The New Orleans Pelicans have been in a slump since the start of the season. Even with their star Zion Williamson on the court, the Pelicans have struggled to compete in a tough Western Conference.
Lately, they've been without the high-flying star forward. As Williamson went down with a hamstring issue, he was ruled out for several games. On Thursday, the Pelicans offered a positive update on Williamson.
"Pelicans announce that Zion Williamson, who was diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain on November 4, continues to progress well through his rehabilitation and has been cleared to resume on-court basketball activities with contact. His return to play progression will be updated appropriately."
Williamson's latest appearance occurred on November 2, when the Pelicans faced the Oklahoma City Thunder. At the time, Williamson checked in for 28 minutes. He shot 50 percent from the field, scoring 20 points, and acquired nine rebounds, six assists, and one steal. The Pelicans lost in a 137-106 blowout.
Fortunately, the Pelicans picked up their first victory of the season in their first game without Williamson. They fired off two wins in a row, before dropping their November 8 matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Since then, the Pelicans have been on a three-game losing streak.
With or without Zion, the Pelicans are clearly a struggling squad. Their head coach has been on the hot seat since October, and it's unclear where they'll go from here in terms of buying or selling players at the 2026 trade deadline.
Williamson would be New Orleans' top trade chip. Although his injury history is risky, he remains one of the most dominant power forwards in the game when he is healthy. Two seasons ago, Williamson averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 70 games.
Last year, he managed to play in just 30 games. Seeing the court for a little under 30 minutes per game, Williamson averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.
So far this season, Williamson's production is down across the board. He's been making 48 percent of his shots from the field, averaging 22.8 points. In addition, he's coming down with 6.8 rebounds per game, and producing 4.6 assists per matchup.
It's unclear which date the Pelicans are targeting for Williamson's return, but he's making positive progress.
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