New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly feeling positive about Zion Williamson's conditioning following his return from a hamstring injury.

According to The Athletic's William Guillory, "several of the Pelicans higher-ups have been very happy with Williamson's work behind the scenes to improve his conditioning and performance on the court."

Guillory's report comes after Williamson said last week he felt that he felt faster and more agile since returning from the left hamstring strain that sidelined him for most of November and December, per NBA.com's Jim Eichenhofer.

"I feel like I don't have to exert as much energy to get to a certain speed," Williamson said Jan. 30, per Eichenhofer. "I feel like my movements are swifter. I definitely see the difference.

Williamson returned from his 27-game absence on Jan. 7 but continued sitting out periodically, missing time due to an illness and a suspension while sitting out half of back-to-back sets.

He recently indicated he would be playing on consecutive days if he could, but had been instructed to limit his playing time by the Pelicans, per Eichenhofer.

Williamson has been productive when available for the Pelicans, averaging 23. 7 points since his return despite being held to under 27 minutes per game.

The final three seasons of Williamson's contract are not currently guaranteed. Locking in the money remaining on his contract depends on him hitting both weigh-in checkpoints and games played minimums, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

Williamson's NBA career has so far been shaped by injuries. He headed into the 2024-25 campaign having played just 184 games in his five seasons since being selected out of Duke with the No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft.

Maintaining conditioning will be key to the Pelicans' hopes of turning the franchise around after what will likely be a missed postseason this spring.

After spending five-plus seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, Brandon Ingram is reportedly being traded to the Toronto Raptors.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported the deal, with the Pelicans getting back Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk and draft picks:

Rumblings about Ingram's future in New Orleans really picked up after the team's first-round playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He didn't play well in the series, averaging 14.3 points on 34.5 percent shooting in the four-game sweep.

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted the Pelicans either had to trim their roster or let key free agents like Naji Marshall and Jonas Valančiūnas leave.

Marks also pointed out Ingram was eligible to sign a four-year, $208 million extension on the first day of free agency. His statistical performance would largely warrant that type of deal. He's averaged at least 20 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in each of his five seasons with the Pelicans.

But the combination of Ingram's playoff struggles, injury history and New Orleans' cap situation left his status up in the air. The 26-year-old hasn't played more than 64 games in a season since his rookie year in 2016-17.

The Pelicans already have Zion Williamson, whose injury history is well-documented, under contract for $163.2 million over the next four years.

New Orleans has been on the fringes of being a very good team if its best players could stay healthy. It has had top-10 net ratings in each of the past two seasons, including a plus-4.5 mark in 2023-24 that ranked 10th in the NBA.

Since having healthy players has been a huge problem for the Pelicans this season, they have bottomed out to this point. They have the worst record in the Western Conference (12-39).

Given where the Pelicans are at now and with no obvious franchise cornerstone to build around, trading away any players who have value is smart business for the front office.

Ingram is an interesting addition to a younger Raptors team that is clearly building around players like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and Ja'Kobe Walter, among others. Ingram isn't on that same timeline and was expected to go to a team looking to contend right now, rather than the retooling Raptors, which are just 16-35.

So there will be obvious questions about which direction the Raptors are now taking. Do they see a future building around the young core? Or do they simply see many of those players as potential trade chips down the line for more established stars?

Barnes isn't going anywhere, and it's hard to imagine the Raptors acquired Ingram only to lose him in free agency this summer, so he's a safe bet to stick around as well. But Wednesday's trade called into question what the future might hold for some of the team's other young contributors.

Brandon Ingram could be on the move.

The Toronto Raptors are reportedly in "advanced discussions" on a trade for Ingram, according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes.

NBA insider Jake Fischer initially reported Wednesday that the New Orleans Pelicans are "gaining traction on deal structures" involving Ingram. Fischer noted the Raptors and Atlanta Hawks have been "engaged" with the Pelicans in such discussions.

