The gaping hole missing from the New Orleans Pelicans is the lost of Zion Williamson, the rookie phenom out of Duke who was selected with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old has yet to make his regular season debut after undergoing surgery on a meniscus tear sustained during the preseason.
Williamson's initial timeline of six to eight weeks has expired, and people are wondering when the athlete will hit the hardwood for the Pelicans. New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry gave an update on Williamson's recovery and rehab.
Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post on Twitter:
“He’s on track. He’s doing a little bit of things on the court now, and obviously that will be expanding as time goes by. Everything is OK and there’s not a specific date that we target.”
Without Williamson, the Pelicans (6-21) have looked mostly lost despite the influence of the team's veterans, such as Jrue Holiday, Derrick Favors, and JJ Redick.
While Gentry's squad has the infusion of experienced players, most of the team is made up of younger guys like former Lakers Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart along with rookies Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
The nonspecific target date for Williamson's return is mildly frustrating, however. Supposedly, it's possible he could miss his entire true rookie season and instead focus on priming his body for a lengthy NBA career. One concern even entering the draft process last spring was how Williamson's weight would conflict with the toll he puts on his body. Regardless, Gentry does not appear to count Zion in the mix in the very near future.
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