Wizards sharpshooter Corey Kispert has been diagnosed with a fracture to the tip of his right thumb, the team announced today (via Twitter). Kispert will be treated “conservatively” and his recovery timeline will be updated as appropriate, the Wizards added.
Kispert won’t require surgery to repair the fracture, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link), who notes that this type of injury typically requires about three weeks of recovery time.
Kispert sustained the injury in the third quarter of the Wizards’ 132-113 win over Atlanta on Tuesday. It appeared to occur when Hawks defender Nickeil Alexander-Walker attempted to knock the ball away from Kispert as he was making a pass to Khris Middleton. Kispert immediately reacted by shaking out his right hand (video link via NBA.com) and checked out of the game shortly after that.
After coming off the bench in all 61 of his outings last season, Kispert has started two of 17 games for the Wizards this season, but he’s is averaging a career-low 19.9 minutes per contest. The 26-year-old continues to shoot the ball well in his limited role, averaging 8.9 points per game with a 50.5% field goal percentage and a 40.3% mark on three-point tries.
With both Kispert and rookie guard Tre Johnson (left hip flexor strain) sidelined, third-year swingman Cam Whitmore and rookie Will Riley are among the top candidates for increased roles on the wing, tweets Robbins.
Offer Marvin Bagley and Champagnie to Indiana for Tony Bradley and a 2nd
Waive Middleton, McCollum, Branham and Cooper
Sign Seth Curry, Tyler Smith, Jae Crowder, a young PG prospect and someone of your choosing
Rebuild is done
Next year if Tyler Smith, Bub Carrington and AJ Johnson are not the answers at PF and PG then draft one of each in next years draft
Who’s Tyler Smith?
Anyway, if there’s a proper PF star prospect in the draft, I’d very much like that. Real PFs are rare.
The 6’11 and can shoot a little PF who was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks that was recently waived. He is young and I would take a chance. San Antonio should grab him up too
Shame :/
He’s been getting less playing time, but Corey has looked quite good in those minutes.
As for Whitmore, I find it a bit comical that he’s getting the exact same minutes he was at Houston. The coach let him play more in some games where he performed well (30 mins against Detroit and Dallas), but did not hesitate to pull him out in games where he did not.
But he has played in all 17 games so far, and doesn’t have any DNP-CDs.
He hasn’t improved since his rookie days. He’s the exact same player
– can score, has nice moments but doesn’t pick his spots well;
– tries half of the time on defense but doesn’t have defensive instincts. Doesn’t try at all the other half;
– he doesn’t create advantages with the ball for his teammates. He’s only good when he scores;
– the lack of size is often evident in this league that keeps going bigger;
– generally lacks the feel for the game.
It’s his contract year. I’m not sure the FO wants to see him get big minutes and potentially create an awkward salary demand situation. And again, he’s the same guy he was since day one. He didn’t develop any skill or part of his game to say: ” Oh, that’s intriguing, I want to see more of that, keep him on the floor.”
If continues more or less like this until the end of the season, it would probably be not a bad idea to give him a 2-year extension or 2+1. And you will have one more year of his rookie deal, plus 2 more years after that to assess the guy.
I believe there’s a chance he can become a good shooter. Hope he’s working on that.