The fourth week of the NBA regular season has wrapped up and the New Orleans Pelicans might be at their lowest point yet. After starting the season 3-3, they suffered a six-game losing streak which now places them at the 14th seed at 4-10.
It’s safe to say they could use a player or two…or three. They have more guys out than they have wins. The injury bug has struck the Pelicans like they did something terrible recently.
I know voodoo is a popular practice in New Orleans, but somebody is putting some serious dark magic on the Pels. This many injuries in such a young season hasn’t been talked about enough across the league.
Their biggest offseason acquisition, Dejounte Murray, got injured three weeks ago and had to get surgery on his hand. The surgery was successful and his timetable foresees him coming back within the next two weeks.
Although he hasn’t shot particularly well, he’s a guy that brings leadership on the court and orchestrates the offense averaging 10 assists a game.
The announcement of Zion Williamson’s injury was probably the most predictable event of the season. One would expect Pels fans to crumble to the floor, but they’re used to it by now. When you get hit so many times in the gut you just become numb to the pain.
Williamson was ruled out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain. After coming off a career high 70 games played a season ago, I’m sure fans believed those injury-riddled days were behind them.
The Pels however, were mindful when negotiating Williamson’s five-year, $197.2 million contract extension. To put it short, the more games Williamson appears in, the more money he is guaranteed from his salary. But the opposite is also true.
This clause protects the Pels from Williamson’s constant injury concerns but also motivates him to try and stay as healthy as possible.
After he appeared in only 29 games in 2022, the rest of Williamson’s contract isn’t guaranteed so he quite literally has to earn his money by staying on the court.
The Pels may not be successful at winning games with Williamson out, but from a financial perspective I know they aren’t complaining.
Williamson is an incredible player and makes a significant difference when he is on the court; but when will he become consistently available?
The forward depth has run extremely thin with Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones also out. Murphy III has played only two games but his return seems to be coming fairly soon.
Head coach Willie Green has him listed as day-to-day now as he continues to nurse his right hamstring injury.
Jones is also on the course to return sooner rather than later. He’s been out with a shoulder injury but Green says he is back on the court for non-contact workouts. Jones has only played in four games this season.
These two coming back is a big deal for the Pels, not just for depth but for defensive identity. Their elite perimeter defense and ability to switch 1-4 is what the Pels are missing. This is a team with the fourth worst defensive rating in the league so far.
I haven’t even mentioned how diminished the backcourt has been outside of Murray. CJ McCollum has been dealing with issues in his thigh, only appearing in four games.
Jordan Hawkins, a guy that had been relishing his opportunities with the absence of McCollum and Murray, has been dealing with a back injury. He’s back on the court doing non-contact workouts but his timetable remains uncertain.
Jose Alvarado, the final guy on the injury list, had also been a beneficiary of increased minutes. The Pels announced that he has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. He will be evaluated in two weeks.
It would be one thing if these were a couple Walmart employees getting hurt for the Pels and they were still somehow 4-10, but that just isn’t the case. All of these players are either starters or second-string guys that come in and make instant impact.
They are significant to winning basketball for the Pels and I’m sure Brandon Ingram could use the help out there.
There are teams on the calendar that the Pels have to be worried about, but first they must deal with the injury bug.