Pelicans add CJ McCollum and Herb Jones to growing injury list

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – When Willie Green learned Friday that starting point guard C.J. McCollum and top guard Herb Jones would join point guard Dejounte Murray on the multi-week injured list, the New Orleans Pelicans coach tried to look on the bright side.

“We’re grateful that this isn’t something that’s going to keep these guys out for the rest of the year,” Green said before New Orleans hosted the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. “It’s something they can get over.

“At the same time, it’s going to be a lot of questions from the rest of the group,” Green added. “You have to limit the mistakes… grind and somehow weather the storm.”

McCollum, who has averaged 18.8 points in four games this season, was diagnosed with a right adductor strain that will likely sideline him for about two to three weeks. Jones has a strain in his right shoulder and a small partial-thickness tear in his rotator cuff. The Pelicans say he could be out for two weeks to a month.

Both were injured during The Pelicans lost to Golden State on Tuesday night.

Murray, the Pelicans’ most important offseason acquisition, he broke his arm late in New Orleans’ regular-season victory over Chicago. Murray scored 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the only game he played for New Orleans. He underwent surgery last week and is expected to be sidelined for an additional three to five weeks

Meanwhile, New Orleans started the season without winger Trey Murphy III, who is recovering from a torn right hamstring that will likely sideline him for another week.

The injuries will mean significantly more playing time for shooting guard Jordan Hawkins, Connecticut’s first-round draft pick in 2023, as well as point guard Jose Alvarado and a fourth-year pro from Georgia Tech. Both joined the starting lineup Wednesday night at Golden State as New Orleans lost its third straight game.

On Friday, the team also gave 6-foot-7 rookie Yves Missi — a first-round draft pick out of Baylor — his first career start at center.

The Pelicans still had two of their typical starters in forward Zion Williamson and winger Brandon Ingram.

“With this group, we’re just going to continue to stick together and keep moving forward,” Green said. “The lack of main players on the court and the need to adapt to players who are not necessarily in the rotation is a problem for us.

“We saw in the first game what we were going to look like,” Green added, referring to Murray’s addition to the main lineup this season. “Without him, we would kind of go back to what we did last season; We haven’t played like that all camp, so we have to make some changes.

While Green admitted it’s easy to feel unhappy in times like these, he emphasized that “life is too beautiful and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead.”

“Things happen, adversity occurs, and how we deal with it prepares us for life,” Green said. “That’s how I look at it.”

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