Sam Amick of The Athletic later reported the two teams were "neck-and-neck" on a potential trade:

This is not the first time Ingram has been linked to the Hawks.

"Specifically, keep an eye on the Atlanta Hawks," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Friday (1:20 mark). "They just lost their star wing Jalen Johnson for the season, they may start to get interested in making a move especially for Brandon Ingram. Keep an eye on that."

As Windhorst noted, Ingram could help the Hawks make up for the loss of Johnson, who is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

Atlanta is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and two games back of the Detroit Pistons for the No. 6 seed. Getting a top-six seed would allow it to avoid the play-in tournament, although it might need some more firepower alongside Trae Young to make that happen now that Johnson is out.

At his best, Ingram could provide that firepower.

He is averaging 22.2 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from deep this season. However, durability has been the issue, as he's appeared in just 18 contests and hasn't played since Dec. 7 because of an ankle injury.

It is one of many injury concerns that have held the Pelicans back during their 12-38 start to the campaign. Given their position in the standings, it makes sense to trade Ingram seeing how this is the final season of his contract and they could get something back in return before he potentially leaves anyway.

Toronto isn't much better than New Orleans at 16-34, so it may seem somewhat strange for it to add at the deadline. Yet Ingram is an expiring contract and wouldn't stand in the way of a long-term rebuild.

LeBron James was quick to send out well wishes to Dejounte Murray after the New Orleans Pelicans guard suffered what is believed to be a torn Achilles in Friday's 118-116 loss to the Boston Celtics.

James took to X to wish Murray a "speedy and healthy recovery" from the injury.

The injury occurred in the first quarter when Murray tried to grab a rebound and fell to the court in pain. He had to be helped to the locker room by the Pelicans' training staff.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Murray tore his Achilles and will miss the remainder of the season. He will finish the 2024-25 campaign averaging 17.5 points, 7.4 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game in 31 starts.

James and Murray have built a friendship over the years together in the NBA. The two worked out together before the 2022-23 season after James took part in Jamal Crawford's pro-am event in Seattle.

Injuries have decimated the Pelicans roster this season. Murray had already missed 18 out of 49 games before tearing his Achilles. Herb Jones, who has played in 20 games, is out indefinitely with a torn labrum. Brandon Ingram hasn't played since Dec. 7 due to an ankle sprain. Zion Williamson has only appeared in 13 games.

All of these injury woes have contributed to the Pelicans having the second-worst record in the Western Conference (12-37). They already have more losses this season than they did in all of 2023-24 (49-33).

Murray is in his first season with the Pelicans after being acquired in an offseason trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

New Orleans Pelicans star Dejounte Murray is out for the remainder of the NBA season after suffering a torn Achilles in Friday's 118-116 loss to the Boston Celtics, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Murray appeared to suffer the non-contact injury while chasing an offensive rebound following his missed shot in the first quarter. He soon limped off the court and was helped back to the locker room before being ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Following the injury, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Pelicans will try to make a trade before the deadline to get under the luxury tax threshold.

The 28-year-old Murray, an All-Star in 2022, entered Friday averaging 17.9 points, 7.6 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

This has been a horrible year for New Orleans with multiple players impact by long-term injuries. As a team, the Pelicans entered Friday having played 48 total games. All but four players (Brandon Boston Jr., Yves Missi, Javonte Green, Jeremiah Robertson-Earl) have missed 10 or more contests.

Eight of the team's top nine scorers have missed 13 or more games. They include Brandon Ingram, who has been out nearly two months with an ankle sprain. Zion Williamson missed 27 games with a hamstring strain. Defensive star Herbert Jones is out indefinitely with a torn labrum.

Understandably, the Pelicans have struggled and now sit 12-37 after their 118-116 home loss to Boston.

New Orleans had high hopes entering this season. The Pels won 49 games and made the playoffs last year, but added Murray via trade from the Atlanta Hawks gave the team optimism for a deeper playoff run.

Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong has in New Orleans, and now Murray has suffered a devastating injury, dealing the Pelicans another massive blow.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson revealed that the team is keeping him from playing in back-to-back games this season.

