The New Orleans Pelicans have lost four in a row and just keep getting bad news. Brandon Ingram suffered a setback with his toe and will be out at least a few more games.
And yesterday it was reported that Zion Williamson was out with illness and will be unavailable for tonight’s game against the Spurs:
Pelicans say Zion Williamson has entered Health and Safety protocols.
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) December 21, 2022
He's out for tomorrow's game vs San Antonio.
This is certainly no reason to panic, as the Pels have gotten off to a great start even with all of the injuries and currently sit in 3rd place in the Western Conference.
But I’d also be lying if I said these injuries weren’t concerning, as Ingram has already missed 15 games this season, Zion has missed five, Herbert Jones has sat nine times and now Larry Nance Jr. is likely out for the second game in a row.
The Pelicans’ depth is getting tested, which is why it may be time for David Griffin and company to go out and get some reinforcements.
New Orleans Pelicans: Is it time to add some more talent?
When fully healthy, the New Orleans Pelicans are a team that could win an NBA title. They have the personnel to do it now and don’t necessarily need more talent.
However, are they ever going to be fully healthy? We know all about the injury histories of Zion and BI, and Nance Jr. is another guy who has had trouble staying on the court.
We’ve only seen the starting lineup together 10 times this season, and while they should be back on the court together soon, there are no guarantees when it comes to health with this team.
The New Orleans Pelicans have the assets to add an impact player who would give them some insurance against further injuries or illnesses to their key guys.
They certainly don’t need to make a panic move, but having another proven player who can pick up some of the slack for the stars would help protect them from any further injuries down the line.
Players like Jaxson Hayes, Devonte’ Graham, and Kira Lewis Jr. aren’t playing major roles anyway, so packaging a couple of them with a pick to add some reinforcements might be the prudent move to make.