Zion Williamson has missed the New Orleans Pelicans’ last seven games with a strained left hamstring. Unfortunately for the injury-plagued Pelicans, their star forward isn’t likely to return anytime soon.
Williamson, 24, has undergone multiple treatments on his hamstring but has not recovered enough to be ready to play. The Pelicans expected him to miss four to six weeks when he suffered the injury on Nov. 6 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Following that timeline, Williamson could be sidelined until mid-December. However, he may be out longer depending on how he injured his hamstring. frequently injured reply.
Williamson insists his mobility is good right now, but not where it needs to be.
“If you ask me, a lot,” when asked by Christian Clark of NOLA.com what it can do. “But I have to follow the protocol and the guidelines. Stay in good spirits. Rehab is going very well. I’m on the right track. That’s all I can do right now.”
Williamson missed the final 53 games of the 2022-23 season with a right hamstring strain. He played in a career-high 70 games last season but missed all four of New Orleans’ playoff games with a left hamstring injury.
Maybe that’s not the extent of Williamson’s problems, since reportedly He recently parted ways with his agents at CAA for unclear reasons. That’s something you rarely see when things go according to plan.
This season, Williamson has played in only six of the Pelicans’ 16 games. He has averaged 22.7 points, eight rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 blocks, the best overall numbers of his career, albeit in limited action.
For Williamson, his weight is a frequent concern. But he seemed to be in great shape during the offseason and reportedly lost more than 25 pounds. Team officials were happy with Williamson’s conditioning and believed he was in the best shape of his six-year career, according to Charania.
The Pelicans are off to a 4-12 start, putting them second to last in the Western Conference standings. But injuries have been a major obstacle for a team looking to return to the playoffs.
New Orleans began the season with Trey Murphy III missing time with a right hamstring strain. So far he has only appeared in four games. In the team’s first game of the season, Dejounte Murray fractured his left hand.
In early November, Herbert Jones suffered a right shoulder strain and rotator cuff tear that was expected to keep him out for two to four weeks. CJ McCollum also suffered a right adductor strain that is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks.
The Pelicans face the Golden State Warriors in an NBA Cup matchup on Friday. New Orleans could be eliminated of the season tournament with a loss and a victory for the Dallas Mavericks over the Denver Nuggets.