The New Orleans Pelicans received the unfortunate and all too familiar news that Zion Williamson is set to be sidelined for the extended future. The former number-one overall pick has suffered a hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
What this means for Zion Williamson:
We are getting dangerously close to Zion Williamson beginning to be looked at as a “what-if” player. The Pelicans have played 400 regular season games since Williamson was drafted in 2019. He has played in just 190 of these, meaning he has missed 52.5% of games.
Williamson was limited to 24 games as a rookie, missed the entire 2021-22 season, and played just 29 games in 2022-23. He played 70 games last season which marked the most of his career. However, he suffered a hamstring injury in the play-in matchup with the Lakers just after he had scored his 40th point in the game, going toe-to-toe with LeBron James.
This is a clear example of the predicament Zion presents. There is no doubt about the talent he possesses and the production has been there when he has been on the floor. Across the 190 games he has played, Williamson has averaged 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He has qualified for two All-Star games even amid the injury struggles.
He is a hyper-talented player who is capable of being the franchise centerpiece when he is healthy. But New Orleans has to once again re-evaluate what the best route to keeping him on the floor could be.
What this means for the New Orleans Pelicans:
The injury bug has not been kind to the Pelicans to start the year. Dejounte Murray suffered a broken hand on opening night and will continue to miss an extended period. C.J. McCollum, Herb Jones, and Jordan Hawkins are each also set to miss a few weeks for their various injuries. Adding Zion Williamson to this mix just presents more challenges for the team.
Currently, the Pelicans hold a record of 3-7 and are tied for 13th in the Western Conference. They will need Brandon Ingram to shoulder more of the offensive production moving forward. He is currently averaging 22.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while attempting a career-high 18.8 shot attempts per game. This number should be expected to grow even further, which could be good news for the contract the Pelicans star desires at the season’s conclusion.
In addition, the Pelicans will need some production from some of their young players. Rookie Yves Missi has impressed in his 21.6 minutes per game. His energy is notable when he is on the floor and his opportunity will be expanded in Williamson’s absence. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will also see more expanded opportunities and has quietly turned himself into a solid NBA player. The Villanova product has started two games already this year and may step into this role in the short term. Daniel Theis will also likely be given an opportunity.
Futures Outlook:
New Orleans has already seen some line movement in the wrong direction and are now listed as +13000 odds of winning the NBA championship. They hold +5500 odds of winning the Western Conference, the fourth-worst odds, and hold +165 odds of participating in the play-in tournament.
While Zion Williamson is an MVP-caliber talent when he is healthy, the odds of him reaching the 65-game limit set by the NBA are feeling slimmer and slimmer.
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