NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 30: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans and RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks meet on the court after a NBA game at Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson received a disheartening injury update as Williamson is projected to be out longer than expected.
Pelicans fans already bore the brunt of bad news when power forward Zion Williamson missed the season opener against a 76ers squad without Ben Simmons. Without Williamson, the Pelicans sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with a harrowing 1-6 record.
New Orleans received more bad news when it became clear on Monday that Williamson would be out for “at least” another 2-3 weeks.
Williamson, who has been recovering from a foot injury sustained during practice this summer, has spent the past several months recovering from the subsequent surgery.
The fact that Williamson has received recent scans and is warming up on the court is promising, but the injury timeline indicates a gradual healing process that is far from complete. According to Pelicans head coach Willie Green, Williamson won’t be playing in 2-3 weeks, he is just expected to be cleared as a full participant at practice after secondary foot scans.
That means that, if everything goes accordingly, it could take an additional week from injury return to see Williamson hit the court in a game.
Zion Williamson injury update reveals lengthy timeline for the Pelican’s return
The injury update is the latest in what has been a troubling saga for the former No. 1 overall pick from Duke. Williamson’s size and conditioning have long been a concern for the Pelicans, which is apparently what pushed Williamson to practice so hard he broke his foot. Williamson was working through “a chip he had on his shoulder for the upcoming season” when he broke his foot this summer.
If the Pelicans continue to struggle without Williamson this season, it could prevent him from signing a wealthy extension or even having a lucrative future with the Pelicans. Williamson’s responses have made it clear he’s worked hard to not be a bust, but as long as injuries keep him off the court, there’s nothing he can do to help his team out of a six-loss deficit.