New Orleans – Zion Williamson Watched from the bench in road garments – together with his teammates CJ McCollum,, Herb Jones,, Trey Murphy III And Yves Missi – just like the New Orleans Pélicans“The worst season in 20 years ended with a seventh consecutive defeat on Sunday.
Within the stands via the courtroom in the course of the defeat of 115-100 towards Oklahoma Metropolis, the Pélicans basketball operations chief David Griffin, who has nonetheless not been in a position to take a look at the staff he fashioned final summer season performed collectively underneath the path of Willie Inexperienced, the coach he employed 4 years in the past.
The truth that Griffin has by no means been removed from being sure, given the way in which the loss causes a change.
“I’ve not but had discussions, talks,” stated Inexperienced when he was requested for his future with the membership. “I have not finished very properly. I need to absolutely acceptable the place we’re in a staff. We failed. I failed.”
However Inexperienced stated that he hoped that the membership’s membership evaluation would come with the earlier three seasons when New Orleans certified for the West Convention recreation and certified twice in the direction of a first-round eliminatory sequence.
“I believe it is essential. You strive to take a look at the physique of labor,” stated Inexperienced. “However I didn’t give myself this work. I needed to be chosen for this place, and I’m grateful.”
Williamson has missed 52 video games this season on account of a number of accidents, his pressure within the hamstrings being the worst of them. Pélicans Guard Dejounte Murray missed 51 video games this season due to damage in hand and Achilles. Herb Jones missed 62 video games with a shoulder damage. Ingram Brandon appeared in simply 18 video games with New Orleans on account of an ankle damage earlier than being exchanged in Toronto. Murphy missed 29 video games with a number of accidents.
Griffin, who didn’t converse with the media on Sunday, joined the Pélicans in 2019. Shortly after, the Pélicans received the NBA drafts, giving them the chance to jot down Williamson, one of the best consensual perspective that 12 months.
However what appeared to be success at the moment, retrospectively, is extra like a curse.
Pushed by accidents, Williamson missed 258 of the 472 common season video games since he was drafted. Williamson additionally by no means appeared in an post-season match.
The Pelicans have been 209-263 since Griffin’s arrival and drafted Williamson, and the membership didn’t win a single eliminatory sequence throughout this era.
New Orleans’ 21-61 file this season was the second worst within the historical past of the franchise, and worse since 2004-2005, about seven years earlier than the husband of the proprietor of Pelicans Gayle Benson, Tom, purchased the membership in 2012.
These outcomes have left an air of uncertainty across the offseason of the pelicans to return.
“We actually do not know who comes again. I am simply making an attempt to be sincere with you,” stated Murphy. “Nobody is protected.”
