Zion Williamson cleared for contact activities after hamstring strain
Zion Williamson can finally get back on the court. The New Orleans Pelicans star has been cleared to resume basketball activities with contact, the team announced Thursday.
The 25-year-old forward has missed five straight games since being diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain on November 4.
Williamson has been putting up solid numbers this season, averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals.
His last game before the injury was a tough one for the team. In a 137-106 blowout loss to Oklahoma City on November 2, Zion led the struggling Pelicans with 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in 28 minutes.
The Availability Problem
Staying healthy has been Zion’s biggest challenge since entering the league.
The former No. 1 overall pick from the 2019 draft has only played in 61 or more games twice in his six NBA seasons. Last year, he appeared in just 30 games before the team shut him down in March with a back bruise.
In fact, he’s played 30 or fewer games in three different seasons and missed the entire 2021-22 season.
That means he’s only played in 219 games since New Orleans drafted him.
When he did play last season, Zion averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 56.7% from the field.
Big Money, Big Questions
The Pelicans guaranteed Williamson’s massive $39.4 million salary for this season during the offseason.
This is part of his five-year, $197.23 million extension signed back in July 2022.
His future money isn’t fully locked in, though. Zion is set to make $42.16 million in 2026-27 and $44.9 million in 2027-28, but those salaries aren’t guaranteed unless he meets certain games-played thresholds.
Trade Talk Complications
There’s been talk about the Pelicans potentially trading Williamson this season, but finding a partner won’t be easy.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, Zion’s trade value “isn’t super high” right now. His latest injury isn’t helping matters.
“The intel that exists on Williamson within the league, fairly or not, is not great,” Windhorst wrote. “There have been numerous coaches, support staff, and teammates that have cycled through New Orleans over the past seven years, which includes all the injuries and a one-game suspension in January for being late to a team flight.”
One rival executive suggested the Pelicans might need to focus elsewhere.
“To be honest, their move might be a win-now trade, not a Zion trade,” the executive told ESPN. “His trade value isn’t there and they are facing some pressure to win.”
The Pelicans could certainly use some help. They’ve stumbled to a 2-9 start and have lost three straight games.
It’s not just Zion who’s been missing. Jordan Poole has sat out four straight games with a left quad strain, and Dejounte Murray is still recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered back in January.
