New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is reportedly expected to miss next week's play-in tournament due to a hamstring injury that has out of action since January 2, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Athletic's Shams Charania on Friday (April 7)
"Pelicans star Zion Williamson – sidelined since Jan. 2 with a hamstring strain – is unlikely to return to action in next week's Play-In Tournament, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium," Charania tweeted. "The team has been cautious with Williamson's comeback as he continues rehab process."
The report comes hours after Pelicans president of basketball operations David Griffin told reporters that there was still no timeline for Williamson's return on Thursday (April 6) and said the team would "continue his rehabilitation and conditioning regimen." New Orleans is currently eighth in the Western Conference standings, holding the second of four play-in tournament seeds with two regular-season games remaining against the New York Knicks (April 7) and Minnesota Timberwolves (April 9).
Williamson was selected by the Pelicans at No. 1 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft as one of the most heralded prospects in league history. The former Duke University standout has averaged 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists during his NBA career, but has been limited to just 114 appearances in the Pelicans' 308 regular-season games during his first four seasons, which included missing the entire 2021-22 season, as well as the majority of the 2019-20 and 2022-23 seasons.