The New Orleans Pelicans had expectations of significant progression in the 2025-26 season, demonstrated by their trade of an unshielded 2026 draft selection to the Atlants Hawks to acquire Derik Queen as the No. 10 pick in June.
After two weeks into the season, the Pelicans’ plans have been entirely disrupted, making them one of the last two teams in the NBA yet to secure a victory, standing at 0-6. Augmenting the discouraging atmosphere of a winless commencement is Tuesday’s announcement that Zion Williamson will be sidelined for a minimum of 7-10 days due to a Grade 1 hamstring injury. Given Williamson’s past history with injuries, there’s extensive apprehension that the hamstring strain might persist or reoccur, thereby heightening the concerns of Pelicans supporters.
New Orleans’ 0-6 initiation has encompassed three defeats by margins exceeding 30 points, culminating in the league’s poorest net rating at a startling -18.3. This display has fueled speculation that coach Willie Green has reportedly failed to maintain control of the team, with his position becoming increasingly uncertain with each defeat.
The absence of Williamson — the team’s foremost performer in points, rebounds, assists, and blocked shots per game — isn’t poised to boost optimism that they’ll promptly reverse their course.
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Brad Botkin
The Profound Significance of Zion Williamson to the Pelicans
Williamson stands as the most critical figure on a New Orleans roster grappling with various challenges, notably a frontcourt lacking substantial size and largely reliant on Williamson. Kevon Looney debuted in a resounding defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, offering support to Yves Missi and Queen, though both of the Pelicans’ emerging centers are somewhat deficient in size (particularly Queen).
Given their limited physical presence in the paint, it’s hardly surprising that New Orleans is among the league’s least effective rebounding teams and occupies the lowest position in defensive rating.
In Williamson’s absence, Green will probably need to assess Queen’s capabilities with increased playing time. The rookie has averaged merely 17.5 minutes per game during the initial six contests off the bench, yet his scoring potential is unmatched by any of their other frontcourt alternatives. Elsewhere, the Pelicans will require Trey Murphy III to emerge from his initial struggles and perform at an elite level, and Jordan Poole is expected to embrace an even more significant role in the offense.
Duration of Pelicans’ Winless Sequence?
None of these conditions offer considerable reassurance, and with Williamson expected to miss at least the next four games, if not longer, one might ponder when the Pelicans will secure their inaugural victory. Tuesday night appears to present their prime opportunity against a Charlotte Hornets team without LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Brandon Miller (shoulder). However, with Williamson now unavailable, New Orleans is only a modest favorite (-2.5 at FanDuel).
Should they fail to triumph over the Hornets, a three-game road journey awaits before Zion’s potential return.
If they cannot secure a victory in any of those five games, with Dallas, Phoenix, and Portland all showing potential for defeat early in the season, the Pelicans’ losing trajectory could extend for an extended duration, even upon Williamson’s return. The remainder of their November schedule is remarkably challenging and filled with contenders from the West. Their most attainable victories this month would be against Atlanta, Dallas (again), and the Memphis Grizzlies.
If they somehow fail to achieve victory in any of those matches, the Dec. 6 contest against the league’s other winless squad, the Brooklyn Nets, could evolve into a colossal showdown of basketball inadequacy. The pivotal contrast lies in the Nets’ active pursuit of tanking following trades to regain their draft selections, whereas the Pelicans are exerting their utmost effort to secure wins because they lack any incentive to lose, given that their pick is owned by the Hawks.
