New Orleans got on a roll after the 2022 All-Star break and eventually earned a trip to the Western Conference playoffs, aided by the midseason trade additions of CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. With a very similar roster in 2023, the Pelicans will try to do so again, playing without Zion Williamson for at least the initial segment of the post-All-Star schedule.
Following Sunday’s practice, New Orleans Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin told media that Williamson recently reaggravated the right hamstring injury the All-Star forward initially sustained Jan. 2 at Philadelphia. “I think we’re looking at multiple weeks past All-Star break (that Williamson will be sidelined),” Griffin said. What that looks like in terms of (exact) timeline (for his return), I really can’t tell you.”
Williamson was making progress from the injury and had been cleared for contact and playing 1-on-1 and 3-on-3. “It happened on the (court),” Griffin said, after being asked when the reaggravation took place.
David Griffin on Josh Richardson, Zion Williamson's injury | New Orleans Pelicans
Asked how Williamson is taking the setback from an emotional standpoint, Griffin responded, “It’s fair to say not terribly well, because he was really diligent in his rehab and in the process. Unfortunately this is an injury that has a very high incidence of recurrence. It’s nothing he did wrong to bring this about.”
The 22-year-old Williamson appeared in 29 of New Orleans’ first 37 regular season games, but has been out for the past 20 contests with a right hamstring strain. He was sidelined for all of the 2021-22 campaign, which the Pelicans started 1-12 before turning around their season. New Orleans finished as a play-in team and beat San Antonio and the LA Clippers in elimination games, then lost 4-2 in the first round of the West playoffs vs. top-seeded Phoenix. Eleven of the 12 Pelicans players who logged minutes during that series against the Suns are still part of the roster, with the lone exception being guard Devonte’ Graham (traded Thursday to San Antonio for veteran wing Josh Richardson).
“It’s a blessing for our team that we know we can be really good,” Griffin said of the roster sans Williamson. “We know we’ve done this before. This team has proven they can be really good exactly as constructed now. Obviously Josh is a new piece of that. But this group as a whole has achieved quite a bit together, and they believe in one another. We’re all very disappointed for (Williamson), his teammates are disappointed for him, but we know what’s at stake and everybody knows what comes next.”