It would be an understatement to say that the New Orleans Pelicans’ season has not unfolded as expected, with injuries the number one factor in the team’s horrible start. On Tuesday the Pelicans offered updates on the status of several key players. While there is some optimism about Zion Williamson’s progress, it could be some time before he and others return to action.
Starting with Zion, the Pelicans announced that the star forward is week-to-week with a left hamstring strain but has begun the return-to-play conditioning phase of his rehabilitation. He is expected to return to full practice next week. This marks a positive step for Williamson, who has been sidelined since early November.
Williamson’s absence has been particularly frustrating. After playing a career-high 70 games last year, where he averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, and led the Pelicans to a 49-33 record, their best record since 2009, expectations going into this season were high. Zion supposedly came to camp in the best shape of his career. Instead, Williamson has appeared in only six games this season, and the Pelicans have struggled to find consistency and rhythm on their way to a 5-25 start.
Brandon Ingram remains in the early recovery phase of his rehabilitation from a left ankle sprain suffered on December 7 against the Thunder. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The Pelicans are winless this season without Ingram.
The one-time All-Star has been putting together a solid campaign, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 46.5% shooting from the field. However, his absence has compounded the team’s offensive struggles, especially with Williamson also unavailable. New Orleans ranks 29th in the NBA in offense and 30th in scoring. The pressure continues to mount as Ingram plays out the final year of his contract, with his future in New Orleans increasingly in doubt.
In addition to Williamson and Ingram, the Pelicans provided updates on several other injured players. Jose Alvarado (hamstring strain) has entered the return-to-play conditioning phase and, like Williamson, is expected to return to full practice next week.
Trey Murphy III, who suffered a mild left ankle sprain during Sunday’s game against Denver, is considered day-to-day. Karlo Matković (low back disc protrusion) has also progressed to the return-to-play phase and is listed as week-to-week.
The Pelicans have yet to play a single game this season with Williamson, Ingram, and Dejounte Murray all healthy at the same time.
New Orleans is set to host the Houston Rockets on Thursday at the Smoothie King Center in the first game of a back-to-back.
It seems reasonable to expect that the Pelicans could get reinforcements by the start of the new year. New Orleans opens 2025 on the road Jan. 1 against the Miami Heat before returning home on Jan. 3 to host the Washington Wizards.
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