A season that started with much promise, went sideways with a gnarly shoulder injury and ultimately was derailed by a global pandemic, is seemingly headed toward the oddest finish in NBA history.

And for Portland Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins, that means one thing.

“We have a shot at winning a championship,” he said. “That’s huge.”

Never mind that the resumption of the NBA season, while probable, is hardly a done deal. And forget that if and when the season does resume, the Blazers will be outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff chase.

After watching from the training room for five months as his teammates underwhelmed and underperformed, Collins is just happy to be given an opportunity to end a rocky season of high expectations on the court.

Last Wednesday, Collins’ surgically repaired left shoulder was given a final clean bill of health by Dr. Evan Ellis, meaning Collins has been given a green light to resume full basketball activities — including multiplayer workouts and scrimmages — when the team officially returns to the court at the end of the month.

Collins was originally hoping to return in March and he’s pushed himself through rehabilitation sessions and individual basketball workouts throughout the coronavirus crisis, so the news was not surprising. But for it to finally become official was momentous.

“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 the 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.”

There remains doubt, of course, about how ironclad the NBA’s return really is. Earlier this month, the NBA board of governors and representatives of the NBA Players Association voted to recommence with 22 teams and a truncated eight-game regular season to be played under the “bubble” of Disney World in Orlando. The Blazers (29-37) will be in the field, sitting 3½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies (32-33) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

But in recent days, some NBA players have raised concerns over resuming play and whether it was safe during COVID-19 or even appropriate as protests over racial justice and police brutality continue nationwide in the wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody. These concerns were voiced last week during a conference call that reportedly featured nearly 100 players, including Collins.

Collins refused to comment on details of the conversation, noting that it was a “players call,” but he left convinced the season would resume.

“I genuinely think that we’re still going to play no matter what,” Collins said. “It’s going to be rough. It’s going to be rough in Orlando. It’s not going to be normal. But I think we’ll play.”

Collins has been amazed and awed by the grassroots uprising following Floyd’s death.

“It’s unfortunate what happened, that this is all a reaction to George Floyd and that whole sick tragedy,” Collins said. “But as far as the peaceful protests go, I think they’re amazing. From what I’ve read, the peaceful protests have been very well organized and emotional and impactful. And that’s amazing. People are doing a great job.”

As for coronavirus concerns, he’s optimistic the NBA can keep things safe in the Disney “bubble.”

After spending the last three months cooped up in quarantine, reading books, playing video games, watching the entire Marvel Universe movie collection in “chronological order” and even taking an online college marketing course, Collins is eager for a little hoops. And assuming the season resumes as scheduled, he likes the Blazers’ chances.

Nurkic, four days away from making his long-awaited return from a gruesome leg injury when the season was postponed March 11, will finally be healthy. The team’s star backcourt, Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, and two key aging contributors, Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza, will be refreshed and rested after a three-month break. Add in the experience and progress young players like Gary Trent Jr. and Nassir Little made while playing because of injuries, and Collins’ confidence has merit.

The Blazers’ defense, in particular, could see a dramatic uptick with the return of cornerstones Nurkic and Collins. Without them, the Blazers’ defense was abysmal, ranking 27th in the NBA.

The oddest season in NBA history is on the verge of a comeback and Collins, finally healthy and eager to return, is bullish on his Blazers.

“We’re healthy,” Collins said. “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.”