Nov 19, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Karlo Matkovic (17) looks on during the second half of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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New Orleans Pelicans brace for tough fixture run with entire starting lineup injured

The Pelicans suffered their 12th loss of the season on Wednesday.

Stating that the New Orleans Pelicans are going through an injury crisis would be a massive understatement at this moment. With a 4-12 record and more than 90 percent of their payroll sidelined, the Pelicans are facing an uphill battle to stay afloat in the Western Conference.

In their recent loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans entered the game without their entire starting lineup, and the only player left with a significant paycheck on the floor was rookie Yves Missi.

Losing Zion Williamson at the start of the season wasn’t exactly a shock to the Pelicans, given that the 24-year-old has missed 210 out of a possible 400 regular-season games due to injuries.

However, losing star players like Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum who were the best performers for the team last season, put a massive dent in the Pelicans’ already fragile lineup.

Over 90 percent of the Pelicans' payroll is out for their game against Cleveland.

The highest-paid player available is rookie Yves Missi. pic.twitter.com/v7VZEBpTEI
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) November 20, 2024

New Orleans Pelicans: A team on life support

The Pelicans’ injury list reads like a who’s who of their core contributors. Beyond Zion, players like Ingram and McCollum have been sidelined with ankle and thigh injuries, respectively. Herb Jones is dealing with a shoulder injury.

Guard Jose Alvarado is recovering from a hamstring injury, while rookie Jordan Hawkins is out with a back issue. The loss of sharpshooter Trey Murphy III has also been massive for a team that struggles with scoring even when fully fit, let alone with half of its starting lineup on the shelf.

Without their full squad, New Orleans has found it nearly impossible to generate consistent offense or defend at the level they did last season. Their 4-12 record reflects a team that simply isn’t whole.

Pelicans have some difficult Premier League fixtures on the horizon, including games against the Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, and New York Knicks.

Also Read: Why the Golden State Warriors filing a Disabled Player Exception won’t offer much help

While players like Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Javonte Green, and rookie Missi are doing their best to step up, the Pelicans are relying on a patchwork roster that is likely to struggle against these top teams.

Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Time to move on from Zion Williamson?

Zion Williamson’s NBA career since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft has been a tale of unfulfilled potential. The franchise has emphasized from the start that the team’s future revolves around Zion Williamson, and yet, his injuries have created a growing sense of unease.

At some point, New Orleans may have to face the reality that it’s time to move on from the perpetual “What if” player and start building around a more reliable, sustainable young star for the future.

For now, the Pelicans’ season is hanging by a thread, and if they can’t turn things around soon, fans are in for yet another long, painful stretch of the NBA season.

Image Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

New Orleans Pelicans

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Swati Bhatia

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I work as a content strategist, specializing in creating engaging content about the NBA, WNBA, and MLB. My main focus is on writing breaking news updates, research-based articles, and covering trending topics. Right now, I’m leading the content team for the NBA, WNBA, and MLB categories at Playoffs English.