New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (leg) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings. The superstar forward won't play after exiting early on Friday due to a right leg contusion. The expectation is that Trey Murphy III will move into the starting unit with Williamson unavailable. Murphy should already be rostered in most formats, but fantasy managers should double check and make sure he's not on the waiver wire. He'll have increased value with Williamson sidelined on Sunday.

New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Zion Williamson suffered a right leg contusion against the Clippers on Friday and didn't finish the game. He saw 19 minutes of action, totaling 12 points and six rebounds with one steal and one block. Williamson got ruled out late in the game after it had turned into a blowout, so there's hope he was pulled only for precautionary reasons, and he could be good to go again on Sunday against Sacramento. However, if that's not the case, Larry Nance Jr. will be asked to step up, while Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall could also get a boost in playing time.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (knee) has received another questionable tag for Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers while he deals with tendonitis in his left knee. Murphy didn't make his season debut until December 1 due to injury, but up until he was dealing with this bout of tendonitis, he posted some fantasy-friendly stat lines while coming off the bench. He's averaged 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.8 threes per game while only starting in one of his 12 games played. If he's unable to return from his three-game absence, Dyson Daniels and Jose Alvarado will see some extra minutes and willhttps://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2024-01-05_02PM.pdf only become streaming options in deeper leagues.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green says forward Trey Murphy III (knee) is out on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and that he is "still day-to-day." Murphy is dealing with soreness in his left knee, and the 23-year-old sharpshooter will have a chance to end his three-game absence on Friday versus the visiting Los Angeles Clippers. Herbert Jones is starting to regain momentum after a fantastic start to the year, and he has handled greater responsibility on both ends of the floor for New Orleans on occasions when Murphy has been out of the Pelicans' lineup. In 19 games without Murphy, Jones is amassing 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 treys, and 2.9 combined steals and blocks in 30.7 minutes per game, but he draws a tough matchup against a 'Wolves team giving up the fewest points per game (107.5) in 2023-24.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (knee) is in danger of missing his third straight outing in Wednesday's tilt versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. Murphy is listed as questionable due to soreness in his left knee, and his status could come down to a game-time decision closer to Wednesday's 8:00 p.m. tip-off. If he is unable to give it a go, the 23-year-old marksman's next chance to play would come on Friday at home against the Los Angeles Clippers. Herbert Jones has taken on expanded usage for the Pelicans in games that Murphy has been out of New Orleans' lineup this season, contributing 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 three-pointers, and 2.9 combined steals plus blocks in 30.7 minutes over those 19 games.