JULY 28: Williamson has cleared quarantine and will practice with the Pelicans on Tuesday evening, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
It remains to be seen whether Williamson will be available when New Orleans’ season resumes in just over 48 hours, but the fact that he’s set to return to practice on Tuesday is a positive sign. As Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter) that will give him two practices before the team has to decide his status for Thursday.
JULY 27: The Pelicans are hoping to get Zion Williamson back at practice by Wednesday after his four-day quarantine period ends, executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin tells Malika Andrews of ESPN.
“In theory, his quarantine would end Tuesday afternoon-ish,” Griffin said of the star rookie. “The problem is he has to test and get the results before they release him.”
After initially reporting to the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus with the rest of the Pelicans, Williamson left on July 16 due to an urgent family matter. He was away for a little over a week before returning to Orlando on Friday.
According to Griffin, Williamson was able to conduct some light workouts while he was away from the campus and has been given a yoga mat and a few other pieces of workout equipment while he quarantines in his hotel room. However, the Pelicans will have to see how the former No. 1 overall pick responds to Wednesday’s practice before determining whether he’ll be available for the club’s first seeding game on Thursday vs. Utah.
“Literally any player on our roster who went 13 days without doing any physical activity, it isn’t going to be a given that we would just cut them loose in that next game,” Griffin told Andrews. “Particularly a player that generates as much torque as he does. So we will see where he’s at.”
I hope he hasn’t done a Shawn Kemp in 1998 over the lockdown
No strip clubs for chicken wings either
It’s interesting how the betting odds favor the Pelicans over OKC and Utah.
Pels need ZW healthy for those serieses. Otherwise they probably get blitzed IMO
I don’t get how you take chances now. You got 3-10 wks of ball. Most are going home after first rd. Why would you risk this. Worse than children lol. I would be fining big money. I just don’t get it.
Zion is a great talent. But I’m glad we didn’t draft him. Yrs from now Morant n RJ will be. Best picks if draft. Zion can’t stay on court. If he carries around 280 lbs. at 6’7” really (no shoes) 6’6”. His game is not built for his body. He needs a personal cook. To keep him under 260 LBs. Pelicans better get in front of this.
I wasn’t a fan of him because of all the hype. I like rooting for the underdog. But after watching this seeing how humble and well mannered the kid is you cant help but be a fan.