The slumping Wizards are due for lineup changes when Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant are ready to start playing again, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington was one of the NBA’s early-season surprises with a 10-3 start, but has gone just 4-7 since then and has fallen to the middle of the Eastern Conference pack.
In a recent radio interview, general manager Tommy Sheppard said Hachimura, who is away from the team on a personal absence and hasn’t played yet this season, could begin practicing after a three-game road trip ends Wednesday. Sheppard expects Bryant, who is recovering from a torn ACL, to be back at practice within two weeks.
Once they’re available, Robbins expects coach Wes Unseld Jr. to make adjustments to his rotation. Davis Bertans is likely to see his minutes reduced, along with rookie Corey Kispert. Kyle Kuzma, who has been playing power forward in Hachimura’s absence, will probably see more time at small forward, and Deni Avdija will have a smaller role.
There’s more from Washington:
- The Wizards are being cautious with Spencer Dinwiddie, who will be rested tonight in the second game of a back-to-back, Robbins tweets. The free agent addition is only 11 months removed from ACL reconstruction surgery on his right knee.
- Even though Washington lost to the Raptors on Sunday, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope delivered his best game since being acquired from the Lakers in an offseason trade, notes Andrew Gillis of NBC Sports Washington. Caldwell-Pope delivered 26 points on 8-of-9 shooting, even though he said he felt less than 100%. KCP is one of four Wizards who haven’t missed a game this season. “You just gotta try to gut it out,” Caldwell-Pope said. “You’ve got to try to find that energy from somewhere and try to finish the game. Just do your job and do what you can do out there. Just give it all you’ve got until you can’t give it no more. We talk about effort so much, it’s a big part of how we play the game.”
- The Wizards haven’t lost three straight games this season, and Unseld is eager to see how they respond after two straight blowouts, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “Early in the season, we bounced back from these stretches,” he said. “This has kind of been the longest duration where things are kind of tenuous for us, so it’s certainly a test. We have no choice. We’ve gotta pull together, we’ve gotta dig ourselves out and we’ve gotta find a way.”
Wizz roster is too deep i see them to be sellers @ next TD
Bertrans 25M€ contract and Tomas Bryant who is a joke on D have to go 1st
*Bertans 17M$ contract #sooooorry
I hope they target Nurkic.
Think he would be a good upgrade at centre.
He’s on an expiring deal and things in Portland are getting messy. He should be looking for a way out.
If so Blazers may ask for Montrez cause they have no big C
Trez is solid off the bench but I think Nurkic could be a long term starter
They need valanciunas,not nurkic
Pelicans won’t be trading him anytime soon
Does anyone know what the hell is going on with Hachimura? What is this “away for personal reasons” nonsense that we keep hearing for two months now?
really, i thought he was already back and was practicing. just looked it up, it’s mental health reasons too. lolsmh
Has to do with the Japanese mens team performance in the Olympics and how the people over there treat Black Japanese athletes there. If you arent a pureblood, theyll tear down your mental health. Many people in Japan shockingly arent receptive to Rui being Japanese. Hes viewed as an outsider that happens to be Japanese because he’s black, which doesnt make any sense. Japan is backwards when it comes to cultural mixing and interracial marriage. The wizards arent even the most popular team in Japan, it’s the Raptors because of Yuta Watanabe.
Had alot to do with Team Japan and the Olympics. He failed to deliver for Japan especially as the host country while the Women’s team was able to secure silver. And being that he’s the best player on the national team and isnt pureblood Japanese, the country blames him for their misfortunes. They shockingly did the same with Naomi Osaka when she lost even thou she lit the cauldron. If youre the best athlete in Japan and you’re not a pure Japanese, confidence and self esteem will end up in shambles. When Japan lost to Luka and Slovenia, he looked emotionally distraught. And mind you Rui went toe to toe with Luka. Everyone knew Japan was outmatched except for Japan because they had Rui. Japan is somewhat backwards in regards to multicultural athletes that represent their country.
Cutting Avdija’s minutes ain’t the way to go… WAS is gonna be a play in team at best, as I said all summer, they ain’t as good as last year with Russ!
BTW what’s going on with Beal, he is having a nightmare of a season, absolutely horrible!
Maybe if Beal played better the team would win a game every now & then, right?