Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins, who missed most of the 2019/20 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in November, was given a “final clean bill of health” last week and has been cleared to resume full basketball activities, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. That means he’ll be able to participate in group workouts and scrimmages when teams get the green light to conduct them.
Having initially aimed to return before the end of March, Collins has long been considered a good bet to get back on the court when Portland’s season resumes in July. However, he acknowledged that officially being cleared after months of rehab represented a major step, as Freeman details.
“When my doc came in and said my shoulder feels like a normal shoulder, that I was good to go, it was like a weight was lifted,” Collins said. “I tell people all the time that he whole rehab process isn’t difficult. It’s just very long and boring. The worst part is not being on the road with the team, not being around them every day, feeling disconnected. It’s weird. Odd. So, mentally, it’s a big struggle. I’m just super excited to be back and know that I can do everything again.”
The Blazers aren’t assured of playing more than eight games when the season resumes in Orlando. Currently 3.5 games back of Memphis for the No. 8 seed in the West, Portland is in position to force a play-in tournament with the Grizzlies for that final playoff spot. But in order to do so, the club will have to hold off the Kings, Pelicans, Spurs, and Suns while keeping pace with Memphis.
Still, with Collins and Jusuf Nurkic expected to be back next month, the Blazers will be close to full strength for the first time in months, increasing the club’s confidence in its ability to make some noise in Orlando.
“We’re healthy,” Collins said, per Freeman. “Well, we’re not fully healthy — we don’t have Rodney (Hood) — but we have Nurk and me and a lot of guys that had to step up and play more minutes than expected during the season. Put all that together, combined with guys coming back and the time off and everybody’s body being ready and recovered, and I think we have as good a shot as anyone.”