The New Orleans Pelicans have had a frustrating season, hampered by injuries.
Over the years the New Orleans Pelicans have had a number of impressive talents on their roster. This dates back to the Chris Paul era and even during the run of Anthony Davis. But health and injuries have consistently remained as obstacles for the franchise.
Once again this season the Pels can’t still evade injury problems. New Orleans sits as the worst team in the West this season with 13-42, largely because of the constant inactivity of their core from Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, and C.J. McCollum. Brandon Ingram spent two months sidelined before being traded.
The newly acquired Dejounte Murray, in just his first season as a Pelican, also sustained a ruptured Achilles that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
In the wake of the team’s struggles to get relatively healthy, former Pelican Dyson Daniels made recent headlines when he claimed that NOLA was considerably “cursed”.
DeMarcus Cousins stands as one of the key notable figures who saw unfortunate injury events as a member of Pelicans.
Cousins’ New Orleans arrival in the 2016-17 midseason trade was perceived as a groundbreaking moment in the franchise’s history. Cousins teaming up with Davis instantly propelled the team to boast a powerful frontcourt combination.
But in 2017-18, as the Pelicans were already trending upward with Cousins at their side, the All-Star center suddenly collapsed with an Achilles injury which completely disturbed his career trajectory and the championship fortunes of New Orleans.
Cousins was never the same anymore, while the Pels ultimately traded Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers a year after.
In his recent interview for HoopsHype, Cousins was brutally honest about the perceived negative notion around the Pelicans of being an injury-riddled organization.
“I got a lot of love from New Orleans. I’m a Mobile [Alabama] kid. I’m right down the street from New Orleans. So I got a lot of love from New Orleans, and it’ll remain that way. But as far as that organization, I don’t know what it is when it comes to just staying healthy in that city,” he said.
“I’m not gonna even say the city – I’m gonna say that organization. I don’t know what it is. I actually had a conversation with a guy. When I was there, he was a ball boy, and he’s worked his way up to a coaching position.
“So I reached out to him after the DeJounte Murray injury, and I literally said exactly what y’all are saying to me.
“I’m like, no, the truth – it’s cursed, bro. It’s something going on that don’t make no sense.
“And for me to go through my Achilles and now watch another guy go through his Achilles in the same organization, it’s hard not to think that way. But I don’t know. There’s definitely something going on.”
Considering the number of top players who have suffered injuries on the Pelicans, claims of a ‘curse’ are understandable.
It has just been disappointing that the NOLA fanbase has to face this never-ending concern. This era of the franchise with Williamson has presented limitless possibilities with the former No. 1 overall pick holding generational talent.
This season is already a lost one – but the hope is that their players will simply stay healthy, and the roster situation improves instead of going the other way.