"Let me make this clear to everybody out there," Williamson said on Thursday, per The Athletic's Will Guillory. "If I could play in the back-to-backs, I would. Physically? Yes, I can. But I work for the Pelicans. They have decided that, based off the numbers, it's not smart to do that right now. If that's what they feel, I'm rocking with them on that."

The two-time All-Star has appeared in just 13 contests to open his 2024-25 campaign, missing 27 straight games from Nov. 8 through Jan. 5 due to a hamstring injury.

Williamson has played in one set of back-to-back games this season, which occurred in a pair of contests against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30.

Despite dropping 31 points and shooting 63.2 percent from the field in the first matchup, he struggled mightily in the second. In the latter clash with Golden State, Williamson finished with 12 points on 5-20 shooting and missed five of his seven free-throw attempts. He also turned the ball over four times compared to just four assists.

The Pelicans lost both games.

While it may seem harsh for one poor performance during the second half of a back-to-back to prevent Williamson from playing on consecutive days moving forward, it's also clear to see why New Orleans wants to be careful with availability.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft has been a dominant offensive force when healthy, but he's been plagued by injuries throughout the start of his career. He was limited to 24 starts due to a torn meniscus in his rookie season, and he missed his entire 2021-22 campaign with a right foot fracture. A right hamstring strain also held Williamson to 29 games in 2023.

The 24-year-old is also currently on a minutes restriction, via Brett Martel of the Associated Press. He hasn't played more than 30 minutes in a game since his Jan. 7 return.

With the Pelicans currently sitting at 12-36, it's clear that they want to preserve Williamson's long-term health by keeping him out of back-to-back games.

The New Orleans Pelicans are "going to make a major trade" amid questions regarding Brandon Ingram's future with the team, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.

The Pelicans are all but out of playoff contention while sitting more than $2 million above the luxury tax, per Spotrac.

As Marks put it: "They have not finished a season over the tax in franchise history and will not do so this year, especially in the lottery."

Marks named Daniel Theis, Javonte Green and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl as trade candidates whose outgoing salary would lower the Pelicans below the tax.

The Pelicans could alternatively deal Ingram, who is making $36 million on an expiring contract this season, and take back $34 million or less in return in order to dip below the tax, Marks noted.

Ingram's future with the Pelicans "continues to be in flux," per Marks, as he prepares to miss a 23rd straight game since suffering a left ankle sprain on Dec. 7.

Marks and Tim MacMahon reported for ESPN in December that the Pelicans were prioritizing finding a trade destination for Ingram after extension talks "repeatedly fizzled" in New Orleans.

However, Jake Fischer recently reported for The Stein Line that the Pelicans "still remain open to re-signing Ingram this summer."

Even if the Pelicans do not believe they will be able to find common ground with Ingram's camp this summer, however, his potentially limited trade market could get in the way of New Orleans landing on a deal.

As ESPN's NBA insiders reported earlier this month: "If another team had been motivated to offer equivalent talent that better fits the Pelicans' roster and payroll, they would have already made that trade."

Even if Ingram sticks around in New Orleans past the trade deadline, the Pelicans will likely be making another move in order to dip below the tax and the associated penalties. The team is down to just nine more days to figure out exactly what that deal will look like.

After leading the New Orleans Pelicans to their largest comeback victory in franchise history by overcoming a 25-point deficit on their way to a 123-119 overtime win over the Utah Jazz, veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum believes he hasn't missed a step.

McCollum, who is in his 12th NBA season, dropped 45 points on 18-of-31 shooting from the field to spearhead the comeback. It was the second time in the last 10 games that he reached the mark, as he scored 50 points in a win over the Washington Wizards on Jan. 3.

After the win, the 33-year-old said he believes his skills will "age well" and he's confident in his ability to continue producing at a high level for many more years.

"I ain't out here dunking on people," McCollum told reporters. "It's skill. It's strategy. It's angles. It's footwork. It's a jump shot that never leaves. I'll be able to shoot when I'm 40."

