New Orleans Pelicans

Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly both still hoping the All-Star forward can play during the 2021-22 NBA season despite a lingering foot injury.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the update Wednesday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Zion talk starts at 1:03:43 in the video).

"From everything I've been told, the Pelicans do want him to play this season," Charania said. "I think Zion Williamson in his heart of hearts does want to play this year. So you have two parties that clearly want him back on the floor."

In September, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced Williamson underwent surgery during the offseason to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, but the organization remained hopeful he'd be ready for the start of the regular season.

"He had a fractured right foot that was repaired surgically," Griffin told reporters at the time. "His timeline should get him back on the court in time for the regular season. That would be our hope and our view. And we're very optimistic about what that looks like."

That optimism faded as the season drew closer, and now the 2019 first overall pick has missed the first 32 games of the campaign.

Last week, the Pelicans announced Williamson received an injection in his troublesome foot and would have his workout intensity reduced for at least a month.

"Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot," the team said. "Williamson will be limited to low-impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period. Further updates will be given following further imaging, which is anticipated to occur in four to six weeks."

That brings the timetable to mid-to-late January before the 21-year-old Duke product would begin ramping his activity back up for a possible return.

Given that time frame, it's hard to imagine Williamson playing in any games until after the All-Star Game on Feb. 20.

At that point, there will only be around six weeks remaining in the regular season and the Pelicans (11-21) will need to make a considerable surge over the next few months to still be playing for a playoff spot by that stage.

It's hard to imagine the franchise putting its cornerstone player back on the floor if it faded out of playoff contention and risking a more substantial setback that could put Williamson's availability for the start of the 2022-23 season at risk.

His recovery would need to proceed with no further issues to make returning a possibility, and then the team's place in the standings may also come into play.

The Pelicans have shown signs of life lately, winning three straight games and four of their last five, so it's possible the outlook is different by February.

Next up for New Orleans is a visit to the Amway Center on Thursday night to face off with the Orlando Magic.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be out for at least one more month.

The Pelicans announced on Thursday that Williamson received a "biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot" and he will undergo further imaging tests in four to six weeks. 

New Orleans also noted Williamson will be limited to low impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period as he continues to recover from his ongoing foot issues. 

Any injury update for Williamson is sure to draw attention considering his history in the early portion of his career. His debut in his rookie season in 2019-20 was delayed because of health concerns, and he played 24 games during his first year in the NBA.

While he appeared in 61 games in 2020-21, he missed the start of his third season in 2021-22 because of a foot injury.

The Pelicans released a statement earlier this month revealing the Duke product suffered a setback during his rehab meaning "the volume and intensity of his training will be reduced for an extended period to help allow for further bone healing."

New Orleans made Williamson its franchise player when it selected him with the No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft. He looked the part in his second season when he averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game behind 61.1 percent shooting from the field.

Still, injury concerns have become a defining theme of Williamson's career to this point, which is a worrisome development for a franchise that is so dependent on him living up to expectations.        

A four-to-six-week timetable means another update on Williamson's status will likely come between mid-January and early February. 

The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly held trade talks with the Philadelphia 76ers about point guard Ben Simmons that featured future first-round draft choices and other pick swaps.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Wednesday the Pelicans weren't willing to include Brandon Ingram in the discussions and noted it's "unclear" if the recent setback Zion Williamson suffered with his foot injury will alter the Pelicans' pursuit of Simmons.

The three-time All-Star hasn't played for the Sixers this season. He stayed away from the franchise for most of training camp and the preseason while awaiting a potential trade that never arrived. He's since sought treatment for his mental health.

In November, Simmons' agent, Rich Paul, raised concerns about Philadelphia's actions while the 25-year-old Australian met with mental-health professionals.

"I truly believe the fines, the targeting, the negative publicity shined on the issue—that's very unnecessary and has furthered the mental health issues for Ben," Paul told Shams Charania of The Athletic. "Either you help Ben, or come out and say he's lying. Which one is it?"

A 76ers official told Charania they were "absolutely not" trying to force Simmons to play or accusing him of lying about his mental-health status.

The 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year has averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals across 275 regular-season games for the Sixers.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans were expected to take a significant step forward this season, but that step hasn't materialized in large part because of injuries.

Williamson hasn't played this season because of lingering problems following offseason foot surgery, and Ingram has also missed nearly a quarter of the campaign (seven of the team's 29 games).

A Big Three of Williamson, Ingram and Simmons would be intriguing when all of them are healthy, but whether that's a realistic target is tough question to answer.

The Sixers have held firm on their high asking price for the guard, including their desire to land an upper-echelon player in return. The Pelicans don't have anyone besides Williamson and Ingram who falls into that category, so keeping Ingram out of talks could be a nonstarter.

So far, there's nothing to suggest a Simmons trade is imminent to New Orleans or elsewhere.

After Zion Williamson recently suffered a setback in his rehab from a right foot injury, the New Orleans Pelicans aren't giving up hope that the star will be able to return to the court at some point this season.

