival isn’t just an adjustment for the rookie, it’s also an adjustment for his teammates – especially Ingram – as well as Gentry.

“We’ll get it all figured out,” Gentry said after practice Thursday. “That’s the least of my worries.”

Figuring out how to best mesh all of the pieces to the puzzle is certainly better than trying to complete the puzzle without having all of the pieces to it.

As for Williamson, he was rusty, tentative and sloppy for three quarters – then versatile and brilliant for a three-minute, eight-second flurry in which he scored 17 consecutive Pelicans points, briefly giving his team the lead before the Spurs took it back.

New Orleans was still in the thick of it when the medical staff put an end to Williamson’s night. The fans wanted to see more of Williamson, Gentry wanted to play him more and certainly Williamson wanted to finish the game.

“They said he played enough minutes (18-plus),” Gentry said. “He didn’t want to come out, but he understands there’s something bigger and long term out there.”

The Pelicans have been extraordinarily cautious in bringing Williamson back, so it wouldn’t have made sense for them to suddenly become less than cautious as soon as he got in a game.

“We have a lot of guys that can finish games for us,” Gentry said.

Williamson was no worse for the wear from his debut. Gentry said he practiced Tuesday and “said there’s no soreness.”

“He said he’s fine,” Gentry added while Williamson did some player development work behind him.

Williamson and his teammates will take another step Friday night when they host the Denver Nuggets. There won’t be nearly the hoopla that there was Wednesday night – just another attempt to fit the pieces together a little more snugly.

Redick said Tuesday that Williamson making all four of his 3-pointers against the Spurs was “awesome to watch.”

But the 35-year-old was equally impressed by the 19-year-old’s “gamesmanship.”

“He’s a gamer,” Redick said.

Before the game Wednesday, Redick said he told Williamson “You don’t have to make the hall of fame tonight. Just be yourself and the rest will take care of itself.”

The Pelicans dug themselves a significant hole with a 13-game losing streak. Even after winning 11 of 16 before Wednesday’s game they are four games behind the eighth-place Spurs and have to climb over four teams in less than half a season to claim the final playoff spot.

But it’s doable – especially with Williamson and the other key pieces in place.

Rookie guard Nickeill Alexander-Walker was asked Thursday about finally having the team everyone envisioned back in the fall.

“Everything is starting to come together now,” he said.