Injuries continue to prevent the Pelicans from soaring to new heights

After an eventful summer in which they netted Dejounte Murray in a blockbuster trade, the New Orleans Pelicans were very optimistic heading into the 2024-25 NBA season. Unfortunately, it only took one game to wash away the franchise’s optimism and derail its season. And things have only gotten worse down in the Bayou. 

In his regular-season debut with the Pelicans, Murray suffered a fractured hand which required surgery to repair. On October 25th, the team announced he is expected to be out for at least 4-6 weeks.

To make matters worse, last week CJ McCollum was diagnosed with an adductor strain, and lockdown defender Herb Jones was diagnosed with a partial tear in his rotator cuff. Both of whom are expected to be sidelined for the next few weeks. 

This weekend, the franchise’s outlook became increasingly bleak. On Friday, the Pelicans announced second-year sharpshooter Jordan Hawkins will be sidelined due to a back injury with a 1-2 week timetable for a return to action. As injuries continued to pile up, nothing could prepare the residents of Crescent City for the news that would come the following day. Still, the worst news didn’t come until Saturday afternoon.

Already missing multiple starters, the Pelicans were just dealt another significant blow

Already undermanned, New Orleans was dealt a significant blow over the weekend when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Zion Williamson suffered a hamstring strain. Williamson is set to remain sidelined for an extended period and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks. While the oft-injured 24-year-old forward managed to make 70 regular-season appearances in 2023-24, injuries are already plaguing his 2024-25 campaign. 

Before the news of Williamson’s diagnosis was announced on Saturday, he was already having a difficult time staying on the court. The former Duke Blue Devil has already missed four of the Pelicans’ first 10 games of the season.

First, he missed the season opener due to an illness, then he was sidelined with right hamstring tightness and right thigh soreness. Now, a left hamstring strain will keep him sidelined indefinitely.

Externally, the expectation was for the Pelicans to compete for a playoff spot. Internally, there were title aspirations coming into the season.

With a sluggish start to the year and all the injuries the team is dealing with and we’re not even four weeks into the season, it’s become extremely difficult to have faith the Pelicans will soar anywhere. Although we're less than a month into the 2024-25 campaign, it may be time to start looking to next year.

On the bright side, with the Bucks playing terribly, the Pelicans could potentially have two top-ten picks in what's expected to be a loaded 2025 NBA Draft.