After finishing well under .500 yet again and missing out on the playoffs for the third straight season, the New Orleans Pelicans made some big changes last summer. The team hoped they were moves that would help propel them back into the postseason for the first time since 2018, when they made it to the second round.
Yet when star forward Zion Williamson suffered a broken foot during his offseason training, the franchise's current and future plans were put on pause. That's where the Pelicans remain due to continued complications with Williamson's recovery. He still hasn't played this season and won't be on the court anytime soon. A recent report from Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, indicates that Williamson may need another surgery.
Last week, Griffin said Williamson will have another round of medical imaging done on his right foot either this week or next week. Williamson has dealt with a series of setbacks on his injured right foot over the past four months.
Williamson has been overweight for virtually all of his pro career, which has complicated the recovery process. He must lose weight in order to decrease the amount of force he puts on his right foot when he runs, cuts and jumps. But it's difficult for Williamson to lose weight without running, cutting and jumping.
Williamson was supposed to return to practice in December, but he began experiencing soreness in his right foot. That month, he flew to Los Angeles to have an injection to promote healing. It is possible he will need a second surgery on his right foot, sources said, but nothing has been decided.
Williamson has most recently been in Portland, where he relocated in January to focus on his rehab. "As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult process for me," Williamson said ahead of the move. "I know there's work to be done in my recovery before I can safely return to the court, but I will continue to put in the time necessary so I can get back on the floor with my team and represent Pelicans fans and the city of New Orleans at the highest level."
Unfortunately, for all that work that Williamson and the Pelicans have done, he just hasn't been able to fully get back on track. Every time it seems like some progress is being made, there's a new report or a statement from the Pelicans about a setback. When Pelicans vice president David Griffin addressed the media following this month's trade deadline, he said he didn't "have enough information" to know when Williamson could be back in action.
That's obviously not good news, and raises the chances that Williamson will not play at all this season. Even if he doesn't end up needing another procedure, the fact that it's a possibility is a clear sign that he needs a lot more time to get back to 100 percent. Plus, while the Pelicans have fought their way back into the play-in tournament picture, it's not like they're some sleeping giant that could contend with Williamson back in the lineup.
As frustrating as it is, the Pelicans need to continue prioritizing the long-term health of Williamson and the franchise.
