New Orleans Pelicans injury report (Nov. 29): Latest on Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III's status

The New Orleans Pelicans have been hit hard by injuries early in the season, which is the main reason why they are currently 4-15. The Pelicans are set to visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday as part of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup. Let's look at the latest Pelicans injury report featuring Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III.

According to the latest injury report, the Pelicans have eight players listed ahead of tonight's matchup against the Grizzlies. Four players are out and won't suit up for the game, while four players are tagged as questionable.

Jose Alvarado, Herb Jones, Karlo Matkovic and Zion Williamson are all listed as out. Alvarado is set to be re-evaluated next week, while Williamson has no timetable for recovery. Jones might be close to returning and Matkovic is on assignment in the NBA G League.

On the other hand, Ingram, Murphy, Jamal Cain and Jordan Hawkins are game-time decisions. They will be evaluated before the contest and could be upgraded to available depending on the Pelicans' medical team.

Here are the New Orleans Pelicans injury report:

Player	Injury
Jose Alvardo	Left Hamstring Strain
Jamal Cain	Right Ankle Sprain
Jordan Hawkins	Lower Back Soreness
Brandon Ingram	Right Calf Soreness
Herb Jones	Right Shoulder Strain
Karlo Matkovic	NBA G League Assignment
Trey Murphy III	Left Knee Contusion
Zion Williamson	Left Hamstring Strain

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CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray return from injury to help boost the New Orleans Pelicans

CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray return from injury to help boost the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo: GETTY)

Two of the best players for the New Orleans Pelicans returned to the lineup recently. CJ McCollum was back on Monday after missing 13 games with a strained adductor. McCollum was solid in his first two contests since returning, scoring 23 and 19 points, respectively.

However, the Pelicans lost both games and continued their injury woes with Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III suffering minor knocks. Dejounte Murray, who was the team's biggest acquisition of the summer, returned on Wednesday. Murray missed 17 games since fracturing his left hand in the season opener.

The one-time All-Star finished with 14 points in New Orleans' loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Pelicans have the talent to turn things around, but they need to get their entire roster healthy first.

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Zion Williamson out longer than expected

One of the criticisms of Zion Williamson was his ability to stay healthy. Williamson seemed to have answered his critics last season by playing 70 games and staying injury-free. However, it was a different story six games into the new campaign.

Williamson suffered a strained left hamstring on Nov. 6 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was initially ruled out for four to six weeks, but ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Pelicans are expecting him to miss more time.

The former No. 1 pick is the best player for the Pelicans as long as he's healthy. He currently has no timetable for recovery, with New Orleans looking like a lottery team at the moment.