Bradley Beal Will Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

The Washington Wizards have struggled ever since starting the season 10-3, and are just 1-8 in their last nine games, falling out of a play-in spot in the East at 24-29.

Compounding their issues of late has been the absence of Bradley Beal with a left wrist injury that has kept him out of the last four games for Washington. Unfortunately for the Wizards, Beal’s wrist injury is not getting better on its own and on Tuesday it was decided that the star guard will have surgery to repair the wrist for good, but will miss out on the rest of the season.

For Beal, it is hopefully what he needs to get back to full strength for next season and avoid having any lingering issues with his wrist. He’s set to become a free agent this offseason if he declines his player option and can get a 5-year, ~$240 million max from the Wizards or a 4-year, ~$180 max elsewhere, and released a statement explaining the decision in the Wizards official release.

For the Wizards, it’s a big blow to their hopes of clawing their way back into the playoff picture in the East, and for a team that was expected to be active at the trade deadline trying to bolster its chances at a playoff berth, it makes the next couple of days very interesting in terms of how they proceed. At this point, taking the long view with the roster seems pertinent, rather than trying to make a second-half push for the playoffs, and that could mean they become sellers with some of the veterans they got in the Russell Westbrook deal or simply stand pat so as not to burn through any draft capital or players that could be part of a move this summer once they have more clarity on their situation and Beal’s.