At one point this season, the New Orleans Pelicans were the first seed in the West with Zion Williamson looking like an early MVP candidate. And while the Pels are far from having any serious concerns about their team, frustration is brewing within the organization about the status of young swingman Brandon Ingram.
Without Ingram on the floor, the Pels have lacked one of their best scorers and playmakers, and it has really been felt by the whole team over the past few weeks.
After suffering a setback in his recovery, BI’s return is now even more of an unknown and it’s raising the temperature of the entire team.
After a recent setback pushed Ingram’s return timeline back another week, there’s been growing frustration around his extended absence and looming questions about his team’s potential when it gets back to full strength. Pels coach Willie Green said on Wednesday that Ingram will miss at least the next two games as he continues his recovery, and it’s still unclear when he’ll be healthy enough to play.
“We’re still evaluating him and coming up with a plan and a timeline (for his return),” Green said. “He’s getting better. It’s just been slower process than we all expected.”
However, the last four defeats have offered a sobering reminder of his importance. For this group to reach its ultimate potential, its three best players — Williamson, Ingram and McCollum — need more court time together. Most importantly, they need to see how the offense looks with this version of Zion leading the way and Ingram as his sidekick.
The Pelicans have been pretty solid on both ends of the floor and their depth is no joke. When Ingram comes back, and if he stays healthy, New Orleans is primed to re-take their place at the top of the standings.
Can The Pelicans Win The NBA Finals This Season?
While the West is as wide open as ever, there are two major powers in the East that are going to prove tough to beat. As it stands, the Bucks and Celtics have been the best teams in the NBA all year long and the Pels have yet to prove they can match up with them.
This season, Zion is hoping to lead NOLA to places they haven’t gone before, and this is looking like his best chance to do it since his career began. Let’s just hope that injuries don’t get in the way this time like they have for most of this modern-day Pelicans era.
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