Latest Zion Williamson injury update offers another glimmer of hope

The Zion Williamson saga has been the soap opera that never seems to end for the New Orleans Pelicans.

After it had been reported that Zion Williamson likely wouldn’t return this season, things have started to take a strange turn.

First, Zion posted an insane dunk on his Instagram page, almost as a shout out to his critics and maybe even his team, that he is getting close.

A few days ago, Zion’s stepfather announced that he thought Zion was going to play this season, even though the team has clearly not committed to that as of yet.

We’ve been offered hope before, only for there to be another setback, so count me as one of the fans who won’t believe it until I see it.

But with the Pelicans already in the play-in tournament and the playoffs a possibility, it’s going to be hard to keep Zion out of the lineup, especially after the latest report.

Pelicans: Zion Williamson is playing in “controlled” games

Although there was no official update on his status or the possibility of his return, Willie Green did reveal that Zion had taken the next logical step towards his return, which is playing in some 5-on-5 games.

Playing against coaches and back bench guys would not be the final step before Zion comes back, but is a great sign, as he is moving in the full court and starting to get more comfortable.

The Pels obviously have to weigh any potential Zion return against the risk of him suffering a setback with his injury, but they also have to consider how trying to work him into the rotation during a playoff run might affect the team chemistry.

Look, if Zion is ready to go and cleared to play, you’ll live with any bumps he causes in the rotation, as he would potentially give the Pelicans an addition the likes of which no other team would have going into postseason.

So stay tuned, as the Zion saga hasn’t ended yet and we still might see him on the court before this season is over.