Zion Williamson expected to miss Play-In Tournament / News - Basketnews.com

Zion Williamson is unlikely to return to action in next week's Play-In Tournament as the Pelicans continue to be cautious with his comeback and rehabilitation process.

Credit: USA TODAY Sports-Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports-Scanpix

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson – sidelined since Jan. 2 with a hamstring strain – is unlikely to return to action in next week's Play-In Tournament, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Zion Williamson

Team:New Orleans PelicansPosition:SF, PFAge:22Height:201 cmWeight:129 kgBirth place:North Carolina, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

The team has been cautious with Williamson's comeback as he continues the rehab process.

The announcement comes a day after the Pelicans clinched a spot in the NBA postseason with a victory over Memphis that guaranteed the team a top-nine finish in the Western Conference.

New Orleans (41-39) still could finish in the top six and go straight to the playoffs if it wins its last two games and receives help in the form of losses by Golden State (42-38) or the Los Angeles Clippers (42-38).

This season, Williamson appeared in 29 games, the second-highest number over his four-year NBA career since going No. 1 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

The Duke product missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a broken right foot. The athletic power forward also missed the first three months of the 2019-20 campaign because of a knee injury.

Williamson has played just 114 games (all starts) for the Pelicans, while his four-year estimated cash earnings reach $43,661,297 at the end of this season. This means Williamson's one game has cost Pelicans almost $383,000.

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