Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Out 7-10 Days With Hamstring Strain

New Orleans Pelicans announced on Tuesday that forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain that will keep him sidelined for at least seven to 10 days. The Pelicans said Williamson will be reevaluated after that time frame.

Zion Williamson Has Had An Injury-Riddled NBA Career

Williamson, 25, led the Pelicans with 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in Sunday’s 137-106 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished 7-of-14 (50%) shooting from the field in 28 minutes of action.

Although Williamson leads New Orleans in scoring (22.8 points per game), rebounding (6.8), and assists (4.6), the two-time All-Star has missed time in each of the last four seasons due to foot, back, and hamstring injuries.

Injury Update: The New Orleans Pelicans today announced that Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain.

He will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days and further updates will be appropriately provided.

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 4, 2025

Over six NBA seasons since he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Williamson has appeared in 61 or more games just twice. He played in 30 games last season before the Pelicans shut him down last March because of a bone bruise in his back.

Williamson had missed only one game this season, sitting out New Orleans’ 122-90 loss to the Boston Celtics on Oct. 27 with a left foot bone contusion.

New Orleans Guaranteed Williamson’s 2025-26 Salary

During the offseason, the Pelicans guaranteed Williamson’s $39.4 million salary for this season. His 2025-26 salary is part of the five-year, $197.23 million extension he signed with New Orleans in July 2022.

He’ll then make $42.16 million in 2026-27 and $44.9 million in 2027-28. However, those salaries are non-guaranteed unless Williamson meets the games played threshold for the upcoming seasons.

Williamson played 30 or fewer games in three seasons and missed the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. He’s played in only 219 games since New Orleans drafted him.

Last season, Williamson averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 30 games while shooting 56.7% from the field and 65.6% from the foul line.

Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune in June that he has had “really good conversations with Zion” and said that Williamson is “going to continue to be a focal point here.”

Pelicans Won First Game After Dropping Their First Six

After a year in which New Orleans finished 21-61 and 14th in the Western Conference standings, the team added veterans Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, and Saddiq Bey via trades over the summer.

Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Micah Peavy were also drafted back in June.

“I like our roster. I like the guys we’ve added,” Pelicans fifth-year head coach Willie Green said during media day. “Along with our rookies, it’s a combination of guys who are still young, but are veterans. And we’ve got some first-year players who will be instrumental in our success. I like the group. We’ve just got to get on the floor and continue to work.”

However, the Pels won just their first game of the 2025-26 season on Tuesday night, a 116-112 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in front of a frustrated crowd inside Smoothie King Center.

Trey Murphy III scored 21 points for the Pelicans, while Jose Alvarado added 18 points and led the second unit with four made 3-pointers. Fellow reserve Saddiq Bey ended his outing with 17 as well.

Their victory left the Brooklyn Nets (0-7) as the NBA’s only winless team.

New Orleans visits the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.