McCollum has appeared in 31 games this season for the injury-riddled Pelicans, who have the second-worst record in the Western Conference at 12-32. His average of 22.4 points per game is his highest since he averaged 24.3 points in 26 games in New Orleans in the 2021-22 campaign after being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Despite the team's struggles, McCollum said he won't stop fighting to lead the Pelicans to success.

"I don't take these wins for granted because it took us like two months to get five wins," he said. "You've got to ride the wave and just keep your perspective in check."

The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly are not closing the door on a long-term extension with forward Brandon Ingram.

Jake Fischer, writing for The Stein Line, reported that the Pelicans "remain open" to signing Ingram following the 2024-25 season but that Ingram was "not amenable" to New Orleans' previous offers.

"I'm told that the Pelicans still remain open to re-signing Ingram this summer after the sides were unable to agree to a contract extension this past offseason," Fischer wrote. "Ingram, sources said, was not amenable to New Orleans' offers that landed in the $40 million range in average annual value. Yet it could well be just as challenging for Ingram, who makes $36 million this season, to find that type of money available on the open market this summer — just as is often said about Jimmy Butler's quest for a high-dollar contract if the back-with-Miami Butler declines his $52.4 million player option for 2025-26."

Ingram has averaged 22.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 18 games for New Orleans in 2024-25. He has not played since Dec. 7 after suffering an ankle injury and has yet to fully participate in practice since, although he has traveled with the team and participated in individual workouts.

He is set to hit unrestricted free agency after the season and could play a role as a rental for a playoff team. New Orleans will not be heading to the postseason, as the team is currently 11-32. If the Pelicans are not intent on signing him, recouping value for him will be important.

However, Fischer's report shows that the team at least has interest in keeping Ingram and will be prepared to pay a premium for his services.

Following Zion Williamson's one-game suspension for violating team policies, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith believes that Williamson no longer wants to be in New Orleans.

"Zion doesn't want to be in New Orleans, he doesn't want to be there," Smith said on ESPN's First Take (1:45 mark). "He wants to be in a major market like L.A., New York, or whatever, because he wants the marketability."

Williamson did not play during the Pelicans' 123-115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, serving his suspension, as the team announced just before tipoff.

New Orleans stands in second-to-last place in the league with an 8-32 record, at one point facing an 11-game losing streak before it grabbed a win over Washington. Williamson has played in just eight games this season due to a hamstring injury.

Despite the struggles the Pelicans are facing, Smith does not believe that Williamson exhibits the "professionalism" required of him after sources told ESPN that he was late for the team's flight to Philadelphia on Thursday, in addition to "several occasions that led up to" the suspension.

"What he doesn't realize is somebody like Ja Morant, even with his troubles from the past, Ja Morant is a spectacular talent that shows up and plays most times unless he is injured and this brother can be box office," Smith said. "He's clearly the better of the two in terms of his availability and his professionalism even with some of his troubles."

The 24-year-old is averaging 21.8 points over eight games, with 7.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Despite these strong numbers, Smith believes that Williamson is becoming untradeable.

"You look at Zion Williamson right now, it's becoming a joke," Smith said. "You know that this brother has got superstar written all over him as a talent, but he doesn't appear to care enough about being a professional and he certainly, I don't believe, wants to be in New Orleans. I think he wants out, I think that's what this is all about and I think he'd rather be someplace else. But why should anybody want him if this is what you're going to get?"

The 2019 national college player of the year winner has taken "full responsibility" for his actions following the punishment, as he has a history of not being available for the team, playing in just 184 games over his first four seasons.

"I take full responsibility for this suspension," Williamson said, per CBS Sports' Jack Maloney. "I've worked extremely hard in rehab to get healthy to deliver for this team. There is no excuse for being late to team activities. I have apologized to Mrs. Benson and my teammates and coaches and I also owe an apology to the fans. I can and will be better as a teammate and member of this organization."