It is within the realm of possibility that New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson could return to the court this week, according to coach Willie Green.
“There’s a chance, yeah,” Green told reporters at practice on Monday. “There’s a chance that he could, so we’ll see.”
Williamson has been out of the lineup since Nov. 6 because of a strained left hamstring. He has appeared in six games this season, and, in part because they have dealt with an array of other injuries, the Pelicans have been unable to overcome his absence. Even though they are coming off back-to-back 12-point wins against the Washington Wizards, they have a 7-29 record and are in last place in the West. The Wizards are the only team with a worse record or a worse point differential.
Williamson is “getting better and better,” Green said. Green added that the team “did a little bit of 5-on-5” at practice, “and he participated fully in that.”
New Orleans will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday and the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. It will then go on a three-game road trip, during which it will face the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, the Boston Celtics on Sunday and the Chicago Bulls next Tuesday.
The Pelicans recently got guard Jose Alvarado back after a 23-game absence due to a strained right hamstring. Forward Brandon Ingram is working his way back from a sprained left ankle suffered on Dec. 7.
If Williamson can return in the relatively near future, maybe the Pelicans will be able to remind people that there is a lot of talent on the roster. The playoffs are all but officially out of reach, though, and, because the group has never been whole, it remains unclear how the pieces are going to fit.