According to ESPN's Andrew Lopez, the team believes Williamson may be able to play in 2021-22:

Williamson had offseason surgery on a fractured right foot, with the expectation that he would return at some point in December. However, the Pelicans recently announced there has been "regression" in the healing process.

"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," the team announced in a statement Saturday. "As a result, the volume and intensity of his training will be reduced for an extended period to help allow for further bone healing."

Injuries have unfortunately been a theme of Williamson's young career. He played in just 24 games in his 2019-20 rookie season after a torn meniscus delayed his NBA debut until late January and COVID-19 cut the NBA regular season short.

He was far healthier in the 2020-21 campaign, playing in 61 of the 72 games that season and averaging an impressive 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting an impressive 61.1 percent from the field, though just 69.8 percent from the free-throw line and 29.4 percent from three.

When on the court, the 21-year-old is a force to be reckoned with, getting to the basket at will and finishing around the rim at an incredibly high rate. There are concerns about his game, namely his perimeter shooting, but there's little doubt that Williamson has a ton of potential and could be a truly dominant player if he keeps himself in shape and on the court.

But staying healthy has become an enormous concern. He's now played just 85 of a possible 183 games, a very worrying number. The Pelicans have playoff aspirations with Williamson on the court. Without him, they're just another lottery team, yet again.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is still experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired right foot and will have his rehab workload scaled back accordingly. 

“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," the team said in a statement. "As a result, the volume and intensity of his training will be reduced for an extended period to help allow for further bone healing."

The 21-year-old averaged 27.0 points on 61.1 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in 2020-21 for the Pelicans.

Williamson has missed the first 28 games of the Pels' 2021-22 season following his offseason surgery. He was supposed to be ready for the start of the season.

The Duke product was cleared for full basketball activities Nov. 26, per Charania, who then offered this update on Dec. 2:

Without the star, the team has languished near the bottom of the Western Conference with an 8-20 record.

Josh Hart has been in the starting lineup in place of Williamson as the team opts for a smaller lineup. He's played at small forward, with Brandon Ingram moving to the 4 and offseason acquisition Jonas Valanciunas patrolling the paint. New Orleans has rolled with a backcourt of Devonte' Graham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Adding Williamson back into the mix would be a welcome sight for New Orleans. The postseason is likely out of reach given the team's tough start, but the Pels can finish the campaign strong and work on building positive momentum into next year.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson didn't practice Thursday because the "soreness has persisted" in his injured foot.

ESPN's Andrew Lopez reported the update:

Williamson has yet to play during the 2021-22 NBA campaign after offseason surgery on a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

After being drafted by New Orleans first overall in 2019, the Duke product was limited to just 85 games over his first two campaigns. Williamson tore his meniscus during the 2019-20 preseason and missed New Orleans' first 44 games before returning to play 24.

The 21-year-old played 61 games last season but missed time with a thumb sprain and a fractured left ring finger.

When healthy, Williamson is one of the best young forwards in the NBA. He has averaged 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep in his career. 

According to ESPN's Lopez and Brian Windhorst, the Pelicans have "poured resources, time and energy to protect Williamson's health," which shows how the franchise values his presence. 

Without Williamson, the Pelicans have struggled this year, going 6-18 for the fourth-worst record in the NBA.

New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram isn't wavering in his commitment to the franchise amid a disappointing 2021-22 NBA season.

In an interview with NBA.com's Mark Medina, Ingram referenced the five-year, $158.3 million extension he signed in November 2020:

I've made a commitment to New Orleans that I was going to be here for five years and not knowing what was going to come with it. Of course, I want to always be on the winning side. It's always frustrating when you lose, you lose and you lose. But I think you find beauty in pushing hard. I'm trying to figure out a way with the group that we have with making each other better every single day.

The Pelicans are 14th in the Western Conference at 6-17, and their odds of reaching the playoffs are already long. FanDuel lists them at -4500 to miss the postseason for the fourth straight year.

Just as Anthony Davis eventually grew frustrated and charted a new path to the Los Angeles Lakers, it wouldn't be surprising if Ingram is beginning to have second thoughts about remaining with the team.

The 24-year-old quickly became disaffected with former head coach Stan Van Gundy, with NOLA.com's Christian Clark reporting in June their relationship was "was strained for a majority of the season."

Based on Ingram's comments to Medina, his dynamic with first-year head coach Willie Green appears to be stronger: “I just hit him on some of the stuff I see on the floor and how we can be better and how the organization can be better. The good thing about it is he gives a good response that I really like.”

Ingram is averaging 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Until he delivers in the playoffs, some will probably wonder whether his production contributes to winning basketball, not unlike the narrative around Devin Booker before the Phoenix Suns' NBA Finals run.

But the 2020 All-Star appears to be the kind of talent who can serve as a franchise cornerstone. Losing him wouldn't quite be the same as losing Davis, but it would be a massive setback for an organization that needs to prove it can build around homegrown stars.

