New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday that star Zion Williamson "has been cleared in his return to play progression without any restrictions."

The team said a checkup on his right foot "showed continued improvement."

Williamson underwent foot surgery before the 2021-22 season tipped off and missed the entire year.

Thanks in part to the shot in the arm they got from acquiring CJ McCollum ahead of the trade deadline, the Pelicans advanced to the playoffs and pushed the Phoenix Suns to six games in the first round.

Still, nobody questions Williamson's value to New Orleans and what he represents for the franchise. Through 85 career games, he's averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

The foot injury, however, added to the concerns about whether the 21-year-old can hold up enough to be the centerpiece the Pelicans need. A meniscus tear sidelined him as a rookie and forced the team to diligently monitor his workload in 2020-21.

Williamson is also eligible for an extension this summer ahead of the final year on his rookie contract, leaving the front office with a conundrum.

The 2020-21 All-Star said in April he "couldn't sign it fast enough" if presented with an offer from the Pelicans, but his foot and meniscus injuries are likely to linger throughout negotiations. For New Orleans, giving him a fully guaranteed max contract might be too risky, while Williamson will understandably want as much long-term security as possible.

Seeing the 2019 No. 1 overall pick back on the court will generate a ton of excitement.

Thursday's announcement also represents a step forward in his recovery.

But the Pelicans are likely to remain cautiously optimistic about his odds of avoiding a setback or picking up another injury.

When Zion Williamson has been healthy, he's looked like one of the most exciting young superstars in the NBA. The issue, of course, has been that he's only been on the court for 85 total games in his first three seasons, which included missing the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign because of a fractured right foot. 

So as he heads into his fourth season, soon to be extension-eligible, there are questions about what financial commitment the Pelicans will be willing to make for the oft-injured Williamson and whether he'll be willing to commit his future to New Orleans. 

"Obviously, that conversation is going to be one that will be a challenge," executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin told reporters. "When it's time to have that, we'll have it. And right now what we're focused on is him being healthy, and [being in] kind of elite condition to play basketball, and we'll start there."

The other issue for the Pelicans is that Williamson and the team have never appeared to be on the same page when it comes to his injury rehabilitation and timeline for return, with reports over the summer that there was a rift between the two parties. 

If there is a rift, however, it's one the Pelicans would assuredly want to work past. After all, Williamson is averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. 

There's little doubt that he has superstar potential and is the sort of player to build around, injuries or not. 

And there is precedent for giving a potential superstar who struggled with injuries early in his career a max contract. The Philadelphia 76ers did it in 2017, signing Joel Embiid to a five-year, $146.5 million deal that protected the franchise if he didn't hit certain games-played benchmarks. At the time of the contract, Embiid had missed his first two seasons and only played 31 games.

The Sixers most certainly don't have buyer's remorse on that contract, as Embiid has gone on to be the MVP runner-up two seasons in a row. 

And the Pelicans have built a solid roster, making the playoffs this past season behind the play of Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and a young supporting cast. That Pelicans team gave the Phoenix Suns fits in the first round before bowing out in six games. 

Returning Williamson to the mix would make New Orleans a real threat in the Western Conference. And at least publicly, he's said he wants to be back.

"I can't control rumors and how people feel about certain things. ... Anybody who knows me, knows I want to be here," he told reporters in early May. "If they feel otherwise, I can't help that. But if you know me, you know I want to be here."

The extension talks to keep him in New Orleans, however, may prove to be complicated. 

Zion Williamson says he'd sign a max contract extension if the New Orleans Pelicans offered one.

Whether they're willing to do so is another question entirely. 

"I don't think they're offering a five-year max," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast (11-minute mark). "... I don't think they're going to want to guarantee the full five years. I think they'll come into it not wanting him to have a player option. In other words, it will be a five-year contract and we'll have protection. And they'll want to haggle over what constitutes the protection."

Williamson is eligible to sign an extension this summer that could pay him up to $223 million if he makes an All-NBA team next season. Should he fail to make an All-NBA team, the max would top out at around $185 million.

While the Pelicans wouldn't hesitate to pay a healthy version of Williamson any number, we're yet to see him get through a full NBA season without injury. He missed the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from offseason foot surgery and has played just 85 total games in three seasons.

"Obviously, that conversation is going to be one that will be a challenge," Pelicans president of basketball operations David Griffin told reporters of a Williamson extension. "When it's time to have that, we'll have it. And right now what we're focused on is him being healthy, and [being in] kind of elite condition to play basketball and we'll start there."

