Zion Williamson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Notes: Williamson, McCollum, Temple, Liddell

April 14th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Pelicans had advanced beyond the play-in, Zion Williamson might have had a chance to return from his hamstring injury this spring, but that was far from a lock. Executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin confirmed on Friday that Williamson hadn’t even begun participating in full-court 3-on-3 scrimmages, let alone 5-on-5 action (Twitter link via Andrew Lopez of ESPN).

Elsewhere on the Williamson front, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube link) noted during a TV appearance that Zion’s maximum-salary extension, which will go into effect in 2023/24, features several benchmarks related to the forward’s weight, conditioning, and games played totals.

Portions of Williamson’s salary will become non-guaranteed if he doesn’t meet those thresholds, though the Pelicans would only be able to realize those savings by waiving him.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Sources tell William Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link) that CJ McCollum, who will undergo surgery on his injured thumb, was also dealing with a torn labrum in his shoulder for the final seven games of the regular season.
The Pelicans’ “big three” of Williamson, McCollum, and Brandon Ingram played just 10 games together this season, Guillory observes in a story for The Athletic. “If you would’ve told me we’d only play 10 games together this season, and we still won 42 games, I would’ve said that’s crazy,” McCollum said. “For us to be successful in the future – in the long-term – we’ve got to be able to play together. We need our best players on the court. We need to be able to play extended minutes together, especially in meaningful games, and showcase what we offer.”
Veteran wing Garrett Temple will turn 37 years old next month, but he hasn’t considered retiring and would like to remain in New Orleans in 2023/24, tweets Guillory. Although Temple is under contract for next season, his $5.4MM salary is non-guaranteed and I don’t expect the Pelicans to keep him at that price — they could be more open to a minimum-salary deal.
E.J. Liddell, a 2022 second-rounder who suffered a torn ACL last July at the Las Vegas Summer League, has progressed to playing 1-on-1 and is hoping to be able to play in this year’s Summer League, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Liddell’s two-way deal with New Orleans covers two seasons, so he’s under contract for 2023/24 and won’t need to be re-signed.
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype previews the decisions facing the Pelicans this offseason, pointing out that Jaxson Hayes and Josh Richardson will be free agents, while Herb Jones will be among the players eligible for contract extensions.

Larry Nance Jr. To Miss Play-In Game

April 12th, 2023 at 8:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans big man Larry Nance Jr. won’t be available for Wednesday’s play-in game against the Thunder due to left ankle soreness, the team announced (via Twitter).

Coach Willie Green told reporters prior to the game that Nance was going to test his ankle in warmups to see how it responded, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN.

Nance was added to the injury report on Tuesday, with New Orleans listing him as questionable. He was able to play 17 minutes in Sunday’s regular season finale.

Nance was one of the Pelicans’ most reliable bench players this season, averaging 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 65 games. His absence could lead to more minutes for fourth-year center Jaxson Hayes.

If New Orleans wins tonight, Nance will have two more days to recover before the next play-in contest Friday at Minnesota. Another victory would put the team in a playoff series against the Nuggets that would begin Sunday night.

The Pelicans are already short-handed without Jose Alvarado, who is out with a right tibial stress reaction, and Zion Williamson, who hasn’t played since early January due to a strained right hamstring.

Earlier on Wednesday, Nance responded to rumors that the organization is upset with Williamson over his prolonged absence.

“No one in our locker room is looking at Z any type of way,” Nance tweeted. “We’re with him every step of his rehab, and support his process, physically AND mentally! Don’t listen to people saying things just to get views!!”

Southwest Notes: Williamson, Nance Jr., Harrison, Lofton

April 11th, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson, who won’t play in the play-in tournament and is considered unlikely to be available in the first round if the team makes it that far, admits that his hamstring issue is more mental than physical at the moment, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

“I can pretty much do everything,” said Williamson, who hasn’t suited up for the Pelicans since Jan. 2. “It’s just a matter of the level that I was playing at before my hamstring. I’m just a competitor. I don’t want to go out there and be in my own head and affect the team. I can just be on the sidelines supporting them more. I know myself. If I was to go out there, I would be in my head a lot. I would hesitate on certain moves. And that could affect the game.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Pelicans have added Larry Nance Jr. to the injury report for their play-in game against the Thunder on Wednesday, according to a team press release. The forward is listed as questionable due to left ankle soreness. He’s averaging 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds this season.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison vows that the team won’t miss the postseason next season, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News tweets. “They (the fans) should be frustrated. I’m frustrated. This year was unacceptable. … We’re going to evaluate everything, and we’re not going to be in this situation again.”
Kenneth Lofton Jr.‘s four-year contract with the Grizzlies is guaranteed for next season and is worth a total of $6,927,014, but it’s non-guaranteed for 2024/25 and includes a team option in 2025/26, Hoops Rumors has learned. He received a $1MM salary for 2022/23, which was well above his prorated minimum. The remaining three years are at the minimum salary. Lofton had his two-way contract converted over the weekend.

