Pelicans' Quincy Pondexter: Cleared for non-contact work

Pondexter (knee) has been cleared for non-contact work, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis:

Pondexter has come along in his recovery much slower than anticipated, but it appears he's finally made a break through and is progressing to the next stage. He's now able to go through shooting drills and other non-contact individual drills, which means his eventual return to the court is not far off. Of course, he likely still needs to log a couple of full-contact practices before getting the green light to play, which could mean he's still a couple of weeks away.