The New Orleans Pelicans anticipated to take a step ahead within the 2025-26 season, as evidenced by buying and selling their unprotected 2026 draft decide to the Atlants Hawks so they may choose Derik Queen with the No. 10 decide in June. 

Two weeks into the season, nothing has gone in accordance with plan for the Pelicans, who’re one of many final two winless groups within the NBA at 0-6. Including to the dreadful vibes of a winless begin is Tuesday’s information that Zion Williamson will miss no less than 7-10 days with a Grade 1 hamstring pressure. Given Williamson’s damage historical past, there’s loads of concern {that a} hamstring pressure may linger or get aggravated once more later, creating further stress for Pelicans followers. 

New Orleans’ 0-6 begin has featured three losses by 30-plus factors, ensuing within the league’s worst web ranking at a staggering -18.3. That efficiency has led to rumblings that coach Willie Inexperienced has misplaced the locker room and his seat will get hotter with every loss. 

Dropping Williamson — the crew’s chief in factors, rebounds, assists and blocks per sport — will not add a lot optimism that they’re going to out of the blue flip issues round. 

Why Zion Williamson is so necessary to Pelicans

Williamson is a very powerful participant on a New Orleans roster that has loads of points, specifically a frontcourt that was already skinny on dimension and closely reliant on Wililamson. Kevon Looney made his debut in a blowout loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, offering some assist for Yves Missi and Queen, however each of the Pelicans’ younger facilities are gentle on dimension (particularly Queen). 

Given their lack of bulk within the paint, it comes as little shock New Orleans has been one of many league’s worst rebounding groups and ranks final in defensive ranking. 

With out Williamson, Inexperienced will possible must see what Queen can do in prolonged minutes. The rookie has solely performed 17.5 minutes per sport within the first six contests off the bench, however his means to attain is one thing none of their different frontcourt choices present. Elsewhere, the Pelicans will want Trey Murphy III to shake out of his early hunch to play like a star-level expertise and Jordan Poole figures to tackle a good larger function within the offense. 

How lengthy may Pelicans’ winless streak final?

None of that gives an terrible lot of encouragement and with Williamson lacking no less than the following 4 video games, if no more, it is truthful to surprise when the Pelicans’ first win will arrive. Tuesday evening figures to be their finest probability towards a Charlotte Hornets crew that will probably be with out LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Brandon Miller (shoulder). However with Williamson now absent, New Orleans is simply a brief favourite (-2.5 at FanDuel). 

If they do not win towards the Hornets, a three-game highway journey awaits earlier than Zion may doubtlessly return. 

If they can not win a kind of 5 video games, with Dallas, Phoenix and Portland all trying beatable within the early going this season, then the Pelicans’ dropping streak may stretch on for a really very long time even as soon as Williamson returns. The remainder of their November schedule is fairly brutal and full of West contenders. Their most winnable video games the remainder of the month will probably be towards Atlanta, Dallas (once more) and the Memphis Grizzlies. 

In the event that they by some means cannot get any of these video games, Dec. 6 towards the league’s different winless squad, the Brooklyn Nets, might be a titanic battle of basketball inferiority. The important thing distinction being the Nets are actively tanking after buying and selling to get their draft picks again, whereas the Pelicans try their hardest to win as a result of they don’t have any incentive to lose with their decide belonging to the Hawks.