The injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans received more bad news on Saturday as Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury, according to the team.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. Medical imaging taken this morning confirmed the injury. Williamson will be out indefinitely and further updates will be appropriately provided.
Williamson sat out New Orleans’s 115-88 loss to Orlando on Friday with the injury but is now slated to miss “several weeks” due to a left hamstring strain. It was the fourth game that Williamson has missed this season. The Pelicans (3-7), who have lost four straight, next play the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.
Is It Time For New Orleans Pelicans To Move On From Zion Williamson? Plus, Willie Green’s Lineup Options With Williamson Out and Trey Murphy Returning, And Has Brandon Boston Jr. Earned A Standard Contract?
Williamson is the fifth Pelican currently sidelined for an extended period. Jordan Hawkins (lower back) is out for one or two weeks. Herbert Jones (right shoulder) and CJ McCollum (right abductor strain) have missed the last six contests and are out for at least another week. Meanwhile, Dejounte Murray (broken hand) is out for two-to-four more weeks.
On the positive side of things, Trey Murphy III is expected to make his season debut against the Nets, per NBA Insider Chris Haynes.
“Sources: New Orleans Pelicans swingman Trey Murphy III (hamstring) has a target of making his season debut Monday versus the Brooklyn Nets.”
Projecting Pelicans Rotation Over the Next Few Weeks
Murphy should jump right into the starting lineup. However, Murphy’s return gives coach Willie Green options. Green could pair Ingram and Murphy up at the forward spots, with Ingram playing the 4. Ingram and Murphy were very good together a season ago, with the Pelicans posting +8.5 per 100 possessions in over 700 minutes.
In that case, Brandon Boston Jr. would remain in the starting lineup. Boston, on a two-way contract, has started the last three games and has been excellent. He is coming off one of the best games of his career, scoring 26 points against the Magic.
Green could go with a more traditional lineup, going with Jeremiah Robinson-Earl at power forward alongside center Yves Missi. Robinson-Earl has started at the four in each of the last two games Williamson has sat out, scoring 12 points on each occasion. If Robinson-Earl gets the starting nod, Ingram will likely be paired with point guard Jose Alvarado. Therefore, Murphy would be slotted at small forward.
Either way, Boston Jr. and Robinson-Earl will see plenty of time. Meanwhile, Javonte Green, Daniel Theis, and whichever of the two players don’t start. Jamal Cain and Antonio Reeves will fill out the second unit, though Reeves likely won’t see much regular time.
If Murphy isn’t able to play, Green figures to go with the same starting lineup as he did against Atlanta, which included Robinson-Earl at power forward and Boston at shooting guard. Andrew Lopez of Pelicans.com tweeted this afternoon that Murphy is officially considered questionable.
“If everything goes according to plan, Trey Murphy will make his debut tomorrow vs. Brooklyn. He’ll officially be listed as questionable. While Trey said he’s in, Willie Green says team wants to make everything goes fine after shootaround. Expect him to be upgraded tomorrow.”
What Should New Orleans Do With Williamson?
It has long been believed that New Orleans may have to decide between Ingram and Williamson as their franchise cornerstone. With the Pelicans trading for Murray this summer, Ingram was thought to be the player moving on. But will Williamson’s latest significant injury change the Pelicans’ decision-makers minds?
Only time will tell, but it should. New Orleans is tied with Portland for the 14th-best record in the Western Conference, and they are just one game better than the Utah Jazz.
Williamson, who sat out the season opener due to illness, has sat out three of the Pelicans’ last four games with different injuries. He was sidelined by right hamstring tightness on Sunday, right thigh soreness on Monday, and left hamstring tightness on Friday.
Williamson’s hamstrings have been a major point of contention. The left hamstring injury is the same one that Williamson injured in last season’s play-in tournament game—that injury forced him to sit out the entire first round of the playoffs. Hamstring issues cost him 45 games during the 2022-23 season. Foot and knee ailments have also caused him significant time in his career.
