Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins provided an update on the team’s injury situation just days before training camp begins.
Two of Washington’s young talents, Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, will not be fully available when preseason practices get underway, though their recovery timelines differ.
Coulibaly, who underwent surgery to repair a ligament injury in his thumb, is expected to miss not only the start of training camp but also the opening stretch of the regular season.
According to Dawkins, the 21-year-old wing will likely remain sidelined for the first week or two once the season tips off.
Sarr’s situation appears less serious. The rookie big man strained his calf during France’s EuroBasket campaign, which forced him to miss the final stage of the tournament.
While he won’t be on the floor at the very beginning of camp, Dawkins expressed optimism that Sarr could rejoin the team before preseason activities conclude.
The Wizards are counting on both players as part of their young core, with Sarr projected to hold down the starting center spot once healthy and Coulibaly expected to continue developing into a key two-way contributor on the wing.
