Pelicans F Zion Williamson draws one-game team suspension
Fri Jan 10 6:16pm ET
Field Level Media
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson was suspended for Friday night's road game against the Philadelphia 76ers for a violation of team policies, vice president of operations David Griffin announced.
According to ESPN, Williamson was late for Thursday's flight to Philadelphia with the rest of the traveling party waiting for a lengthy time period.
It apparently isn't the first time Williamson has been late for a team-related activity.
"There were several occasions that led up to this and that's how we got to this decision," New Orleans coach Willie Green said during his pregame press conference.
Williamson expressed his sorrow for the situation through a statement.
"I take full responsibility for this suspension," Williamson said. "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 (Pelicans owner) Mrs. (Gayle) 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."
Williamson is slated to rejoin the team on Saturday. New Orleans visits the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
Green said the team will look ahead.
"He apologized for his mistakes," Green said. "He's taken accountability. For us, we put the statement out and now we move forward and get ready for tonight's game."
Friday is New Orleans' 39th game. Williamson has played in just seven of them this season due to a hamstring injury and is averaging 22.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists.
Since he was the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, Williams has played in just 191 games while proving to be injury prone. He has career averages of 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
The Pelicans sustained another blow Friday by announcing that forward Herb Jones is out indefinitely with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
The damage was detected during an MRI exam performed Thursday.
"It's a difficult blow for Herb and our entire group," Green said. "He means so much to our team and to our organization To not have him on the floor with our guys, it's definitely a blow to our group."
Jones left Wednesday's 119-100 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers after taking three shots from the floor in 18 minutes.
Jones, 26, has averaged 10.3 points with 3.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 20 games (all starts) this season. He also is a standout defender and is averaging 1.9 steals per game.
In four NBA seasons, all with New Orleans after he was drafted in the second round in 2021 out of Alabama, Jones has averaged 10.1 points with 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 240 games (231 starts).
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Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) won't play on Saturday against the Rockets. Initially, his right shoulder inflammation wasn't too concerning for fantasy managers. However, Johnson will miss a fourth consecutive game on Saturday, so most are hoping he won't be on the shelf much longer. It's unfortunate, especially since the 23-year-old is averaging career-highs in points (19.8), rebounds (10.1), assists (5.3), blocks (1.1), and steals (1.5). But until he's back on the floor, Trae Young (Achilles), Dyson Daniels, and De'Andre Hunter should benefit the most on the offensive end.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) is expected to suit up on Saturday against Houston. The right Achilles Tendinitis is nothing new, so he should be out there barring a setback. The 26-year-old hasn't had his most efficient season, averaging 22.5 points and shooting 33.9% from behind the arc. Fortunately, he's at least made up for it by amassing a career-high 12.1 assists per game. With Jalen Johnson (shoulder) still out, Young should continue to get a few more looks at the basket. While he's always a must-start in redraft formats, the challenging matchup versus Houston doesn't make him a practical option for DFS lineups.
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (leg) is doubtful for Saturday's game against the Hawks. The 23-year-old has missed the last 11 games. Head coach Ime Udoka recently indicated Eason was close to returning to the court. However, Udoka added that the team wanted to remain cautious, especially at this point in the year. With Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) on the shelf, there should continue to be minutes and scoring opportunities up for grabs. While Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson should continue to lead the way on the offensive end, Cam Whitmore, averaging 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in January, is worth streaming in most fantasy formats.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (illness) will play on Friday night versus Brooklyn. The multi-time MVP missed the previous two games because of an illness. However, after riding a questionable designation, fantasy managers figured he'd be back for this one after he went through pre-game warmups. As expected, Jokic should be added back to fantasy lineups for the favorable matchup versus the Nets, although his presence will mean fewer minutes for DeAndre Jordan and Dario Saric.
Golden State Warriors center Trayce Jackson-Davis (eye) will suit up on Friday against Indiana. He was initially listed as questionable for the game due to a left eye contusion, but the team has upgraded Jackson-Davis to available. The sophomore has played well recently and is coming off a double-double performance. Jackson-Davis had 14 points and 10 rebounds with three assists as the Warriors defeated Detroit 107-104 on Thursday. He finished with 13 points and eight rebounds in this season's first clash against the Pacers.
Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports that Milwaukee Bucks forwardKhris Middleton (ankle) is available for Friday's matchup with the Orlando Magic. Middleton will play in his second straight contest this evening despite dealing with bilateral ankle issues. In his last outing on Wednesday against San Antonio, he came off the bench and struggled, posting eight points, five rebounds, and three assists in21 minutes during the 121-105 Bucks win.
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Paul George (groin) will play against New Orleans on Friday. He has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of tip-off. The former Clippers star, who returns from a one-game absence, will start the contest with Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin, and Guerschon Yabusele. George, Maxey, and Oubre Jr. should do most of the offensive work against the Pelicans. Eric Gordon will be bumped back to the bench due to George's return. Gordon has had a tough time making an impact as a member of the second unit in 2024-25 and should be ignored by fantasy managers.