New Orleans is only 2-4 in Williamson’s games this season. Williamson is averaging 22.7 points this season, which is nearly two points below his career average, despite attempting over one more shot a game. The 24-year-old forward is shooting a career-low 45% from the field and 66.7% from the charity stripe despite attempting 10 a game. He also has -2.3 in plus/minus rating in 31 minutes a contest.
Will There Be Any Interest In Williamson?
While Williamson is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams, he is not a threat from the perimeter and is a below-average free-throw shooter for his career. He is also not a great defensive rebounder and is only average defensively, though, as he doesn’t get many steals or block shots.
Granted, Williamson generally has a positive impact on the Pelicans, though they have been ravaged hard by injuries this year. But his problem is the 6-6 forward can’t stay healthy. He has played in 190 games since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, appearing in 60 games twice, including a career-high 70 last season.
New Orleans has only made the playoffs twice since Williamson joined the franchise. He has missed 30 more games than he has played in his NBA career. The Pelicans are 101-89 in games that Williamson has played and 90-120 in the games he has missed.
Williamson signed a five-year, $193 million contract extension before the 2023-24 campaign that could increase his salary to $231 million. However, he also has clauses that could make portions of his salary non-guaranteed if he doesn’t meet certain marks.
Williamson’s early injury issues put next year’s contract in doubt. However, this may make it easier for the Pelicans to trade Williamson. Regardless, the Pelicans won’t be able to get a ransom that one would assume a player of Williamson’s talent would demand. My best guess is that the best New Orleans could do is perhaps a couple of future first-rounders (none in 2025), a 2025 (lottery-protected) first-rounder, and maybe a low-end starter. They may also be able to abstract a few second-round selections.
Has Brandon Boston Done Enough To Earn A Standard Contract?
Boston has been a sensation in his first season with New Orleans. He signed with the Pelicans just before the start of the regular season after being released by the San Antonio Spurs.
Boston has scored in double-figures in his last five games, topping the 20-point mark twice, including pouring in 26 against the Magic on Friday. Overall, the No. 51 2022 draft pick is on pace for a career season as he averages 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals. He is draining 1.3 3-pointers while producing 50.8/39.1/87.5 shooting slash line in seven games, meaning he can only suit up for 43 of the Pelicans final 73 contests if New Orleans doesn’t promote the 22-year-old wing.
Boston is versatile, long, and athletic. The 6-7 wing, who has shown some 3-D potential, can play all five positions, though he is better suited for two and three.
While Boston is at his best when attacking the rim, he does have a decent mid-range game. He has also done an excellent job handling and facilitating the ball. Additionally, his 1.4 points per shot are a career-best and above the league average.
Seeing Boston’s role when the Pelicans are fully healthy will be interesting. But that won’t be for another few weeks, and if Boston continues to play well, he should be considered for minutes when another injury occurs. However, as it stands now, when healthy, the Pelicans go 11 or 12 players deep.
Decisions Forthcoming
So, Boston has earned a standard contract. Whether he will receive it sooner or later remains to be seen. New Orleans entered the season with 14 players on standard contracts, but due to the injuries, the Pelicans signed Jaylen Nowell to a nonguaranteed contract on November 3.
Nowell averages 7.0 points and 1.0 3-pointers while shooting 37.5% from deep, though he has been inefficient overall, averaging a point per shot. He also hasn’t done a great job running the offense despite spending over three-quarters of his 40 minutes there this season.
How Nowell plays over the next week or two will likely determine whether he is kept on the 15-man roster. If Nowell is released, Boston will likely eventually earn a standard deal before the end of the season. However, it also depends on whether New Orleans plans to make a major in-season trade.
New Orleans has just 10 players under contract for next season, with Ingram being the only significant upcoming free agent. However, if the Pelicans trade Williamson, he may be dealt or signed to an extension.
