Pelicans Spiral Continues: Zion’s Injury Adds to a Season Already Off the Rails
There’s no sugarcoating it - the 2025-26 season has been a nightmare for the New Orleans Pelicans. A 3-18 start has them not just at the bottom of the Western Conference, but dead last across the entire NBA. And while early-season struggles can sometimes be chalked up to bad luck or slow chemistry, this situation feels far more dire.
The team already made a major shake-up by parting ways with head coach Willie Green just weeks into the season. James Borrego stepped in as interim, but the results haven’t improved. The Pelicans are floundering in nearly every statistical category, and the on-court product has offered little in the way of optimism.
Zion’s Latest Setback Adds to Mounting Frustrations
Now, things have gone from bad to worse. The team announced that Zion Williamson will miss at least three weeks with a grade 2 strain to his right hip adductor. That timeline likely keeps him sidelined through the end of the calendar year - and possibly longer, depending on how his rehab progresses.
This is already Zion’s second significant injury of the season, having previously missed time with a hamstring issue. For a player whose physical dominance is so central to his game, these lower-body injuries are especially concerning.
Even with Zion in the lineup, the Pelicans didn’t look like a team ready to make a playoff push. Without him?
It’s hard to see a path forward. By the time he’s medically cleared, New Orleans could be buried so deep in the standings that a return might be more symbolic than strategic.
And given his history - the flashes of brilliance always tempered by long stretches of unavailability - the Pelicans may have to seriously weigh whether it’s even worth bringing him back this season.
Zion’s Talent Isn’t the Question - It’s the Availability
No one questions what Zion brings when he’s healthy. He’s a force of nature - a mismatch nightmare who can dominate the paint, push the pace, and elevate everyone around him.
But at this point, the conversation has shifted. It’s no longer about what he could be.
It’s about whether he’ll ever be able to stay on the floor long enough to become that player consistently.
That’s a tough spot for any franchise, especially one that’s built its identity around a player who’s struggled to stay healthy. And it’s not just about this season.
If the Pelicans were to explore trade options - a scenario that’s always lurking in the background - Zion’s durability concerns would be front and center in any negotiation. Finding a team willing to give up significant assets for a player with this kind of injury history?
That’s a tall order.
A Roster Without Answers - And Without a Draft Lifeline
The rest of the roster hasn’t done much to pick up the slack. Despite some young talent and flashes of individual promise, the team has struggled to stay competitive. And the usual silver lining for a season like this - a high lottery pick - isn’t even on the table.
That’s because New Orleans already traded its 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for the No. 13 pick in the 2025 draft. That pick turned into Derik Queen, who, to his credit, has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak campaign.
Queen looks like a legitimate building block - a high-IQ player with a polished skill set and a clear NBA future. But as promising as he’s been, he doesn’t erase the sting of giving up what could end up being the No. 1 overall pick.
Right now, based on standings, that’s exactly where the Pelicans would be drafting - first overall. But that pick is headed to the Hawks, unprotected.
Where Do the Pelicans Go From Here?
That’s the million-dollar question. The franchise is stuck in a brutal cycle - a star player who can’t stay healthy, a roster that hasn’t gelled, and no top draft pick to help reset the timeline. The coaching change hasn’t sparked a turnaround, and the front office doesn’t have a clear path forward in terms of assets or cap flexibility.
There’s still a lot of basketball left to be played, but the tone has already shifted in New Orleans. This isn’t about salvaging a playoff push anymore - it’s about figuring out what, if anything, can be built from the wreckage of a season that’s gone off the rails.
For now, the Pelicans are a team without a clear identity, without their franchise player, and without much to look forward to in the near future. And that’s a tough place to be - for the front office, for the fans, and for a roster that’s running out of answers.