Pelicans lose Asik for 3 weeks with calf strain

The New Orleans Pelicans will be without center Omer Asik for three weeks, the team announced Thursday.

Asik is suffering from a right calf strain, an injury that hadn't been made public to this point, though it's one that cost him some time in March. The 7-footer had dealt with back spasms during the lead-up to training camp.

The injury threatens to leave the Pelicans thin at center for the remainder of the preseason, as backup Alexis Ajinca is out four-to-six weeks with a hamstring strain, as well. That likely means Kendrick Perkins will take on a role greater than his presumed cheerleader-slash-assistant coach position, and he could even figure to start the season opener if Asik isn't ready by Oct. 27.

It will also mean more time at the pivot for superstar Anthony Davis. While that's not necessarily a blessing in disguise - new head coach Alvin Gentry has been clear he wants to experiment with that look - it could give the team a more clear idea of how deadly the team's offense could be with Davis at the pivot, surrounded by athletes and shooters.

Asik is still a major loss, as he and Davis have proven a formidable defensive duo. The Pelicans outscored opponents by 5.3 points per 100 possessions when they shared the frontcourt last season, hurting teams on the glass and around the rim.

The 29-year-old averaged 7.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in his first season with the Pelicans after arriving from the Houston Rockets for a first-round pick last summer. New Orleans doubled down on that investment in July, signing Asik to a reported five-year, $60-million contract.