The Pelicans could look at the five-year, $148 million extension signed by Joel Embiid in 2017 as a way to give themselves protection. Embiid's rookie-scale extension had clauses that protected the team in case of injury, and it was signed after the center had played in only 31 NBA games.

New Orleans has a slightly larger sample of Williamson's dominance than the Sixers did Embiid, but the financial implications are also a little higher. It would likely be smart of Williamson to sign any contract that guarantees him a nine-figure payday, even if it's slightly below the full max or comes with playing-time incentives.

If he goes through the rest of his career healthy, it's likely he'll take only a small financial hit in exchange for generational long-term security. 

If the New Orleans Pelicans defeat the Los Angeles Clippers in the final round of the NBA play-in tournament on Friday and advance to play the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, don't expect one of their best players to return to the court.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Thursday on NBA Today that the Pelicans have no intention of playing Zion Williamson if they advance to face the Suns. New Orleans is more focused on getting him ready for the 2022-23 campaign, Windhorst added.

Windhorst's comments come after the Pelicans told ESPN's Cassidy Hubbarth (h/t Real GM) that there was "no chance" Williamson would play against the Pelicans or in a potential first-round series against the Suns. The team added that "a return to play is not imminent."

Williamson has not played since May of last season and underwent offseason foot surgery after suffering a broken foot over the summer. He was supposed to be ready for the start of the 2021-22 campaign, but wasn't cleared to participate in full basketball activities until November. 

While the 21-year-old was back on the court practicing, he began to experience soreness in his surgically repaired foot and was shut down before getting an injection in his foot in January. 

At that point, Williamson continued rehabbing his foot injury away from the Pelicans in Portland, Oregon, and Christian Clark of NOLA.com reported in February that Williamson could need a second surgery on his foot. 

It was revealed in March that Williamson did not need another surgery on his foot and was making progress in his rehab. Fans were hopeful of a possible return when Williamson posted a video of himself doing a between-the-legs dunk late last month, but Windhorst reported shortly after that the big man wasn't medically cleared "to do that kind of dunk" by the Pelicans. 

Williamson then performed a 360-dunk during warmups before the Pelicans' play-in game against the Spurs, but all signs have pointed to the 2019 first overall pick not suiting up this year. 

Williamson had an impressive sophomore season during the 2020-21 campaign, earning his first All-Star selection after averaging 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor in 61 games. 

If Williamson can return to form and avoid injury next season, the Pelicans could be a dangerous team in the Western Conference. 

Zion Williamson participated in a five-on-five scrimmage with the New Orleans Pelicans last week and reportedly "looked good," Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on The Pat McAfee Show:

Despite the success, the team will still remain cautious as he works his way back to full strength.

"After not playing all season, I don't expect Zion Williamson during this play-in or playoffs," Charania said.

Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 regular season while recovering from a foot injury he suffered in the offseason.

The 21-year-old was initially expected to return in time for the start of the season, but continued setbacks kept him off the court.

Charania noted he felt "soreness" the last time he participated in five-on-five scrimmages in December.

The Pelicans were able to earn a spot in the play-in tournament without him, finishing with the ninth-best record in the Western Conference. They must beat the San Antonio Spurs and then the loser of the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers in order to earn the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

The squad's chances of advancing would be greater with Williamson on the roster, but it doesn't appear likely he will return to the lineup until next year.

The forward remains a promising player, earning an All-Star selection in his lone full season in the NBA. He finished 2020-21 with averages of 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while hitting 61.1 percent of his attempts from the field.

If the 2019 No. 1 overall pick can return to full strength next season, the Pelicans can be a dangerous team in the Western Conference.

Williamson still must prove his durability after playing just 85 total games in three NBA seasons.       

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson likely won't play in a regular-season game this year, but he is making progress in his recovery from his foot injury.

Pelicans head coach Willie Green told reporters that Williamson did some full-court work on Thursday by participating in a "controlled scrimmage" with player development coaches.

The Pelicans (35-44) have three games left on the schedule, including Thursday night's matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans is locked into a spot in the play-in tournament, giving the team the chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

If the Pelicans do advance in the postseason, it would be a surprise to see Williamson take the floor without getting his feet wet in a regular-season game first. However, his progression in his recovery could be enough to sway New Orleans to add him to the lineup whenever the opportunity arises.

Williamson posted a video of himself dunking on social media in March. Near the end of the month, he had also traveled with the team on a multi-game road trip for the first time this year.

