Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura isn’t close to making it back onto the court, head coach Scott Brooks told reporters today. As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington and Fred Katz of The Athletic relay (via
Twitter), Brooks said Hachimura is still expected to miss multiple weeks as a result of his groin injury.
Brooks also offered an update on Moritz Wagner‘s ankle injury today, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). Wagner is expected to be in his walking boot for at least another week and may require an additional 10-14 days once he’s out of the boot before he’s ready to return. In other words, he’s expected to be out of action for at least two or three more weeks.
Hachimura, the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft, was off to a solid start in his rookie season, averaging 13.9 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 25 games (29.2 MPG). However, his groin issue has sidelined him for Washington’s last seven games – he hasn’t played since Dec. 16 in Detroit – and will keep him on the shelf for the foreseeable future.
The Wizards have been hit harder than any NBA team by the injury bug in recent weeks. In addition to missing Hachimura, the Wizards have also been without Thomas Bryant since Dec. 1, Wagner since Dec. 10, and Davis Bertans since Dec. 21, decimating the club’s frontcourt depth. Additionally, John Wall and C.J. Miles are out with presumed season-ending injuries and Bradley Beal is day-to-day with a leg issue.
As long as Hachimura and the Wizards’ other bigs are sidelined, the team figures to continue leaning heavily on Ian Mahinmi, as well as newcomers Johnathan Williams and Anzejs Pasecniks.
