Zion Williamson won't be returning to the New Orleans Pelicans' lineup any time soon. That is after the big man suffered a setback in his recovery from his foot surgery.

Williamson has been out since the start of the 2021-22 season after he underwent surgery to repair a fractured right foot. While previous reports indicated that he is progressing nicely, even returning to practice to do 4-on-4 workloads, it appears that didn't last long.

In the official statement released by the Pelicans, the team confirmed Williamson's training will be limited for some time after his bone healing in his right foot “showed regression.”

“After experiencing persistent soreness in his right foot, Zion Williamson underwent medical imaging which showed a regression in the bone healing of his fifth metatarsal. As a result, the volume and intensity of his training will be reduced for an extended period to help allow for further bone healing. Additional updates will be provided as warranted.”

This is undoubtedly a massive blow to the Pelicans, especially amid another poor start to the season. They could really use Zion Williamson's help, with Brandon Ingram carrying the offensive load alone.

Unfortunately with the way things are going, Zion is nowhere near from being ready to play. Given his recovery, it is very much possible fans won't see him until midway through the campaign.

Of course the Pelicans will not risk injuring Williamson, as he is deemed the future of the franchise. Nonetheless, it has to be concerning that he is now poised to miss more games than he has played.