The wait for Zion Williamson's return to the floor with the Pelicans is still going strong.
The star forward, who has been out with a hamstring injury since Jan. 2, won't be returning to the floor prior to the NBA All-Star break, Willie Green told reporters Wednesday. He also won't participate in the All-Star Game itself on Feb. 19, according to a report from ESPN's Andrew Lopez, for which he was listed as a starter.
That means he will be out for matchups with the Cleveland Browns, Oklahoma City Thunder and L.A. Lakers, two of which are on ESPN. The earliest return to target would be Feb. 23 when the Pelicans visit the Raptors.
It's another frustrating and drawn-out injury saga for a team that appears to have had its confidence shaken as it dropped from the top of the conference to out of the playoff picture over the month of January, including a stretch of 10-consecutive losses.
When on the floor this season Williamson has been dominant. He has averages of 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4.6 assists over 29 games played. New Orleans has gone 6-14 since he left the floor with the injury on Jan. 2
That stretch can't be pinned all on Zion's absence, however. Fellow star Brandon Ingram was also out for an extended period with a toe injury, and his return on Jan. 25 has helped even things out, with the team putting together a three-game winning streak on the heels of a double-digit losing streak. That run has buoyed New Orleans back to No. 8 in the conference with 26 games to play.
“[The absences] could be difficult at times, but that’s the nature of the NBA," Green said. "We’re not the only team that’s dealt with this. And shuffling lineups, and making adjustments is a part of what makes it fun, what makes it unique. And other guys getting opportunities to get that experience, I believe it helps us going down the stretch.”
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That hold on a playoff bid is anything but firm, though. While the Pelicans (29-27) might sit just 3 games out of third-place in the conference (Kings, 30-23), they're also only 2 games up No. 12 (Blazers, 26-28). The top 10 teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, with seeds 7-10 participating in the play-in tournament to settle the No. 7 and 8 seeds heading into the playoffs. It's a position the Pelicans found themselves last season when they defeated the Spurs and Clippers to qualify for a first-round series against the Suns.
The 2022-'23 season looked early on as if skipping that drama entirely, and even getting a favorable opening-round series, was a shoo-in. Now, it's anything but, and how the Pelicans navigate the remaining games prior to Williamson's return could be what decides that.
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