A sprained ankle, then a long wait
AJ Dybantsa will play tonight. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported this afternoon that the No. 1 pick will make his NBA debut for the Washington Wizards against the Cleveland Cavaliers, citing sources.
It has taken longer than anyone in Washington planned. Dybantsa missed the season opener against Milwaukee with a sprained ankle, and head coach Brian Keefe described him as day to day. The Wizards then listed him out again when Toronto came to town. Every game since has been played without the rookie, who turned heads at Summer League in July.
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What the Wizards get back
The timing matters for a team trying to find an identity early. Washington has built a roster around established names, including Anthony Davis and Trae Young, and a healthy Dybantsa gives Keefe a wing who can create his own shot. How many minutes the staff hands him is the open question. A player coming off an ankle injury rarely gets a full workload on night one.
Cleveland is a demanding place to start. The Cavaliers defend well and punish teams that turn the ball over, so the first look at Dybantsa will come against real resistance rather than a soft landing.
Tip-off is tonight, and the rookie is expected to be in the lineup.
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