Update: The New Orleans Pelicans have ruled Zion Williamson out for the upcoming NBA Play-In Tournament.
Zion Williamson has not suited up for the New Orleans Pelicans since suffering a hamstring injury back on Jan. 2 .
Since the former No. 1 pick went down, the Pelicans’ brass has issued updates on his status every two weeks. The latest update came Thursday and didn’t offer much as New Orleans battles for a spot in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
“After further evaluation, it has been determined that Zion Williamson will continue his rehabilitation and conditioning regimen. We will continue to monitor his progression, and updates will be provided as warranted,” New Orleans Pelicans statement on Zion Williamson’s status.
This has to be maddening for Pelicans fans with just two games remaining on the regular-season schedule.
New Orleans heads into Friday’s home date with the New York Knicks at 41-39 and as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Sitting one game behind the Golden State Warriors for the sixth seed, it still has an opportunity to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament.
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Zion Williamson injury update and New Orleans Pelicans playoff hopes
On one hand, throwing Williamson into a high-drama late-season situation might not be the best of ideas. On the other hand, he’s been considered a franchise cornerstone and the face of the organization.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old Williamson will conclude this regular season having played in just 29 games. In fact, the Duke product has played in all of 29 games since May 4, 2021. That’s nearly two calendar years.
- Zion Williamson stats (2022-23): 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.6 APG, 61% shooting
As you can see, Williamson is a dynamic and dominating player when he’s actually on the court. The issue here has been availability since New Orleans made him the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
With Williamson now ruled out, the Pelicans will continue to rely on Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum to spearhead things. They have won eight of 10 heading into the final weekend of regular season action.
After taking on New York on Friday, New Orleans visits the Minnesota Timberwolves on Easter Sunday in what could be a game with absolutely huge playoff implications.