Report: Pelicans' Zion Williamson Clears Quarantine, Will Return to Practice

The New Orleans Pelicans have their superstar rookie back.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports forward Zion Williamson has cleared quarantine and can return to practice on Tuesday. 

Williamson previously left the NBA's bubble for a family emergency on July 16 and arrived back on July 24, immediately entering self-isolation. 

The Pelicans will now have two practices to assess Williamson's readiness for the restart.

New Orleans will open the final eight games of the regular season Thursday night against the Utah Jazz at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

In order for the Pelicans to make the postseason, they'll need to win the eighth seed by at least four games or hang onto ninth place while remaining no more than four games back of eighth place. The latter scenario would trigger a play-in series in which the ninth-place team must win two games before its opponent wins one to clinch a playoff berth. 

The Pelicans are currently 3.5 games back of the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.

Williamson will be a big factor in whether or not New Orleans advances. In 19 games this season, the rookie is averaging 23.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 29.7 minutes per night. New Orleans has gone 10-9 with last year's No. 1 overall pick in the lineup this season.