New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a grade 2 right hip adductor strain and will miss extended time. The team announced the injury on Tuesday, with re-evaluation expected in three weeks. Williamson has already missed 12 of the Pelicans' 22 games this season.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced that Zion Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, suffered a grade 2 right hip adductor strain. The injury was confirmed by medical imaging on Tuesday morning, and Williamson will be sidelined indefinitely. While no exact timeline was provided, reports indicate he will be re-evaluated in three weeks but could miss longer.
Williamson did not play in Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers as a precaution during a back-to-back, though he was expected to return Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The exact moment of the injury remains unknown, but he had played against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. This marks another setback for Williamson, who missed eight consecutive games earlier this season due to a hamstring strain. In his 10 appearances this season, he has averaged 22.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. Overall, since entering the league, Williamson has played in just 45% of the Pelicans' 493 games.
Pelicans coach James Borrego addressed the injury before Tuesday's game. "I don’t have any more information as far as when (the injury) happened," Borrego said. "I learned of it this morning, as well. We had it imaged, and I think we all heard the results of that. Beyond that, I want more information. We’re taking it sort of hour by hour, day by day."
Borrego also praised Williamson's dedication: "Nobody wants to be on the court more than Zion. This guy loves the game, loves this city. He wears this logo with great pride, as a badge. He wants to be out there battling with his teammates more than anybody. More than anything, he’s disappointed, but he’s here to support us, and we’re here to support him. This is a brotherhood, this is a family."
The Pelicans, currently 3-18 and the worst team in the league, have been hampered by injuries beyond Williamson. Dejounte Murray is recovering from an Achilles tear, while Herbert Jones (calf), Trey Murphy III (elbow), and Jordan Poole (quad) have also missed time. The team is 9.8 points per 100 possessions better with Williamson on the floor.
Speculation has grown about Williamson's future with the Pelicans amid his injury history and the team's rebuild. The front office, including Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver, acquired rookie Derik Queen in a trade that sent the Pelicans' 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta. Queen has ranked seventh among rookies in scoring, fourth in assists, and third in rebounding. However, the Williamson-Queen pairing has shown mixed results, scoring 120.3 points per 100 possessions but allowing 123.3.
Williamson's contract for 2026-27 and 2027-28 includes max money but with guarantees tied to weight checks and games played thresholds (41, 51, and 61 games). This structure has fueled discussions about potential trades, where his value might lie more in salary cap relief for another team than on-court production.
