NEW ORLEANS (AP) Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is now expected to miss at least the first week of the regular season because his recovery from surgery to repair a right foot fracture is taking longer than anticipated.

"Nothing has gone wrong and there is no setback," Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said after practice Thursday, adding that Williamson will be re-evaluated in about two-and-a-half weeks. "It just takes a certain period of time" for bones to heal and "every player is different."

The Pelicans first made public Williamson's health status on the eve of training camp last month, and Williamson said then that he planned to be ready to play in time for New Orleans' regular season opener Oct. 20 against Philadelphia.