Zion Williamson is Ready to Make an Unlikely Run at Rookie of the Year if the NBA Regular Season Resumes

The NBA is still holding out hope that it can crown a champion. All options remain on the table and one includes the league returning to play a very short end of the regular season that would allow them to satisfy local television contracts. In that case, teams would probably have a single-digit number of games put back on their schedule.

At this point in time, that sounds absolutely incredible. Sign me up. You want to do a three-game regular season follow by a single-elimination tournament to determine the 2020 NBA champion? When can we start?

But who will be involved? If there is a truncated resumption of the NBA season then there are still a few teams jockeying for position and the 8th seed in the Western Conference is still up for grabs. That includes the New Orleans Pelicans who - along with the Portland Trailblazers and Sacramento Kings - are 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

To quote Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems, "This is how Zion Williamson can win Rookie of the Year."

Williamson has taken the hiatus to get healthy and get in better shape. He's working out with the team on Zoom and getting up shots on the basketball goal at his New Orleans home. So what if the NBA returns and Zion goes crazy and the Pelicans overcome a nearly impossible deficit to make the playoffs while Ja Morant, who hasn't had a single piece about his quarantine workout habits on ESPN.com, struggles and the Grizzlies fall? Well, that's how Zion wins and he knows it. Via ESPN:

""He's worked for that. He's earned that. I give respect when it's due. I always do," Williamson said. "But, you know, as a competitor, I'm just a competitor. I want to win at everything. I'm not going to say I don't want to win. I want to win at everything. My goal was if I could rally my team into the playoffs, hopefully I could've made a run for it. But it's just God's plan at this point. If Ja wins it, I'll be happy for Ja. He's my brother.""

Again, this sounds like a delightful world to live in. Basketball on TV. Zion in the basketball. Someone make this happen. Please.