Pelicans' Zion Williamson Participates in 'Controlled Scrimmage' amid Injury Rehab

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson likely won't play in a regular-season game this year, but he is making progress in his recovery from his foot injury.

Pelicans head coach Willie Green told reporters that Williamson did some full-court work on Thursday by participating in a "controlled scrimmage" with player development coaches.

The Pelicans (35-44) have three games left on the schedule, including Thursday night's matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans is locked into a spot in the play-in tournament, giving the team the chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

If the Pelicans do advance in the postseason, it would be a surprise to see Williamson take the floor without getting his feet wet in a regular-season game first. However, his progression in his recovery could be enough to sway New Orleans to add him to the lineup whenever the opportunity arises.

Williamson posted a video of himself dunking on social media in March. Near the end of the month, he had also traveled with the team on a multi-game road trip for the first time this year.

New Orleans has won seven of its last 10 games and four of its last five. The team looks to be gelling at the right time, led by the duo of CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. 

Since being acquired from the Blazers at this year's trade deadline, McCollum has been averaging 25.7 points, 5.2 points above his average in Portland. Ingram has been hobbled by a hamstring injury, but in the five games he played in last month he averaged 29.0 points.