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By Alex Kirschenbaum
Contributing Entertainment Writer
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A pair of New Orleans Pelicans starters are now set to miss multiple weeks with major injuries.
New Orleans has announced via its official X account that starting forward/center Herb Jones and combo guard CJ McCollum will both be sidelined for at least two weeks, and quite possibly longer.
Jones has strained his right shoulder and incurred a small partial thickness tear in his rotator cuff, he is expected to miss between two-to-four weeks.
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McCollum, meanwhile, suffered a right adductor strain, and is projected to be shelved for two-to-three weeks.
Jones, who finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting for his versatile coverage work on the 49-33 Pelicans in 2023-24, is logging career-low averages of 6.8 points on .480/.182/.500 shooting splits, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.0 assists across four contests.
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Rather than reach restricted free agency this past summer, the 26-year-old Jones inked a four-year, $53.8 million rookie-scale contract extension to stay under contract with the Pelicans through the 2026-27 NBA season in June 2023. He's a versatile two-way player, and team president David Griffin clearly values Jones as a useful utility piece to compliment All-Star forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
The 6-foot-3 McCollum had been shifted to New Orleans' starting shooting guard spot this season, following the offseason advent of former Atlanta Hawks star Dejounte Murray via trade.
The addition of Murray, a one-time All-Defensive Teamer, was supposed to give the Pelicans some added help at the point of attack. McCollum has never been a particularly terrific defender.
Murray lasted just one game before getting hurt himself during New Orleans' season opener against the Chicago Bulls, and remains shelved indefinitely with a fractured right hand.
Read more: Pelicans All-Star Breaks Hand, Will Miss Significant Time
McCollum didn't fare much better. The 33-year-old Lehigh product made it through just four games unscathed. He's averaging 18.8 points on a .446/.382/.667 slash line, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks a night.
The 2-3 Pelicans will have little time to process the news of all these injuries to their starters. They're set to face off against the 2-3 Indiana Pacers on Friday night, and will now do so with subs in for Murray, McCollum and Jones, much as they did Wednesday in a 104-89 blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors.
In that game, backup center Daniel Theis suited up in Jones' stead, Jose Alvarado started at the point, and Jordan Hawkins started at shooting guard.
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