New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson will be sidelined indefinitely with a left hamstring strain, the team announced on Saturday. While the Pelicans did not offer any sort of timeline, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Williamson will be re-evaluated in the "coming weeks."
This is the same hamstring that Williamson injured during the Pelicans' loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Play-In Tournament last season.
Williamson had been off to a frustrating start in his sixth NBA season. He missed the Pelicans' opener due to illness and was scratched from three of their last four games due to hamstring tightness. When he had been on the court, he didn't look like his usual self.
While Williamson was still putting up solid numbers at 22.7 points, eight rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, he was shooting a career-worst 45.2% and his usual freakish finishing ability around the rim just hasn't been there. Even though he'd only played six games, his shot had been blocked a league-leading 19 times. Furthermore, he was shooting just 65.9% within three feet -- the worst mark of his career and well below the 71.7% he shot from that distance last season.
There's still no clarity on how long Williamson may be sidelined, but considering his previous struggles with returning from injury and the fact that a re-evaluation won't come for weeks, this could easily become another long-term absence. Since he was drafted at No. 1 overall in 2019, Williamson has played in just 190 of a possible 400 games, including none in the playoffs.
Williamson's injury is the latest blow for a Pelicans team in the midst of an injury crisis. Trey Murphy III (hamstring) has not played yet, while Dejounte Murray (hand), Herb Jones (shoulder), CJ McCollum (adductor), and Jordan Hawkins (back) are all sidelined after being hurt earlier in the season.
Due to their array of injuries, the Pelicans have gotten off to a 3-7 start, which is tied for the second-worst record in the tough Western Conference. They're already 2.5 games out of the final Play-In spot and the Utah Jazz, who are openly tanking for Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, are the only team below them in the standings.
As early as it is, the Pelicans might consider joining the Jazz in a game of "Capture the Flagg." In addition to their own first-round pick, the Pelicans will also receive the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round selection if it falls between Nos. 5-30. Adding two top-10 picks in the vaunted 2025 draft class is a real possibility for the Pelicans and at least provides a silver lining to this injury situation.
