Is Zion Williamson playing tonight against the Sacramento Kings? Latest on star forward's availability (Dec. 4)

Zion Williamson is expected to participate in the New Orleans Pelicans' in-season tournament quarterfinal against the Sacramento Kings on Monday. The star forward is healthy and will be relied upon to impose his physicality and presence over the Kings' defense.

The Pelicans will also have Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum in their rotation, along with third-year forward Trey Murphy III, who is coming off an 18-point season debut against the San Antonio Spurs.

With an almost fully healthy roster, the Pelicans can finally begin to understand how their roster stacks up against the rest of the Eastern Conference. Williason's availability has been a big boost to the Pelicans to begin the season. However, there's a logical concern over whether he can sustain his healthy run.

Williamson has developed a reputation for being injury-prone and will undoubtedly be looking to earn that narrative in the coming months. The only way to do that is to stay healthy and positively impact the court, regardless of the role he's being asked to play.

There's no doubt that Williamson is an All-Star talent, and arguably still an All-NBA talent. However, he needs to prove his fitness and willingness to accept whatever role he's asked to comprise, while also showing developmental growth.

If he can do all those things, the Pelicans may finally have the superstar they've been patiently waiting for.

---

The Sacramento Kings will be a good test for Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans

With their roster finally healthy, the New Orleans Pelicans will want to see their prowess. Facing the Sacramento Kings, who have been a breakout team in recent months, will be a stern test of the roster's ability, especially against the Kings' high-paced offense.

Zion Williamson's size and strength will give the Pelicans a unique dimension that they could lean on for a consistent offensive punch. Ingram's three-level scoring and the playmaking of CJ McCollum will also be extremely valuable.

However, it's how the Pelicans perform on defense and react to difficult stretches during the game that will tell the most about where the roster is at and what their potential ceiling could be.

McCollum is undoubtedly working his way back to fitness. Zion Williamson is still figuring out how to be effective within the offensive flow, and Ingram is finding ways to slot into the offense to elevate the other stars around him.

Nevertheleless, an early litmus test is never a bad thing. Having that test in a win-or-go-home situation only makes the experience more fun.