How much longer will the Pelicans’ Zion Williams be sidelined with a hamstring injury?
It’s been a tough time for the Pelicans and their star player and following recent reports, it doesn’t look like things are going to change in the near future.
The thing about sports is that no matter how talented you are, unless you can stay in the game, it doesn’t matter. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 Draft is the perfect example, in that he’s basically spent more time off the court than he’s spent on it, which begs the question, ‘could he do more to maintain his health?’
Zion Williamson set to be sidelined for even longer
According to an announcement from the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Zion Williamson will be out for at least two more weeks due to his hamstring strain. Following a scan which revealed he has progressed, it was determined that he’s still got a little more to go.
Interestingly, it’s understood that the Pelicans are still planning for a situation where Williamson will join the team before the playoffs. On the other hand, the Pelicans’ trip to the post season is by no means guaranteed with a record of 3234. Sitting at No. 10 in the Western Conference and facing less than a month in the regular season, Williamson’s involvement at this point is cosmetic at best. This of course leads to the question of whether they should even risk pushing for his return. At any rate, here we are with Williamson having not played since January 2nd, when he sustained the injury against the Philadelphia 76ers.
What to make of Zion Williamson’s situation?
Initially, the Pelicans indicated that Williamson would be out for three weeks, but if we’re honest we always knew that was likely an optimistic view. Consider for a moment, that he suffered a setback during recovery which resulted in him missing the All-star Game - he was set to start. Looking at the big picture, the Pelicans star missed all of last season and in total has only played a total of 114 games, since entering the league in 2019.
Yet, there is the other side of the equation, which paints a picture of a player who is quite frankly unreal when he’s healthy. Prior to his injury, Williamson was averaging 26 points, seven rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, while shooting 60.8% from the field. On the back of those numbers, the Pelicans flew out to a 23-13 start and were in touching distance of first in the West when 2023 started. Sadly, they have now dropped significantly and are faced with a real dilemna where their star is concerned. Do they risk him in an effort to right a sinking ship in the 2022-23 season, or do they give him the time he needs and focus on the season to come?