Gafford and Shamet injuries are an opportunity for young Wizards to shine
By Cem Yolbulan
The Washington Wizards haven’t begun their training camp yet but the injuries already started piling up. According to the latest news inside the organization, Daniel Gafford and Landry Shamet will miss 2 to 4 weeks because of injuries. Gafford hurt an elbow during a pickup game but will not require surgery, while Shamet broke his left toe. As unfortunate as this may be, they are minor injuries and allow young players to earn regular minutes in their absence.
The Washington Wizards open their season against the Indiana Pacers in three weeks, on October 25th. That is right in the middle of the expected recovery time for both Gafford and Shamet. Considering that there is no reason to rush either player this early into the season, there is a very good chance at least one, but probably both players will miss a few games to begin the season. For the bare minimum, they will miss the entire preseason.
This means that players who are lower on the depth chart hierarchy will have plenty to play for in their absence. They will have an opportunity to prove their worth during the preseason games.
Shamet’s absence will open up more playing time for Johnny Davis and Bilal Coulibaly. If one of them impresses, they can take that bench shooting guard role for good, opening the door for a Shamet trade.
Gafford’s absence will be slightly trickier. The Wizards are already short on center depth. Their backup centers are Mike Muscala and Taj Gibson, neither of them capable of playing heavy minutes due to their age and limitations. This could provide an opportunity for the Wizards to play small-ball lineups. This could mean sliding Kyle Kuzma or Deni Avdija to play center in limited minutes and open up more playing time for the likes of Coulibaly and Patrick Baldwin Jr. Alternatively, seeing what Xavier Cooks or Eugene Omoruyi can do as a small-ball five could be an intriguing option.
Regardless of what coach Wes Unseld Jr. chooses to do, there could be a silver lining in these unfortunate injuries. The young Wizards like Davis, Coulibaly, and Baldwin Jr. are getting a prime opportunity early on to claim a role in the rotation. It will be fascinating to see who will succeed.