Golden State Warriors guard/forward Moses Moody (knee) will be back in action on Friday against Indiana. He sat out the first leg of a back-to-back on Thursday versus Detroit due to a knee issue. Golden State has quite a few bodies missing on Friday, including Stephen Curry (knee) and Andrew Wiggins (personal), so we might see a lot of Moody in the contest. Moody tends to be inconsistent with his play, but he has boosted his fantasy appeal recently by scoring double-digit points in four of his last six appearances.
According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Milwaukee Bucks forwardGiannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is active for Friday's matchup with the Orlando Magic. The 30-year-old will play in his sixth consecutive contest despite dealing with right patella tendinopathy. Antetokounmpo will have a full workload during Friday's contest and fantasy managers know by now that the superstar forward is a must-start whenever he is available to step on the floor.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (elbow, shin) will play on Friday against Philadelphia. Murray was initially regarded as questionable for the game due to shin and elbow ailments. With Zion Williamson (suspension) and Trey Murphy III (ankle) out of action, Murray is expected to carry the Pelicans offense with CJ McCollum. The versatile guard has a chance to post 20-plus points for a third consecutive outing for the first time as a Pelican. His recent work also includes a triple-double.
Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports thatMilwaukee Bucks guardDamian Lillard (calf) will play against the Orlando Magic on Friday despite dealing with a left knee contusion. The 34-year-old veteran won't have any restrictions placed on him, as he collected 26 points, five rebounds, and eight assists across 35 minutes in the Bucks' 121-105 win over the Spurs on Wednesday. Fantasy managers in season-long formats should feel comfortable getting Lillard back in their lineups.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (ankle) will be in the lineup on Friday against Golden State. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Haliburton will look to bag a second consecutive double-double on Friday against a depleted Warriors team. Indiana is considered an 11-point favorite for the contest, meaning there is a high chance of a blowout, which may limit Haliburton's minutes. With this in mind, fantasy managers might not get full value out of Haliburton on Friday.
According to Alex Golden of the Setting the Pace podcast, Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner(illness) has been upgraded to available to play against the Golden State Warriors. Turner was listed on the injury report earlier in the day due to dealing with an illness. The 28-year-old will go up against a banged-up Golden State Warriors team who will be downDraymond Green(back),Jonathan Kuminga(ankle), and maybeTrayce Jackson-Davis(eye - questionable).
Philadelphia 76ers guardKyle Lowry(hip) will miss his third straight game on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans due to soreness in his right hip. Lowry's next opportunity to return to the floor is versus the Magic on Sunday. While the 38-year-old is sidelined, the Sixers must lean heavily onTyrese Maxey. Reggie Jackson,Eric Gordon, and Jeff Dowtin are some guard options that the Sixers could also use.
According to Shams Charania, New Orleans Pelicans forwardZion Williamson(suspension) won't suit up against the 76ers due to being suspended one game for violating team policies. Williamson's next opportunity to return to the floor is on Sunday against Boston. Herbert Jones(shoulder) will also be missing in action. With Williamson and Jones sidelined, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl,Javonte Green, andBrandon Boston will take on more minutes and will potentially have more scoring chances than usual.
The Orlando Magic announced that Orlando Magic forwardPaolo Banchero(oblique) is expected to make his return on Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Banchero has missed the last 34 contests due to a right oblique strain. Fantasy managers need to be aware that while the 22-year-old should jump back into the Magic's starting five, his minutes will likely be restricted in the contest. Caleb Houston and Tristan Da Silva could see some extra minutes for the time being against Milwaukee.
Denver Nuggets forwardAaron Gordon (calf) is listed as doubtful for Friday's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. Gordon has been out eight consecutive contests due to a calf issue. If he is unavailable for this evening his next opportunity to suit up comes on Sunday against the Mavs. The 29-year-old has played well this season, but he's only been on the floor for 16 games. Russell Westbrookwill likely continue to get the nod to start in place of Gordon until his return.
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (illness) has been listed on the injury report as questionable while he deals with an illness. If he's able to give it a go, he'll go up against a banged-up Golden State Warriors team who will be down Draymond Green (back), Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), and maybe Trayce Jackson-Davis (eye - questionable). On the other hand, Thomas Bryant would probably stay in the starting five if Turner doesn't suit up. Bryant posted 22 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and two steals in their last game against the Bulls.
Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (glute) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game and will miss Friday's matchup against the Boston Celtics. The star point guard is still plagued by a right glute contusion and there hasn't been any official word on his return. Keon Ellis has taken over the spot in the starting five and has averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals while Fox has been out. He serves as the best streaming option in most leagues while Kevin Huerter could be deployed into lineups in deeper leagues.
Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (back) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers due to a back injury. The veteran is likely receiving some rest in the second half of their back-to-back after posting seven points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and three blocks on Thursday. With Jonathan Kuminga (ankle) also ruled out, Kevon Looney will likely move into the starting five unless Trayce Jackson-Davis (eye - questionable) can suit up. Looney provides solid rebounding and blocks while Jackson-Davis would be the better streaming option if he plays.