Luckily for New Orleans, Ingram's interview with Medina will quell any rumors about his future for the time being.

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The New Orleans Pelicans announced Friday that All-Star forward Zion Williamson has been cleared for full team activities for the first time since offseason foot surgery.

"Williamson played 4-on-4 full court today and will continue his progression toward returning to play," the team said in a statement. "An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined."

Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin revealed in September that Williamson suffered a fractured right foot at some point during the offseason. The team was hopeful he'd be ready for the start of the 2021-22 NBA season.

"His timeline should get him back on the court in time for the regular season. That would be our hope and our view. And we're very optimistic about what that looks like," Griffin told reporters.

That timetable didn't come to fruition, as Williamson has missed the first 20 games of the campaign, and New Orleans has struggled mightily without him, posting a 4-16 record. Leading scorer Brandon Ingram has also missed seven games.

Along with the foot injury, there were growing concerns about the amount of weight the 21-year-old Duke product put on during his recovery.

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported in October that Williamson "reached north of 300 pounds this offseason." The 6'6'' forward's listed playing weight is 284 pounds.

"These are the injuries you have to be the most concerned about, a foot injury for a guy with noted weight issues," a Western Conference executive told Fischer.

The Pelicans were expected to take a step forward this season with the core of Williamson, Ingram and Nickeil Alexander-Walker joined by the additions of Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte' Graham.

Instead, the injury woes have left New Orleans with the NBA's second-worst record and just a 13 percent chance of earning a playoff berth, per FiveThirtyEight.

Meanwhile, another factor in play is Williamson's contract. He'll be eligible for a five-year, $181 million extension after this season, the third of his four-year rookie deal, per Spotrac.

So there are a lot of different variables in play as the Pelicans try to avoid this turning into a lost season while also keeping the long-term outlook in mind.

As Williamson moves to the next stage of his recovery, New Orleans returns to action Friday night as it visits Vivint Arena to take on the Utah Jazz (12-6).

Zion Williamson has yet to play this season as he continues to recover from a fractured foot, but it appears the New Orleans Pelicans have done everything in their power to help the star in his efforts to return to the court. 

The Pelicans have reportedly "poured resources, time and energy to protect Williamson's health," according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Andrew Lopez. The team has changed members of its staff and even made changes to some culinary practices in order to support the former Duke star. 

In addition, ESPN notes that Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin has gone out of his way to send videos to NBA officials showing how Williamson was fouled during games in order to get him more protection with better officiating. 

Griffin also criticized officials in a press conference and was fined $50,000. 

The Pelicans are still unsure when Williamson will make his return to the court as he has only recently been cleared to return to contact practices.

Williamson has played just 85 games since entering the league as the No. 1 pick in 2019. He tore his meniscus during the 2019-20 preseason and missed New Orleans' first 44 games of the season before returning to play 24 games. 

The 21-year-old played 61 games last season, but missed time with a thumb sprain and a fractured left ring finger. He underwent surgery to repair a fractured foot during the offseason, which is why he remains sidelined. 

When healthy, Williamson is one of the most impressive forwards in the league. Last season, he averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 61.1 percent from the field. 

By pouring money into helping Williamson get healthy, the organization likely hopes he'll sign a contract extension. Williamson is under contract through the 2022-23 season, but he will be eligible to sign a rookie extension (five years, $181 million) after the 2021-22 season. 

Without Williamson, the Pelicans are off to a brutal start this season at 2-14, only one win ahead of the last-place Houston Rockets (1-14).  

The NBA announced Friday that New Orleans Pelicans forward Didi Louzada was suspended 25 games without pay for a violation of the league's anti-drug program.

Louzada, who's split time between the Pelicans and the G League's Birmingham Squadron, tested positive for the steroid drostanolone and testosterone.

The 22-year-old Brazilian was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in the 2019 draft. He was traded to New Orleans a few weeks later when a swap featuring other prospects from that year's draft, including De'Andre Hunter, Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, was finalized.

Louzada spent the past two years playing for the Sydney Kings in Australia's National Basketball League. He signed a contract with the Pelicans in April and, after making three appearances in the latter stages of the 2020-21 season, re-signed with the team in August.

David Griffin, New Orleans' executive vice president of basketball operations, commented after the front office re-signed both Louzada and center Willy Hernangomez.

"The passion Willy and Didi have for their teammates and our greater Pelicans community is reflected every day in their approach to the game," Griffin said. "Their joyful outlook, work ethic, attention to detail and desire to grow and evolve as professionals has been infectious and we look forward to continuing towards our goals together deep into the future."

Louzada played seven minutes across two appearances for the Pelicans this season. He's averaged 14 points in 30.5 minutes in two games for the Squadron.

He was recalled from the G League on Sunday but he hadn't appeared in any contests this week.

His suspension begins with Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He'll be eligible to return Jan. 11 when the Pelicans face the Minnesota Timberwolves.