The Pelicans announced Friday that Zion Williamson will be out indefinitely after a CT scan revealed a fractured left ring finger.
A treatment plan and timetable for his return to play will be determined at a later date after further evaluation, the team said in a statement.
David Griffin, executive vice president of basketball operations for New Orleans, said on Friday that part of the reason why the forward is injured is because of how he’s being officiated by NBA officials this season. He claimed that other teams have been able to have “open season” on Williamson.
“He’s injured because of the open season that there’s been on Zion Williamson in the paint,” Griffin said. “He has been absolutely mauled in the paint on a regular basis to the point where other players have said to him, ‘I’m going to keep doing this to you’ because they don’t call it.”
The 20-year-old had been averaging 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists this season with a 69.8 free throw percentage.
The Pelicans head into Friday night’s matchup against the 76ers one-and-a-half games behind the Spurs for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
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