The Washington Wizards will have eight regular season games in Orlando to make up 5.5 games in the Eastern Conference standings, and they’ll have to try doing it without Bradley Beal.
The Wizards announced on Tuesday that Beal will not take part in the resumption of the NBA season due to a shoulder injury. General manager Tommy Sheppard said Beal played through the rotator cuff injury for much of the season, but he and the team do not think it would be in his best interest to play again after the layoff.
“This was a difficult decision and one that I did not take lightly as the leader of this team,” Beal said. “I wanted to help my teammates compete for a playoff spot in Orlando, but also understand that this will be best for all of us in the long term. I appreciate the support of my teammates, the fans and the entire organization and look forward to returning next season to continue the progress we have made.”
Beal had experienced discomfort in the shoulder early in the season, and the symptoms apparently got worse during the layoff. The announcement from the Wizards did not say if the plan is for Beal to have offseason surgery.
Wizards forward Davis Bertans has already opted out of the resumed season to avoid injury risk and protect his free agency. Beal said Monday that he was undecided on whether or not he would play in Orlando, though he made no mention of the shoulder injury. Washington coach Scott Brooks said Beal has been “looking great” during training.
Beal was second in the NBA with 30.5 points per game to this point in the season. The Wizards are 24-40 and have the worst record of any team that was invited to Orlando, and they’re almost certainly not going to make the playoffs now without Beal.
