Wizards forward Rui Hachimura will be sidelined for approximately three weeks due to bi-lateral epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC), the club announced today in a press release.
Hachimura is essentially dealing with a severe case of pink eye, according to Wizards head coach Scott Brooks, who said the second-year forward has blurred vision and is sensitive to light (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington).
Hachimura, who missed Washington’s last two preseason games, is “getting better,” Brooks said. However, it sounds like he won’t be able to make his regular season debut until sometime in the new year. The Wizards will play their 11th game of the season three weeks from today, so Hachimura will likely be sidelined for at least 10 contests.
The ninth overall pick in the 2019 draft, Hachimura averaged 13.5 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 48 games (30.1 MPG) last season, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team.
While Davis Bertans would be the most obvious candidate to take Hachimura’s spot in the starting lineup, Brooks has typically liked to bring Bertans off the bench, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). If Bertans doesn’t get bumped into the starting five, the club could turn to Anthony Gill or shift Deni Avdija to the four and start another wing, says Katz.
Yikes. He should get that looked at. Would be interesting to see Deni at PF though…I’m sure they want to play him there at some point this season. Why not figure it out while the steaks are lower. I mean tech ically they’re low all year because come on it’s the wizards lol but u know what I mean?
Really Bertans doesn’t start. For that contract I thought he would. I guess we’ll see a lot more of Deni sooner. I like Rui I want to see him have a big yr.
The chances of the Wizards winning 35 games isn’t looking very good right now.
Are you joking? They’re stacked.
And they finally got rid of that overpaid bum Wall.
The Wiz should have an eye doc on speed dial. Shouldn’t be three weeks for EKC! Maybe a week max. Something is sketchy.