It is no secret that the New Orleans Pelicans and head coach Alvin Gentry are currently being extremely cautious when it comes to the health of rookie big man and this past year's No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson. With Williamson still battling some lingering injury issues, the former Duke Blue Devils standout has yet to see the court this season.
However, it does appear as though Williamson is slowly progressing and will ultimately make his return to the court for the Pelicans before the end of the 2019-20 regular season.
“He’s doing some stuff with us in practice, but we’re taking it slow,” Gentry recently said, via Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune. “He’s working his butt off to get back on the court. We’ll put him out there when he’s ready to play. It’s not going to be any big rush.”
With Williamson battling a knee injury, it is obviously better to be safe than sorry. Because New Orleans likely won't be going to the postseason as the Western Conference franchise continues to develop its young core of players, Williamson certainly won't make his NBA debut until he is more than 100 percent ready to do so.
It is also worth noting, though, that the 19-year-old big man was just recently cleared to begin shooting again as his recovery and rehabilitation have indeed reached the next level — which is definitely a positive sign considering how long it has taken for him to progress to even this seemingly low threshold.
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