While the overall play of the Washington Wizards has begun to take a turn for the better these past couple weeks, the organization received some bad news regarding the injury status of center Ian Mahinmi. After suffering a torn meniscus in the preseason, Mahinmi has only played in one game this far this season. Now it seems the Wizards can expect Mahinmi to be sidelined even longer after suffering a setback in his only game appearance against the San Antonio Spurs on November 26th according to Candace Buckner of the Washington Post:
The latest on Ian Mahinmi, #Wizards say he will undergo PRP. Out for at least the next six weeks. pic.twitter.com/PQfdgOJLka
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) December 20, 2016
Mahinmi was again sidelined after his sole appearance due to knee soreness, but it ended up being much more severe than previously thought. The requirement of platelet-rich plasma on both knees was prescribed after Dr. James Andrews gave a second opinion. A PRP treatment is a highly complex procedure which will keep Mahinmi out of the lineup for at least six weeks and result in a much more daunting rehabilitation process for the big man.
The veteran center was the biggest offseason acquisition for the Wizards this previous summer as they inked him to a 4 year, $64 million dollar deal. Mahinmi was expected to be the primary big off the bench, bringing in immediate physicality and paint presence behind Marcin Gortat. The Wiz could surely use another big body off the bench as the reserve frontcourt consists of the undersized Andrew Nicholson and the perimeter oriented Jason Smith. Though both Nicholson and Smith have done a respectable job in the extended absence of the French big, Washington’s bench presence as a whole has been lacking and the availability of Mahinmi would surely bolster the physicality of their second unit. With Mahinmi now likely out until past the end of January, the Wizards will have to improvise and continue holding down the fort in his longer than expected absence.