New Orleans has won seven of its last 10 games and four of its last five. The team looks to be gelling at the right time, led by the duo of CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. 

Since being acquired from the Blazers at this year's trade deadline, McCollum has been averaging 25.7 points, 5.2 points above his average in Portland. Ingram has been hobbled by a hamstring injury, but in the five games he played in last month he averaged 29.0 points.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson remains out indefinitely as he rehabs from suffering a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot, but he is reportedly making progress.

"Sources say Williamson has progressed to more on-court work and is continuing to move forward in his rehab with Pelicans staffers," ESPN's Andrew Lopez reported Tuesday.

Lopez's tweet came after Pelicans head coach Willie Green told reporters Tuesday was asked about Williamson.

"He's getting on the floor, doing what he's supposed to do, but no further updates," Green said.

Williamson, who suffered the injury during an offseason workout and has been out ever since, averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2020-21.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic provided an update on March 21 regarding Williamson and stated that he wasn't expected to return this season.

Sources said Zion Williamson is not expected to return to play this season, but that he is making progress toward on-court work. So far, Williamson has been seen doing stationary shooting and is able to bear weight on his injured foot. New Orleans has 11 regular-season games remaining, which leaves an improbably tight window for Williamson to complete the team’s ramp-up stages ranging from one-on-zero to five-on-five scrimmaging. Williamson returned to New Orleans two weeks ago after rehabbing his fractured foot injury in Portland, and the 21-year-old has been cleared to gradually progress in basketball activities. He has been attending Pelicans home games and has appeared to be in positive spirits around teammates and coaches. Williamson underwent surgery to repair his broken foot last summer and had several return targets delayed this season.

Williamson, a former Duke star who went No. 1 overall to the Pels in the 2019 NBA draft, made the All-Star game in just his second NBA season.

The year before, Williamson sat for much of the year with a meniscus tear but still posted 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game.

He's obviously been a big loss for the Pels, yet he could still have an impact should New Orleans qualify for the postseason.

The team has overcome a 1-12 start to move to 34-44 on the year and appear slated for the play-in tournament. The Pelicans control their fate and need to win two games to make the playoffs.

When next year rolls around, New Orleans should threaten the top tier of the Western Conference with CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and Williamson forming a strong core four.

For now, they'll hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is set to be sidelined because of a hamstring injury.

The Pelicans announced Wednesday that Ingram underwent an MRI that revealed a mild right hamstring strain. The team will reevaluate him in seven to 10 days.

Ingram was forced to miss Tuesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies because of the injury. New Orleans lost the game 132-111 to fall to 27-38.

A sixth-year pro out of Duke, Ingram is one of the Pelicans' most important players with averages of 22.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists a night while shooting 46.2 percent from the field this season. But the 24-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout the year.

Before missing Tuesday's game, Ingram was absent 14 times because of various ailments. He dealt with a right hip contusion, left Achilles soreness and a sprained right ankle.

This season continues a theme of injury woes throughout Ingram's career. He hasn't played more than 62 games in a season since playing 79 in his rookie year for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016-17.

The Pelicans have also dealt with the season-long absence of star forward Zion Williamson because of offseason foot surgery. Despite this, the team is in line to compete for a spot in the play-in tournament this year.

While Ingram is out, shooting guard CJ McCollum will take over as the top option. Since being acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline, McCollum has averaged 26.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.5 assists.

New Orleans will be hosting the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram will miss Tuesday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with right hamstring soreness. 

Tony Snell will start in Ingram's place. 

The 24-year-old is averaging 22.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists a night while shooting 46.2 percent from the field this season. 

Unfortunately, Ingram has been sidelined with injuries numerous times since the campaign began. 

A right hip contusion kept him out for seven games from Oct. 30-Nov. 12. Left Achilles soreness sidelined him for a Dec. 28 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers and a Jan. 1 game versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

A right ankle sprain forced the Duke alum to miss five games beginning Jan. 24 versus the Indiana Pacers. He returned on Feb. 1.

The Pelicans have been playing shorthanded all season without superstar Zion Williamson, who suffered a fractured right foot during a workout in the summer.

Without Williamson, New Orleans struggled out of the gate and went 1-12. However, the Pels have surged up the standings of late and sit at 27-37, occupying the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. They enter Tuesday night a game back of the ninth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers. 

In his absence, look for more offensive responsibilities to fall onto the laps of CJ McCollum, Devonte' Graham and Jonas Valanciunas.