Fresh off of a thrilling postseason run, the Pelicans enter the 2022-23 season with lofty expectations fueled largely by the imminent return of Zion Williamson. And while a healthy Williamson will be the driving force behind New Orleans Allen Robinson Jersey ' leap this season, it's Jonas Valanciunas who could hold the key to unlocking the team's potential.In today's NBA, a starting frontcourt of two bruising bigs isn't exactly the norm, which makes the pairing of Valanciunas and Williamson slightly difficult to envision ahead of time. As both players operate largely in the paint, how will they coexist in the era of pace and space?Look no further than Valanciunas' performance with the Lithuanian national team at EuroBasket 2022 for some semblance of an idea, as he shares the floor with two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis.I get it, this isn't exactly the cleanest of one-for-one comparisons Williamson is five inches shorter, around 40 pounds heavier and the differences in athleticism make way for different playstyles. But measurements aside, there are other numbers that make for similarities.This past NBA season, two-thirds of Sabonis' offense came in the paint, where he averaged 12.5 points per game, . The last time Williamson was on an NBA floor? He averaged a league-high and 20.3 paint points per game, which made up over 75 percent of his scoring. See where this is going?In each of the past two seasons, Valanciunas' paint scoring was among the league's best. Heaveraged his fewest paint points in 2021-22 since the 2017-18 season, and yet it was still enough to lead the Pelicans . That isn't exactly a coincidence.While the FIBA game and NBA game are admittedly quite different, the ways Lithuania's bigs operate together provide an idea of how Valanciunas can play to his strengths with the Pelicans while still giving Williamson room to dominate.MORE: Despite averaging the fewest Bobby Brown III Jersey paint points since 2017-18 (a year in which he averaged 12.7 points per game, no le s), Valanciunas averaged a career-best 17.8 points per game last season. Related: Valanciunas also knocked down a career-best 57 triples at a 36.1 percent clip.(Here's a reminder that through 23 games last season, Valanciunas was connecting on 1.3 triples per game at a league-high 51.7 percent.)To be clear, Valanciunas would not be playing to his strengths by converting to a stretch five, but his development as a capable shooter unlocks offensive capabilities for those that he shares the floor with.Opposing defenses would much rather live with a 3-point attempt from Valanciunas than a downhill drive from Williamson, but difficult decisions will arise on nights when Valanciunas Aaron Donald Jersey gets hot and the duo is sharing the floor with three of Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy or Devonte' Graham.And in case you needed a reminder of what it looks like when Valanciunas gets hot:Jonas WENT OFF39 PTS7-8 from 315 REB3 AST2 STL New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) Of course, the above example is probably a once-in-a-lifetime showing from Valanciunas, but if he's a threat to knock down at least one 3 each night, the Pelicans can have enough spacing for Williamson to get a full head of steam going downhill or post up on the block. He'll get plenty of looks like this: In addition to a career-high in scoring, Valanciunas averaged a career Brian Allen Jersey -best 2.6 a sists during his first season with the Pelicans, a product of his skill and basketball IQ.At EuroBasket, Valanciunas dished out five a sists as part of an incredible performance in an overtime lo s to Germany. The spacing here is very clunky, but one of the five dimes came to a cutting Sabonis, who scored over a much smaller Dennis Schroder.Could you imagine Valanciunas on the block finding a cutting Williamson for a finish? Nine times out of 10, it would be a powerful jam above the rim.Sabonis even returned the favor to a cutting Valanciunas, something that who averaged 4.2 a sists over the final 17 games of the 2020-21 season, would surely do as well. While it's important to acknowledge Valanciunas' ability to shoot and pa s, those two aspects of his game aren't exactly what he's known for.As he enters the 10th season of his career, Valanciunas has earned the reputation of being one of the game's most physical big men. Thanks in large part to his physicality, the 30-year-old is a walking double-double.While physically imposing in his own right, Williamson has taken a few lumps from opposing defenses attempting to slow him down. One look at Valanciunas might cause some defenses to give those physical tactics a second thought.The last time Williamson took an NBA floor, he shared the frontcourt with a physically imposing center in Steven Adams. The next time Williamson steps on the floor, he'll share a frontcourt with a center that's just as imposing but much more gifted offensively.Williamson isn't afraid to get his hands dirty on the gla s and is exceptional at cleaning his own mi ses, but with Valanciunas by his side, the former No. 1 Landen Akers Jersey overall pick won't have to expend any unnece sary energy on the boards. It will take some time, but there is a clear path for Williamson and Valanciunas to not only coexist but benefit off of one another's strengths.If you need any more help envisioning it, tune in to Lithuania at EuroBasket 2022.