The lone winless team in the Western Conference was dealt another huge blow to the beginning of their season.
New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain that will sideline him for at least seven to 10 days, the Pelicans announced Tuesday.
Williamson will be reevaluated after that time frame.
Williamson, 25, was having a slow start to the season by his standards, albeit with just five games played, averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 48.7% shooting from the field, all down from previous seasons.
Injuries have long plagued the first overall pick from 2019, as he has played more than 60 games in a season just twice. Williamson played just 30 games last season, missing the large majority of the year due to a bone bruise in his back.
The Pelicans will miss their leading scorer to start the year after dropping their first six games. New Orleans is currently ranked last in the league with a minus-18.2 point differential.
With Yves Missi dealing with an illness, the Pelicans will be thin in the frontcourt. The No. 13 pick in this year’s draft Derik Queen will be poised to get his first career start with the absence of Missi and Williamson.
