Inside The Wizards

Wizards Already Down One Player

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

Jeremy Brener

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
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
In this story:

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.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/Washington Wizards News