Geez, it looks like the New Orleans Pelicans are struggling right now. Even before the beginning of the season, there were already problems arising, but these problems are now multiplying. First off, Dejounte Murray suffers from a season-ending injury. Afterwards, people have issues surrounding the whole Zion Williamson load management conundrum. Negatively speaking, this is a rough stretch and people are now wondering what the next step for this team is.

Let’s talk about that game against the Celtics. Early in the first quarter, Murray—just doing his thing—grabs the ball, and then out of nowhere, he goes down. No contact, nothing. Just collapses, clutching the back of his right ankle. You see that happen, and you already know it’s not good. He managed to put up four points in eight minutes before heading to the locker room. Then, the news everyone feared came in—torn Achilles. Season over.

This is just brutal. Not only for Murray but for the entire Pelicans squad. It’s the second major injury of his career, and you have to wonder what this means for him long-term. Up until this point, he was a key piece for the Pelicans, putting up solid numbers—17.9 points, 7.6 assists, 6.5 rebounds per game. Now, suddenly, he’s gone for the season, and the backcourt rotation is looking thin.

So, who steps up? Right now, it’s looking like Jose Alvarado will have to take on bigger roles. And you could feel Murray’s absence immediately. That game against the Celtics? The Pelicans barely lost 118-116. Trey Murphy III went off for 40 points, and Alvarado dropped 20 off the bench, but in the end, they just couldn’t close it out. Without their starting point guard, the road ahead is looking even tougher.

The Zion Situation: Load Management or Overprotection?

And then there’s Zion. Oh boy. This whole load management thing has turned into a hot topic. The dude is 24, says he feels fine, wants to play back-to-back games, but the Pelicans won’t let him. It’s all based on their internal data and whatever sports science stuff they’re looking at. But Zion? He’s not exactly thrilled about it.

“If I could play in the back-to-backs, I would,” he said. “Physically? Yes, I can. But I work for the Pelicans. They have decided that, based on the numbers, it’s not smart to do that right now.”

You can just feel the frustration in that quote. And honestly, fans are feeling it too. It’s that age-old debate—do you prioritize long-term health, or do you let your best player get out there and fight for wins? Because let’s be real, the Pelicans need all the help they can get. Zion has been playing well when he’s out there—23.6 points, 8.2 rebounds per game in January—but they’re keeping him at just 26.3 minutes per game. That’s not exactly superstar-level playing time.

All of this—Murray’s injury, Zion’s minutes restriction—it’s showing up in the win-loss column. The Pelicans are in a serious slump. Five straight losses. And some of these games have been rough. They barely lost to the Celtics, but then they got torched by the Grizzlies, 139-126. Former Pelican Jonas Valančiūnas had a field day in that one, just to rub a little extra salt in the wound.

The team exhibits an unsynchronized performance at this present moment. The team faces numerous struggles including important personnel absences and managing injuries while attempting to achieve proper coordination in the season. The situation extends beyond a difficult period because it shows all signs of becoming a full crisis.

So, where do they go from here? That’s the big question. The front office has some tough decisions to make. Do they stick with their conservative approach and keep prioritizing health and longevity? Or do they loosen the reins a bit and let Zion go full throttle to try to salvage the season?

The attempt to strike a balance proves to be extremely difficult. Everyone would reject another injury disaster however the Pelicans continue losing many games before reaching a point where they will lose all hope for this season. Future months represent a critical time period. At present the signs indicate that the situation remains unfavorable before any significant change can emerge.