Wizards Already Down One Player

The Washington Wizards won't be at full strength to start the season.

Mar 2, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Saddiq Bey (41) drives past Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards are getting ready for their season opener on Oct. 24 when they take on the Boston Celtics, but one player on the roster won't be ready for the start of the season.

Saddiq Bey, 25, suffered a torn ACL back in March when playing for the Atlanta Hawks, but he is expected to make a full recovery and be available within the next few months.

Bey signed a three-year, $19 million contract with the Wizards over the offseason, marking a return home for the fifth-year pro. Bey was born in Charlotte, but he grew up in the DMV and attended DeMatha Catholic School in Hyattsville, Md. before transferring to Sidwell Friends School in D.C.

Bey was a four-star recruit before attending Villanova, where he spent two collegiate seasons. In 2020, Bey made enough of an impact to enter the NBA Draft, where he was chosen with the No. 19 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons.

Bey looked like a rising player for the Pistons, especially in his second season when he averaged 16.1 points per game. However, the next season saw him traded to the Hawks as the Pistons looked to re-structure their roster.

Bey never found his footing in Atlanta, which led to his departure. Now, he is with the division rival Wizards, where his role isn't exactly clear.

Bey will be competing for playing time against a number of wings, like Bilal Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert.

Once Bey is healthy, his role will become a lot more clearer, but for now, his focus should be to work on getting back to 100 percent so he can give his new team the spark that they signed for during free agency this summer.

Bey will watch on the sidelines as the Wizards face off against the Toronto Raptors in their preseason opener tomorrow.

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