Overview
- New Orleans announced a grade 2 right hip adductor strain for Zion Williamson and listed him out indefinitely, with ESPN reporting a re-evaluation in three weeks.
- The Pelicans are a league-worst 3-19 and were 9.8 points per 100 possessions better with Williamson on the floor, underscoring the on-court impact of his absence.
- Williamson had recently returned from a hamstring issue and is believed to have suffered the adductor injury on Nov. 29 against Golden State, with reports projecting any earliest return into late December pending re-evaluation.
- Analysts say repeated injuries have depressed Williamson’s trade value, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst describing it as next to no value for now, though non-guaranteed elements in the final seasons of his deal could ease financial risk for a potential trade partner.
- New Orleans does not control its 2026 first-round pick after sending it to Atlanta, and the team is leaning on rookie Derik Queen and others like Saddiq Bey and Jeremiah Fears to cover frontcourt minutes.