Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, the team announced today (via Twitter). Williamson underwent imaging on Saturday that confirmed the diagnosis.
According to the Pelicans, Williamson will be out indefinitely, with further updates provided as appropriate. While the club didn’t provide any sort of recovery timeline for the former No. 1 overall pick, it sounds like it’ll be a week-to-week injury rather than a day-to-day issue. Shams Charania of ESPN says (via Twitter) that Williamson will be reevaluated “in the coming weeks.”
As we noted on Friday, Williamson has missed three of New Orleans’ past four games with three different injury designations. He was sidelined by right hamstring tightness on Sunday, right thigh soreness on Monday, and left hamstring tightness on Friday.
It sounds like the latest ailment is the most significant of the bunch. It’s the same hamstring that Williamson injured in last season’s play-in tournament game — that injury forced him to sit out the entire first round of the playoffs, which contributed to the Pelicans’ quick postseason exit.
Williamson’s absence is the latest blow in what has been a brutal stretch of injury luck for the Pelicans during the season’s opening weeks. Nearly every one of the team’s starters or top reserves has been affected by some sort of multi-week health problem.
Dejounte Murray (fractured left hand) has been out since opening night; CJ McCollum (right adductor strain) and Herbert Jones (right shoulder strain) have each missed six consecutive games and remain sidelined; Jordan Hawkins suffered a low back strain on Wednesday that’s expected to keep him on the shelf for a week or two; and Trey Murphy has missed all 10 games so far this fall due to a hamstring strain of his own, though he’s targeting Monday for his return.
With Williamson unavailable, frontcourt players like Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Yves Missi, Daniel Theis, and Trey Jemison are all candidates for additional playing time.
Assuming they expect Murray, McCollum, and Jones to remain out for a couple more weeks, the Pelicans should soon be eligible for a hardship exception, which would allow them to temporarily carry more than the maximum allowable 15 players on standard contracts.
Pels in sell mode now?
My opinion, not yet. They have to ride this out. If they fail in the playoffs then maybe they’ll sell this summer. They’ve built the roster to win now so I don’t think they’re in sell mode just yet. You’d like to think with everyone healthy this team could do damage in the playoffs.
A legitimate question though could be that at the trading deadline, if they’re floundering near the bottom of the standings, then you look to trade the expiring contracts for whatever you can get.
They should have already moved Ingram, they can’t bring him back unless they want to pay 3-4 guys max and still be middle of the road. I don’t think BI is all that but they should get some reasonable return.
Yes you’re right but I think if they could have, they would have.
He has a little bit of attitude baggage, he wants his next contract to be at or near the max, he’s made that very well known, and it’s possible he’s not that coachable.
Aside from that he’s a bucket machine. You really won’t receive back what you get from him on the floor so trading him is difficult.
Gary would you do Moody and Wiggins for BI? Of course YOU would haha
Davey , that would mean paying BI over $40M. Would you do that?
Ingram will have a say in where he’s traded since he’s an unrestricted free agent. From Team USA experience, he knows he doesn’t fit with Kerr’s style.
Ancient, Pels tried all summer, including giving Ingram and his agent the freedom to talk directly to any team that might want him. No takers because Ingram thinks he’s worth north of $40M.
Odds are Ingram is on Pels till end of season and eventually signs a free agent deal in low 30’s.
No one wants him. They’ve tried to move him.
I feel for Zion. Been critical about him for so long but he really trimmed down this year. He might be the Blake Griffin of this era. Talented 1st overall pick but had injuries every year.
Of course. See you in the playoffs?
I would love to see this team healthy and in the playoffs and taking on the giants. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them take a team or two out. Healthy they have a great roster. Couple of young guys who can shoot, two star wings, great back court and experience there. I think for a play in team they’d be very dangerous.
Agree GWRS
Gary , are you assuming Zion is available?
Available for trade? Not yet. If this season goes into the toilet then I’m sure they reassess the entire organization next summer. If they don’t then how will they get better?
Available to play in the playoffs? Oh absolutely. I know he will do everything he can to play in the playoffs and I’m sure he’s doing everything he can to play today.
But injuries suck especially Hammys.. and other stuff.., and to be honest all injuries suck lol. But I don’t question his commitment or desire. Injuries are frustrating.
And as I said elsewhere, he’s so busy rehabbing even during the summertime, that he can’t work on getting better. He’s tied up working to get back on the floor !!
Trade CJ McCollum, Missi with next year protected 1st and 2nds to Brooklyn for Claxton.
Waive Nowell and Sign Fultz
No need for young players. The time is now for them. Rest everyone and they should be good. Maybe a better medical staff too
Finney-Smith added to the deal*
Good job because I really cant tell if you are trolling or not
Thanks dude
Brabo look in the mirror
A lot of hamstrings throughout NBA & NFL…perhaps it is from all the practice restrictions placed and load managements. Less activity is not going to help you just ramp up on game day.
Agree ancient1
Zion has had chronic hamstring problems, going back to Duke. This sure as heck isn’t from load management.
And, there goes a franchise. Like the Clippers with Kahwi, no team succeeds when their untradable, max contract superstar is perennially injured. Pels have lots of nice pieces, but this boat-anchor keeps them stuck in mediocrity for 3 more years.
It’s all on Zion. Not bad luck. So gifted, but so unwilling to do the work. Chuck and Shaq have said it many times: he won’t last long unless he loses 40-50 pounds. At 6’6″, 245 lbs, he’d have a shot at staying healthy. At 290, playing a full season plus playoffs is impossible.
Fact: he’s unprofessional. At least 3 out of 6 seasons he’s arrived to camp overweight. He’s promised to do better for 5 straight years. New diets, new trainers, new mindsets, etc, etc, etc. How many NBA players have weight clauses in their contracts?!
Greg Oden 2.0, not quite as bad as Oden, but a badly injury-prone #1 pick. Cut him loose, Pelicans.
He is getting as hurt as Ja Morant right now tbh
Zion has lost too much weight, that’s why he can’t keep healthy, needs to go back to his weight, so he can play more and better!
Go back to the weight he was before, while constantly injured?
Cam, that’s El Don Always Wrong. He has some very interesting basketball comments and insights, and has the quickest “selfie thumb up” in the history of HoopsRumors.
I agree with you and I don’t think it would be smart for Zion to go back to 290 lb.
That’s ridiculous – being fat and out of shape is what started the injuries.
These guys are making stupid money and so many of them can’t stay in game shape.
It’s either laziness or stupidity. Both bad.
We cant even say he is out of shape because he clearly isnt. I dont know if this makes me feel better or worse
Wasted talent …….. this ain’t even funny anymore. It’s getting sad.
People here talking about the Pels’ giving up the season, Zion is s bust, Zion has no work ethic… What the hell is that?
How are they giving up because of injuries two weeks into the season? Have you seen Zion, dude is in the best shape of his career.
After all the work made to build the roster into a deep playoff run candidate, are they giving up because of bad injury luck? What is that?
Players gotta play to their maximum, give their full effort, and players who get their chance, hoping some during all of his existence to fulfill playing in the NBA, will get their golden opportunity to show the world what they are capable of.
I know the bigger issue is not with the comments, if not because of the logic that allows to quit on a season, like tanking.
Show em decision makers you are a champion. That you don’t have to tank. That, even when nobody remotely believes in my (or our) chances, we will put everything, our heart and soul on the line, to win, against anyone.
Believe to win. And you can.
And even if you don’t, I’ll tell you you will have a greater performance, that if you don’t believe.