Southwest Notes: Zion, Kyrie, Luka, Mavs, Rockets

April 11th, 2023 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson isn’t particularly close to returning to action, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

While we already knew that New Orleans won’t have the former No. 1 overall pick available for the play-in tournament, it sounds like the team also isn’t counting on Williamson returning from a hamstring injury in time to play in a first-round series, should the Pelicans win a pair of play-in contests.

Sources tell Charania that there’s “no expectation” Williamson will be on the court at all during the first round of the playoffs, as his conditioning level isn’t close to where it needs to be. Perhaps if the Pelicans can win two play-in games and then knock off the top-seeded Nuggets in the first round, we could see Zion again this spring, but that’s a long shot.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Mavericks star Luka Doncic said during his exit interview with the media on Monday that he’d like to see the team re-sign Kyrie Irving this summer, as Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com relays. “I think it’s a great fit,” Doncic said. “Obviously people are going to say no, look at the results we’re having. But like I said, chemistry, relationships take time. And I wish he can still be here. He’s a great player. He just wants peace. And a great person.”
The Mavericks consulted with the league office before submitting their player availability designations last Friday, sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link). The franchise is now under NBA investigation for its decision to rest healthy players in that game, and Stein suggests that the Mavs’ mistake was being too honest with the media on Friday about their motivations. Stein likens the league’s stance on tanking to its approach to tampering and free agency gun-jumping, writing that the least discreet teams are the ones that get penalized.
The Rockets expect to begin their head coaching interviews before the end of the week, reports Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Ime Udoka, Frank Vogel, and Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson are among Houston’s initial targets, Feigen adds, confirming previous reporting. General manager Rafael Stone said the team is seeking a candidate who has a “real vision” for how to use the Rockets’ young players and incorporate veterans. “The next coach … is going to know much more than Stephen (Silas) did what they’re walking into,” Stone said. “We’ll have free agency and the draft picks. And we have a young core of guys who I think are very, very likely to be with us for the next year or two.”
While Silas handled the Rockets‘ young core with an understanding and supportive approach, the team may be seeking a replacement with a “fierier style” who will “lean more toward critical when appropriate,” Feigen writes in a separate Houston Chronicle story (subscription required).

Southwest Notes: Zion, Irving, Mavericks, Porter

April 8th, 2023 at 8:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

After getting more discouraging news about Zion Williamson this week, the Pelicans are preparing to face the start of the postseason without him, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. Executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced that Williamson remains out indefinitely due to a hamstring injury, making him unavailable for the play-in tournament or possibly even a first-round playoff series if New Orleans is able to qualify.

Griffin told reporters on Friday that Williamson has participated in 3-on-3 drills with coaches, but he hasn’t been cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages. Griffin also revealed that Williamson hasn’t met some “objective metrics” in the weight room or on the court, and he’s still hesitant sometimes when pushing off with the injured leg.

“We want Z back, for sure. But we can’t put a lot of time and focus into ‘What ifs.’ Right now, this is reality. That’s what we have to look at,” coach Willie Green said. “Over the last 10 games, we’ve been playing extremely well. We have to continue to do that. When that time comes when Z can step on the floor and go, then it’s, ‘Let’s go.’”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

When the Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving in February, he requested that reporters refrain from asking him about free agency until the season was over, notes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Those questions are sure to come on Sunday when Dallas ends a disappointing campaign that fell short of the play-in tournament. Townsend adds that although the Mavs have a 9-17 record since trading for Irving, he hasn’t created any distractions in Dallas after a string of off-the-court incidents with Brooklyn. The biggest question facing the team in the offseason is how much of a commitment to make to Irving, who is eligible for a five-year, $272MM contract with the Mavericks or a four-year, $201.7MM deal with another team.
After finding themselves under NBA investigation for resting players Friday night with a play-in spot still within reach, the Mavericks will use a depleted roster again on Sunday, Townsend tweets. Irving, Luka Doncic, Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and Maxi Kleber will all sit out the game against the Spurs.
Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. will miss Sunday’s game with soreness in his right knee, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. That will leave him at 59 games, one short of the 60 needed to make his games-played bonus for next season considered to be likely. Feigen adds that it won’t affect Porter’s salary (he could still earn the bonus by playing in 60 games next season), but it will open some cap room for Houston to use this offseason. The bonus accounted for $2.38MM of Porter’s cap hit for the 2023/24 season, explains Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

Injury Notes: Zion, J. Brown, Middleton, Schröder, Biyombo

April 7th, 2023 at 11:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced on Thursday that Zion Williamson would remain out indefinitely as he continues to deal with a right hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined since January 2.

