The New Orleans Pelicans will be taking on the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, and it'll mark a number of special occasions for players in the franchise.

First and foremost, guard Dejounte Murray will be making his long-awaited return to the basketball court after missing a total of 13 months due to a torn right Achilles tendon suffered in January 2025.

Murray will play and be on a minutes limit in the game, head coach James Borrego said before the game.

But Tuesday night will also mark a milestone for forward Zion Williamson. The former number one pick from Duke has dealt with a number of injuries since entering the league in 2019, and everyone is hoping he's finally turned a corner this season.

Tuesday night will mark the 26th consecutive start Williamson has made, which is a new career-high for the Pelicans forward.

Thus far, Zion Williamson has played in 42 of the Pelicans 58 games this season, averaging 21.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 58.7 percent from the field.

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Friday's game against the Bucks was the 41st of the season for Zion Williamson, which triggered a $16.8 million contract guarantee for the 2026-27 season, according to Spotrac's Keith Smith.

If Williamson is able to play eight more games after tonight to reach 51, his contract guarantee would grow to $25.3 million. It would then reach $33.7 million if he plays 61 games.

Williamson can fully guarantee the $42.2 million he's owed for the 2026-27 season if he plays 61 games and meets certain weight conditions.

The Pelicans have 24 games remaining entering Tuesday, which means that Williamson would need to play in 19 of the final 24 games to have a chance to fully guarantee next season's deal

In his seven seasons in the NBA, Zion Williamson has played 24 games in his rookie season, 61 in his second season, did not play at all in the 2021-22 season, 29 games in his third season, 70 games in his fourth season, and 30 games in his fifth season.