With the NBA restart just two weeks away, teams are beginning to ramp up activities as they prepare for the eight seeding games that will proceed.
The New Orleans Pelicans, who are tied with the Kings and Portland Trail Blazers for ninth place, are seen by many as the favorite to overtake the Memphis Grizzlies and grab the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. But the Pelicans could be without star rookie Zion Williamson for the beginning of the restart. The Pelicans announced Thursday that Williamson had left the bubble to attend to an urgent "family medical matter" and that he would be returning at some point. However, any extended absence could have a big impact on the race for the eighth seed in the West.
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This is a reminder that even as sports ramp back up, the country still is in the middle of a pandemic and there are more important things to worry about than who grabs the final spot in the Western Conference.
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Per NBA protocols, if Williamson is tested daily while he is away the maximum he would have to quarantine upon his return is four days and the minimum would be two. If he isn't tested daily, he would have to quarantine for at least seven days upon his return.
The Pelicans are slated to restart their season July 30 against the Utah Jazz. The Pelicans, Kings and Blazers all are just three-and-a-half games back of the Grizzlies.