NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Pelicans have announced that forward Herb Jones, recognized as their leading defensive player, is dealing with a posterior labrum tear in his right shoulder. As a result, he will be out for an unspecified amount of time. This news broke just hours ahead of the team’s game against Philadelphia, which marks the beginning of a three-game road trip that will also take them to Boston and Chicago.

To determine the severity of his injury, Jones underwent an MRI on Thursday after having to exit Wednesday’s match against Portland early. This is not the first time this season that he has faced issues with his right shoulder—earlier, he missed 18 games due to a similar injury but successfully returned to action on December 5, participating in 16 consecutive games since then.

So far this season, Jones has played in 20 of the Pelicans’ 38 games, recording averages of 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals over approximately 32.4 minutes of play per game. Drafted in the second round as the 35th overall pick during the 2021 NBA Draft, he has now appeared in a total of 240 games for the Pelicans throughout his career. Notably, he was chosen for the NBA All-Defensive First Team last season, underscoring his significant impact on the court and the team’s defensive strategies.

As the Pelicans prepare to face their upcoming opponents without one of their key assets, they will need to adjust their game plan accordingly to maintain their competitive edge during this crucial part of the season.