Zion Williamson’s foot injury is a serious blow to New Orleans, but his absence just might give them their best chance at turning things around.
The “Zion Williamson’s Foot Delivers More Bad News For Free-Falling New Orleans Pelicans” is a piece of bad news for the team. Zion Williamson has a foot injury, which will keep him out of the game tonight.
There aren’t enough Jonas Valaninas 3-pointers to make the New Orleans Pelicans’ latest body blow go away. Zion Williamson, the franchise’s former face, will not be returning to a court near anybody anytime soon. Williamson had a setback in his recuperation after being sidelined by a fractured foot that was kept private until media day in late September. His return is yet to be determined.
Take the over on the amount of games Williamson will miss until he returns, if you’re a gambler. It’s just the latest setback for a club that is now ranked bottom in the Western Conference and shows no signs of breaking free. It’s as if the franchise’s headquarters are located on the crossroads of Bad and Worse.
The Pelicans of New Orleans have been bad yet steady.
*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden} html,bodyheight:100% img,spanposition:absolute;width:100% ;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyhe spanheight:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow
Only the Orlando Magic have had a worse offensive and defensive performance than the New Orleans Pelicans. The Magic are 28th in the NBA in offensive rating and 29th in defense as of Dec. 10. The Pelicans and the Seahawks are ranked 25th and 26th, respectively.
Kira Lewis, a first-round selection, tore his right ACL on Dec. 8. He’s finished for the year. He hurt his MCL in the process because it’s the Pelicans. He got hurt while trying a shot and fell to the ground without making contact. Daulton Hommes, a two-way swingman, has a stress fracture in his right leg and will be sidelined indefinitely. After testing positive for performance-enhancing substances, reserve Didi Louzada is facing a 25-game ban.
When you add in Williamson’s injury, incoming coach Willie Green has to be blue.
Then there’s Brandon Ingram’s regression. He’s scoring less and shooting worse as a result of increased playing time and volume, which was required in part by Williamson’s absence. It’s particularly telling from beyond the arc, where Ingram’s percentage has dropped from 53.1 percent to 47.4 percent this season.
The feared long 2-pointer is the most severe drop-off. Last season, Ingram made 51.0 percent of his 3-point tries from 16 feet out. He’s at 39.8 percent this season. But in 2021–22, he’ll be taking more of those shots. So there you have it. Combining fewer rim tries, a reduction in 3-point volume, and more deep mid-range jumpers seems to be a less-than-stellar recipe for success.
We haven’t even gotten to Zion Williamson’s absurdist theatre.
In a near-record amount of time, Zion Williamson has gone from All-Star to punch line.
*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden} html,bodyheight:100% img,spanposition:absolute;width:100% ;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyhe spanheight:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow
A healthy Zion Williamson made the transition from fascinating rookie to All-Star last season. He averaged 61.1 percent overall, 8.7 free throws a game, and a devastating 70.1 percent restricted-area shooting percentage. Williamson made more than 95% of his shots inside the 10-foot line, defying defenders to stop him. They seldom did, to give you a heads up.
The New Orleans Pelicans made a number of adjustments throughout the summer. The Chicago Bulls acquired Lonzo Ball in a sign-and-trade transaction. Devonte’ Graham, a free agent, has agreed to take over as point guard. Steven Adams joined the Memphis Grizzlies, and Valaninas followed him down the Blues Highway.
Then we found that Williamson had fractured his foot. David Griffin, the Pelicans’ president of basketball operations, was optimistic that Zion will be ready for opening night on Oct. 20.
The club disclosed a setback in Williamson’s recuperation on Dec. 11:
“Zion Williamson underwent medical imaging after feeling chronic stiffness in his right foot, which revealed a regression in the bone healing of his fifth metatarsal. As a consequence, his workout volume and intensity will be lowered for a period of time to allow for further bone mending.”
The Pelicans of New Orleans have issued a statement.
Griffin might say he believes Williamson will be available for opening night in October 2022 and not be taken seriously at this stage.
Another piece of ammo for Zion’s detractors was the last thing they needed.
For commentators, Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans are a punching bag.
After the latest dismal news concerning his damaged foot, don’t expect to see Zion Williamson in a New Orleans Pelicans suit anytime soon. Getty Images/Sean Gardner
The most important issue for the media about the New Orleans Pelicans is how heavy Zion Williamson become during his recuperation from a fractured foot.
According to rumors, he gained more than 300 pounds after surgery. Former players who have since become commentator have piled in, with Kendrick Perkins and Charles Barkley publicly mocking Williamson’s apparent fitness (or lack thereof).
All of this is taking place as the clock ticks down on Williamson’s rookie extension eligibility. Williamson is eligible for 25% of the team’s salary cap on a contract, up to five years and $181 million, assuming he isn’t in contention for All-NBA, MVP, or Defensive Player of the Year this season.
If they follow Ben Simmons’ lead, Williamson may sign the deal and still be eligible for a supermax in 2022–23 if he meets any of the qualifying conditions.
Despite Zion’s assurance that he is content in New Orleans, the media’s working belief is that he is not. Griffin and the Pelicans are now in a perilous position. The franchise has a terrible track record of maintaining its stars in New Orleans. Chris Paul and Anthony Davis both signed contract extensions before opting out before their contracts ended. Williamson’s chances of making it that far are little to none.
One vexing aspect adds to the situation: putting together a squad around an injured player is difficult. Williamson missed more than half of his first season due to a knee injury suffered in the Summer League’s opening game. Due to the foot, the tally has risen to 28 games this season.
Maybe Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans will have better success in the near future. It’s long overdue, to say the least.
Basketball Reference and NBA.com provided the statistics. Spotrac provided contract details.
RELATED: Kendrick Perkins thinks Zion Williamson won’t be able to play until the 2022-23 season because he’s overweight: ‘Go get a dietician.’
Watch This Video-
Zion Williamson’s ankle injury was bad news for the New Orleans Pelicans. The team lost their star player and now has to find a way to move on without him. Reference: zion williamson ankle.
Related Tags
- zion williamson update
- zion injury update
- zion williamson return
- how long is zion out for
- zion williamson net worth
