Pelicans' Zion Williamson out vs. Clippers due to health and safety protocols

The New Orleans Pelicans were unable to play against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night after multiple Dallas players reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and left the Mavericks without a required league minimum of eight players needed to compete. 

It appears the Pelicans may be dealing with their own virus-related issues. 

New Orleans has confirmed that star big man Zion Williamson is out for Wednesday's matchup versus the L.A. Clippers because of the league's health and safety protocols. 

As Jeff Nowak noted for Nola.com, the announcement doesn't necessarily mean the 20-year-old tested positive for the coronavirus. It's possible Williamson has been labeled a close contact of an infected individual and is being held out only as a precaution. 

According to ESPN stats, Williamson is second on the Pelicans in scoring (21.9 points) and player efficiency rating (22.17). New Orleans started the campaign at 4-2 but then dropped three straight games before Monday's contest against Dallas was scrapped. 

The NBA, as a whole, is dealing with a concerning COVID-19 crisis heading into the halfway point of January, as a Wednesday showdown between the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns became the seventh postponed game of the season that began on Dec. 22. Despite these schedule alterations, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday night that the Association isn't yet ready to temporarily pause play: