Consider me in the camp that think that Zion is a special case.
His ceiling is a top 5 player
His likely outcome is a Top 20 Player
His floor is out of the league because his body couldn't hold up. -I don't see a world where a healthy Zion Williamson isn't a force in the NBA-
Zion has the potential to have the highest gravity since Shaq. We always hear about floor spacing shooters opening up the driving lanes for cutters. I remember however reading an article about how AD and Mavs era Tyson Chandler have a similar effect on opposing defenses but they instead draw attention from their gravity. The threat to lob opens up the shooting lanes around the basket any time the high grav player makes a hard cut or is in position for a put back. Zion Williamson has crushing gravity.
He's going to enter the league as the second heaviest player to Boban. I see a lot of people touting his use of 'Bully Ball' as if it's not going to work at the NBA level. Frankly I don't think bully ball is the right moniker for how he generates points and rebounds.
Zion Williamson is a high character kid coming from good parents, he doesn't fit the personality type of the typical guys that thrive off bullying smaller players. What he does do is exert his will and might on every situation that he's out there, he must always be accounted for or else your not far from a lob or athletic putback.
Bully Ball implies that he'll run into bigger players that will negate his presence. I'm saying from day one you'll be able to count on one hand the guys that can check him and I don't see one guy that will flat negate him save for maybe Embiid. He's too strong, too fast, too athletic. If he cant go around you, he'll go above you. If he cant go above you he'll go through you.
The final thing that I think separates Zion from the typical max contract player is that you don't need to run your offense through him for Zion to thrive. He's proven at Duke that he doesn't need the majority of the plays run for him or shots to be a force. Guys like Blake Griffin are fine players but they need their shots and in general the ball in their hand to create for themselves and others. Zion is more the type of guy you stick next to a Westbrook or a Harden type and let him find his points and rebounds while your high volume shooter eats up the possessions.
I'm all in on Zion and have been since I thought there was a chance to grab him with the Sac Pick.