Zion Williamson didn’t play within the New Orleans Pelicans’ 123-115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night time as he served a one-game suspension for violating staff insurance policies, the staff introduced simply earlier than the sport.
He was late for Thursday’s staff flight to Philadelphia, ESPN’s Shams Charania reviews, whereas Chris Haynes added that Williamson has been late for a number of practices all through the season. Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced didn’t go into element however confirmed throughout his pre-game press convention that “a number of events that led as much as this. That is how we acquired to this choice.”
“This one-game suspension is a results of failing to fulfill our staff requirements,” David Griffin, the Pelicans govt vice chairman of basketball operations, stated in an announcement. “His dedication to this group is of paramount significance to us and to him. He has taken accountability for his actions and reaffirmed that dedication to the staff at the moment. I am assured he’ll proceed to evolve positively on and off the ground.”
Williamson has been restricted to seven video games this season on account of a extreme hamstring harm that stored him sidelined for 2 months. He had solely lately returned to motion on Dec. 7 in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves, however sat out of their Dec. 8 matchup with the Portland Path Blazers on the second night time of a back-to-back.
“I take full accountability for this suspension,” Williamson stated. “I’ve labored extraordinarily exhausting in rehab to get wholesome to ship for this staff. There isn’t any excuse for being late to staff actions. I’ve apologized to Mrs. Benson and my teammates and coaches and I additionally owe an apology to the followers. I can and will probably be higher as a teammate and member of this group.”
Williamson’s suspension is the most recent little bit of dangerous information in a brutal season down in New Orleans. No participant has appeared in each sport this season, and Williamson is one in every of seven key figures who’ve missed at the very least 15 video games, together with Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Jordan Hawkins and Jose Alvarado.
The Pelicans introduced Friday that Jones, the staff’s prime defensive participant, is sidelined indefinitely with a posterior labrum tear in his proper shoulder.
Attributable to their harm disaster, and significantly Williamson’s prolonged absence, the Pelicans are caught in final place within the Western Convention at 8-31.
