The New Orleans Pelicans came into the 2015-16 season with pretty high expectations after making the playoffs as the eighth seed last season. So far this season things aren't off to a great start as the Pelicans have lost each of their first three games by a double-digit margin, but that is due to myriad injuries to key players. One of the players they have been without so far is Tyreke Evans who is recovering from knee surgery but is hopeful he can return at the beginning of December, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
Evans underwent arthroscopic knee surgery toward the end of October and has only been out for about two weeks, so if he were to come back in four more weeks, like he is hoping, that would put his return at the low end of the six-to-eighth-week timetable he was given after surgery. The Pelicans have been extremely cautious with injuries, though, especially to Jrue Holiday, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them hold back Evans a little longer than he wants.
It is still extremely early in the season, and the Pelicans don't have to panic yet, but there may be a time when things get bad enough that they won't be able to dig themselves out of the hole they are in. Besides Evans, Norris Cole, Quincy Pondexter and Kendrick Perkins are also out. Omer Asik is dealing with a calf issue, and Holiday is on a minutes limit due to constant leg injuries, so clearly the injuries have mounted for the Pelicans.
Evans was expected to be New Orleans' starting small forward, so while he is out Dante Cunningham has taken his place and he hasn't been very good. None of the injuries the Pelicans have suffered appear to be season-ending, but for now there are too many of them for even Anthony Davis to be able to carry them to victories in the loaded Western Conference. The Pelicans should get everyone back around Christmastime at the latest, but it is fair to wonder if they will have already dug themselves too deep of a hole at that point.
For his part, Evans feels that when he returns along with Pondexter and Cole the Pelicans will be able to go on a nice run and make it into the playoffs. The Pelicans are certainly a talented team, but they better start winning some games now so they don't have too much ground to make up, as the West is very unforgiving.
