The New Orleans Pelicans are suffering through another injury-riddled regular season under fourth-year head coach Willie Green. Trey Murphy III (hamstring) has yet to play and Dejounte Murray (hand) has not been with the team since opening night. Herb Jones (shoulder), Jordan Hawkins (back), CJ McCollum (abductor), and Zion Williamson (thigh) have also missed multiple games to start the 2024-25 NBA campaign.
Murray has rejoined the team but is still weeks away from a return to action. Murphy III should start against the Brooklyn Nets (November 11) but will be on a minutes restriction. Green explained that Williamson, who had been listed with a right thigh/hamstring issue, did not indicate any problems with his left hamstring until a November 7 practice in Orlando.
The Pelicans then shut down Williamson and sent him to the imaging center, per Green.
“(Williamson) got a scan and we found out the severity of what his injury was,” Green said. “It’s an unfortunate injury and blow to our team obviously, losing (Williamson), losing the guys we’ve lost. But at the end of the day, we’re grateful that it’s not season-ending, it’s not career-ending. Everybody is going to continue to work together to try to come up with a resolution to get our guys back on the floor, and get them on the floor healthy.”
Green shared some insights on Williamson’s mental outlook after being sidelined with yet another injury.
“It’s tough on him. You guys saw him, he was working this summer and came into camp (healthy). The performance team and medical (team), everybody is working toward the same goals, and then we have an unfortunate injury,” Green said. “So it’s definitely a blow to him and a blow to our team, as far as (not) having him on the floor and what he does for our team.”
Pelicans trying to survive without Zion Williamson
The Pelicans will not be at full strength for at least another month at best. Unfortunately, the rest of the 2024 schedule is brutal after hosting the Brooklyn Nets (Nov. 11). A trip to see the Oklahoma City Thunder will be televised on ESPN. The Pelicans then have eight more November dates against teams with better records and few injuries. A back-to-back against Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) will be taxing, to say the least, but at least both are in the Smoothie King Center.
New Orleans gets a rest day and a travel day before a road back-to-back set against the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and Memphis Grizzlies are the last four games in November. December does not get much easier and that is before factoring in any injury setbacks. Every team on the schedule currently has a better record than the Pelicans.
January's slate is stocked full of expected lottery teams. However, surviving the next six weeks and treading water in the Western Conference will be one of Green's toughest challenges yet. If the Pelicans can survive, so can the coach. If not, the organization will hear louder calls to clean house from fans fed up with false hopes. There is no telling who would survive the fallout of a franchise refresh going by what has taken place next door with the New Orleans Saints.
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