Zion Williamson has been ruled out for at least a week after suffering a left hamstring injury. The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Saturday that their star forward has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in 7 to 10 days.
“Injury Update: The New Orleans Pelicans today announced that Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain,” the team said in an official statement. “He will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days and further updates will be appropriately provided.”
This setback comes at an unfortunate time for the Pelicans, who are already dead last in the West at 0-6. After adding Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey in the offseason, they had ambitions of a playoff run in the West, but their slow start has the season trending in another direction.
For Zion, this was supposed to be the beginning of his redemption arc. After years of struggling with his health, weight, and durability, the 2025-26 season was his chance to prove that he could still live up to superstar standards.
Now, however, he is facing another setback that will keep him out of action for at least a week. The injury happened against the Thunder on Sunday, where he dropped 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 50% shooting.
Zion played 28 minutes in the contest, but it was in vain as the Pelicans not only took the loss, but also lost their biggest star for the next few games. Without Zion for tonight’s matchup against the Hornets, they are at risk of falling to 0-7 and tying the Nets for the worst record in the league.
While it is still early in the season, the Pelicans are on the fast track to nowhere. After parting ways with Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, they lack a real identity, and Zion’s injuries have robbed them of any consistency. It has been a brutal cycle of dysfunction, with no end in sight.
At this point, the only way out for New Orleans may be the trade market. While Zion’s value is undoubtedly low right now, he might still be able to net them a decent return that includes at least one rotation player and several draft picks.
As someone who was once projected as the next great NBA superstar, this is not the future Zion had planned when he was drafted first overall in 2019. With just 129 games played over the previous three seasons, availability has been his biggest obstacle, and the trend continues in 2025-26.
Unless he can get his body right and become more durable throughout the year, it is going to be hard for Williamson to play up to All-Star standards. This season, with the losses already piling up, the vibes are worse than they have ever been, and the Pelicans are nearly at their breaking point.
For the Pelicans, everything starts and ends with Zion. When he is healthy, they can compete with anyone in the league. When he is not, they look lost and uninspired. This latest setback may only sideline him for a short time, but it feels like another reminder of how fragile their hopes really are. If New Orleans cannot find a way to keep its star on the floor, this season could spiral out of control before it even begins.
