The Pelicans will be left without a leading star Zion Williamson to start the regular season, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin confirmed to reporters Thursday.
Who is williamson recovering from off-season foot surgery, underwent imaging of his right foot this week, and doctors were happy with what they saw in those scans, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter
Left). However, while the former No. 1 overall pick has been cleared to start running, he still can’t participate in physical activities against other players, Guillory notes.
“There is no fixed timeline” for Williamson’s return to game action, and he will undergo further scans in about two weeks, Griffin said.Twitter link via ESPN’s Andrew Lopez).
When Griffin first revealed on media day last month that Williamson had undergone foot surgery in the offseason, he expressed optimism that the 21-year-old would be ready for opening night. That doesn’t mean Zion suffered a setback (the Pelicans may be acting cautiously with their franchise player), but it’s still a sinister sign for a player who has dealt with leg injuries in the past.
Based on Thursday’s announcement, there appears to be no chance of Williamson returning to action in the next two weeks, meaning he will miss at least the first five games of the New Orleans season. In his absence, the team will lean further forward Brandon ingram and center Jonas Valanciunas to provide an offensive hit on the front court.