According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, Griffin clarified on Friday that Williamson will not suit up for the play-in tournament, and he might miss a potential first-round playoff series as well.

“I would just say that if you looked at the logistics of where we are at, it’s not possible to get the work in that would put him in a 5-on-5 workout in time for any play-in,” Griffin said. “Based on today, our best possible outcome would be if everything lined up perfectly, maybe you’re in a position to practice prior to a first round. Or maybe during a first round. But it’s going to take more than one, right? It’s really hard. We may never get to that point, either. If it’s not a situation where those things align and he feels the way he needs to feel, we’re not going to let him go to the next phase.”

Williamson had a setback in February, which delayed his return to the court. Griffin said the All-Star forward hasn’t experienced another setback since then, but he lacks confidence in the hamstring.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown cut his right hand and had to get five stitches as he was picking up a glass vase he broke while watering his plants on Thursday night, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Brown expects to be ready for the playoffs, Weiss adds.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton had an MRI on Thursday after he aggravated a right knee injury, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. Nothing showed up on the imaging and Middleton is expected to rehab for the next week “in hopes of being ready” for the postseason, according to Charania. While it’s a positive development that the MRI was clean, Charania’s wording suggests it’s no lock that Middleton will be healthy when the playoffs start on April 15.
Lakers guard Dennis Schröder was ruled out of Friday’s matchup with Phoenix due to “extreme neck soreness” that stemmed from “general wear and tear,” head coach Darvin Ham told reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). The team had previously listed Schröder as questionable due to neck spasms.
Suns center Bismack Biyombo was in a lot of pain and needed assistance to leave the court after taking knee-to-knee contact in Friday’s matchup with the Lakers. He was later ruled out for the remainder of the contest with a right knee injury, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (All Twitter links).

Zion Williamson Remains Out Indefinitely

April 7th, 2023 at 8:34am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

APRIL 7: Williamson is considered unlikely to return for the play-in tournament, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

APRIL 6: Pelicans team president David Griffin said on Thursday that injured New Orleans All-Star forward Zion Williamson will remain sidelined as he continues to rehabilitate his hamstring injury, the team has announced (Twitter link).

Given that the Pelicans have just two games left in the 2022/23 regular season, it appears Williamson will likely, though not definitely, be finished at least until the play-in tournament begins.

“After further evaluation, it has been determined that Zion Williamson will continue his rehabilitation and conditioning regimen,” Griffin said. “We will continue to monitor his progression, and updates will be provided as warranted.”

Notably absent from that statement is any kind of timeline estimate for Williamson’s return to action for the 41-39 Pelicans. The 6’6″ forward has struggled with his health for his entire pro career thus far, having appeared in just 114 of a possible 306 regular season contests for New Orleans.

This news puts a damper on the intel from a report earlier this week that appeared to indicate Williamson was pushing for a return before the end of the regular season. That report indicated that Williamson has progressed to “low-intensity” 3-on-3 workouts with coaches but has yet to graduate to 5-on-5 scrimmages. He has been absent since January 2 due to a strained right hamstring.

In the 29 games he did play this year, the 22-year-old produced at a high level, as a bulky, hyper-athletic driving threat who’s proven to be pretty much unstoppable in the paint. Williamson posted averages of 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.6 APG and 0.6 BPG.

At present, New Orleans is the eighth seed in a crowded Western Conference, just a game behind the fifth-seed Clippers and sixth-seeded Warriors. Should the Pelicans somehow skirt the play-in tournament and qualify for the playoffs outright, the team would enjoy a week-long break before its postseason would begin, presumably giving Williamson more of an opportunity to rejoin his teammates.

Injury Notes: Zion, Luka, Sexton, Markkanen, Avdija, Barrett

April 4th, 2023 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Pelicans move closer toward securing a place in the postseason, forward Zion Williamson is still pushing to return to action before his team’s season ends. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Williamson – who has been sidelined since January 2 due to a right hamstring strain – has progressed to participating in some “low-intensity” 3-on-3 with coaches, but hasn’t yet been cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages or full contact.

Sources tell Charania that New Orleans, unsurprisingly, will take a cautious approach with Williamson’s ramp-up process and won’t rush him just because the playoffs are around the corner. Based on Charania’s reporting, it sounds like the Pelicans would have a chance to get Williamson back on the court if they play a full first-round series, but shouldn’t necessarily count on having him available for any play-in games.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Despite a report stating that the slumping Mavericks are seriously considering shutting down Luka Doncic for the season, the star guard told reporters that he intends to suit up on Wednesday vs. Sacramento, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “When there’s still a chance (to make the playoffs), I’m going to play,” Doncic said. The Mavs have officially listed both Doncic ((left thigh injury recovery) and Kyrie Irving (right foot injury recovery) as probable for Wednesday (Twitter link).
With the Jazz‘s play-in hopes still on life support, guard Collin Sexton (left hamstring strain) will be available on Tuesday for the first time since February 15, according to the team (Twitter link). However, star forward Lauri Markkanen has been ruled out for the game vs. the Lakers due to his left hand contusion.
The Wizards‘ injury list continues to grow, with the team announcing today in a press release that forward Deni Avdija will miss at least the next two games due to left elbow bursitis. The team isn’t yet ruling out Avdija for its final two games of the season.
Knicks forward RJ Barrett has been cleared to return in Indiana on Wednesday after missing Sunday’s game due to a non-COVID illness, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

