New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson, who has been sidelined since the beginning of the month with a left hamstring strain, is moving closer towards a return to action.
On Thursday, the Pelicans provided the following update:
“Pelicans announce that Zion Williamson, who was diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain on November 4, continues to progress well through his rehabilitation and has been cleared to resume on-court basketball activities with contact. His return to play progression will be updated appropriately.”
Williamson has appeared in five games for New Orleans so far this season, and he's averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals per performance.
Williamson's eventual return will be a welcome sight for the Pelicans, who already have a big hole to climb out of. New Orleans has sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 2-9 record early in the season.
It's been ugly on both ends of the floor for the Pelicans. They're in the bottom four league-wide in offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating. Williamson's return should help, but it might not be enough to propel the Pels back into the playoff picture.
Things won't be getting easier for the Pelicans any time soon either. New Orleans' upcoming schedule features four straight games against Western Conference contenders: L.A. (Lakers), Golden State, Oklahoma City and Denver. We'll have to wait and see how many, if any, of those game Williamson will be available for.