Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a right adductor injury and will miss at least three weeks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
New Orleans will reevaluate him at that point, but early indications suggest a longer absence.
Williamson’s latest setback comes after he missed eight games last month with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. The adductor is a hip muscle, and Charania reported that this strain will sideline him far longer than the hamstring issue.
It is unclear exactly when the injury occurred. Williamson last played Saturday in a loss at Golden State.
Through 10 games this season, the 25-year-old has averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.9 minutes. It is another promising start interrupted by an all-too-familiar problem.
Since being drafted first overall in 2019, Williamson has been limited to 30 games or fewer in four of his first six seasons, including the entire 2021-22 campaign.
New Orleans continues to be crushed by injuries. On Sunday, seven Pelicans — including their five highest-paid players — were sidelined.
They could become eligible for a hardship exception depending on the timetables for the rest of the roster, though that offers little relief for a group already sitting at 3-18 and holding the worst record in the league.
The Pelicans also do not control their own 2026 first-round pick, adding pressure to find solutions quickly while their franchise cornerstone once again works his way back from injury.
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