Southwest Notes: Morant’s Return, Zion, Sochan

March 23rd, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Ja Morant received an enthusiastic reception from Grizzlies fans as he returned from his suspension Wednesday night, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Fans showed their support when he took the floor for warmups, when he entered the game in the first quarter and when he touched the ball for the first time.

Morant wore headphones during his pregame routine to block out the outside noise, Cole adds. He also meditated before the game, which was among the recommendations he received during his two weeks of counseling in Florida.

“I’m thankful and grateful for everybody who has been supporting me during this time,” he said. “It definitely helped me a lot. It definitely made me feel a little better, eased everything that’s going on.”

Morant admitted feeling rusty after being away from the game, but he hit 6-of-13 shots and scored 17 points in nearly 24 minutes of action. The idea to come off the bench in his first game back was his, as Morant didn’t want to upset the Grizzlies’ recent hot streak.

“I didn’t want to come right back and mess any of that chemistry up,” Morant said. “I was watching film once my time was getting closer to being back, watching how they was playing. Obviously, it’s different from watching it to being out there.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Ja’s father, Tee Morant, told Kelly Iko of The Athletic that the past few weeks have been “rough” for his family, but he believes his son will benefit from the experience. Ja Morant has been criticized for a series of incidents that culminated with an Instagram Live video from a Denver-area strip club in which he appeared to be waving a gun. “I saw growth,” Tee Morant said in talking about Ja’s time away from the Grizzlies. “I saw growth, and I saw grace. And I know that he knows that God is in control of everything. Forget what the world got to say about you; you can only be judged by one.”
Pelicans coach Willie Green couldn’t offer any insight into whether Zion Williamson will play again this season, according to Christian Clark of NOLA. The team announced Wednesday that Williamson is able to resume on-court activities after being sidelined since January 2 with a hamstring injury, but he won’t be reevaluated for two more weeks, which will delay a potential return until at least the final week of the season. “Because of the re-injury, we are taking a slower approach with his rehabilitation,” Green said. “He’ll get on the floor. He’s starting to do some running, doing some shooting. But we’re taking it kind of slow.”
Jeremy Sochan returned Wednesday after missing two games with right knee soreness, but the Spurs rookie was still in obvious pain, observes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “He has grown a lot this year, playing through injuries and all that,” said teammate Keita Bates-Diop. “I think most of us are as well, but you can visibly see he is going through some stuff. But he wants to be out there, wants to play, wants to help us compete. I love that about him.”

Zion Williamson, Jose Alvarado Out At Least Two More Weeks

March 22nd, 2023 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

If Pelicans star Zion Williamson is going to return to action before the postseason begins, it will have to happen during the final week of the regular season. The team announced today that Williamson has been cleared to resume on-court activities, but will be out at least two more weeks before being reevaluated (Twitter link).

Williamson has been sidelined since January 2 due to a right hamstring strain, having suffered a setback during his rehab process. While the fact that he’s doing on-court work is a positive sign, two weeks from today would be April 5 and the regular season ends on April 9. So even if he gets the OK to return when he’s reevaluated in two weeks, the former No. 1 pick won’t be able to play in more than two or three games.

The Pelicans will wrap up their season with home games vs. Memphis (April 5) and New York (April 7), followed by a road contest in Minnesota (April 9). At 35-37, New Orleans currently holds the No. 12 spot in the Western Conference, but is only a single game back of the seventh-seeded Thunder. Those final three games could determine whether or not the Pels make the play-in tournament.

In addition to being without Williamson for at least two more weeks, the Pelicans will also continue to have another important rotation player unavailable during that time. According to the team, guard Jose Alvarado will be reevaluated in about two or three weeks.

Alvarado has been on the shelf since February 27 due to a stress reaction in his right tibia. According to today’s announcement, he has shown “incremental improvement.” However, it sounds like he may be a long shot to return before the regular season wraps up.

If the Pelicans can earn a playoff spot, either via the play-in tournament or by finishing as a top-six seed in the regular season, there would be a clearer path for both Williamson and Alvarado to potentially return, since the first round will run into late April. The club has had an inconsistent second half though, so even securing a play-in berth could be an uphill battle at this point.