Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)
The Washington Wizards will have to play the rest of the season without Bradley Beal, who is set to undergo wrist surgery.
The Wizards are in the middle of a major skid and things look like they’ll only get worse with the news that Bradley Beal will miss the rest of the season.
The three-time All-Star hurt his wrist against Memphis at the end of January. On Tuesday, he and the team announced that he will have to undergo surgery to repair the torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist.
“Despite the last 10 days of getting intensive treatment and rehab on my wrist, it became clear that I would not be able to compete to my standards or to the level that our team and our fans deserve,” Beal said in a statement. “I’m disappointed to have my season end this way, but we all agreed that this was the best decision. I look forward to coming back at 100% and continuing to lead this team as we work together to build toward the future.”
Here’s how the injury occurred:
Washington has decisions to make after Bradley Beal injury
Washington is now in an interesting position. They have lost nine of their last 11 games and have fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff places.
Beal was averaging 23.2 points, 6.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds this season. The idea of making a playoff push without him feels rather slim.
The Wizards could try to strengthen via trade but they could just as easily concede the season and hope to get a favorable pick in the draft.
They also have to make a decision on Beal’s future with the team. He has reportedly rejected an offer of a contract extension and could hit free agency this summer. This injury will only muddy the waters around negotiations. He is eligible for a max deal of more than $240 million over five years.