What is it with the Pelicans' injuries? In any one season, sure, you can say "bad luck" ... but the Pelicans' injury issues have been going on as long as the team has been here. And I'm sure medical staff has been turned over plenty since the early New Orleans Hornets days.
I wonder sometimes if New Orleans is the kind of market players won't physically "sell out" for. For the Lakers or Celtics or Spurs, say, there's something that'll get them and keep them pushing through mild injuries (probably not even telling anyone about them besides maybe team trainers). On the flip side -- could it be that when Pelican feels a twinge, they think to themselves subconsciously "This team's not worth it ... we're not going anywhere ... gotta protect my value for my next contract."
Perhaps there's widespread "disrespect" among players for the Pelicans as a franchise, and maybe that has influence on how much the team can get out of a player? The NBA seems to be a league with a small number of star franchises and a bunch of Washington Generals ... that's got to seep into players' minds.