:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67038980/1206486715.jpg.0.jpg)
The Washington Wizards have begun practicing again in Orlando, Florida. Here’s some proof, via their Twitter account:
Before our first practice here in Orlando, Coach Brooks had a message for the team #RepTheDistrict | #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/opIFGKAgAK
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) July 9, 2020
They are, however, without guard Garrison Mathews, who was projected to have a bigger role considering that Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans will not participate in the NBA season restart.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Mathews was not in the Orlando bubble due to personal reasons.
Garrison Matthews did not go to Orlando with the Wizards for personal reasons, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA. Mathews does not have COVID-19. Unclear for now if he’ll join the team at a later date or miss the Wizards’ eight remaining regular-season games.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 9, 2020
Mathews isn’t the only Wizard to decline going to Orlando for now. Ava Wallace of The Washington Post also noted that a second player is not in the bubble.
Scott Brooks said "a couple" of Wizards players didn't make the trip down to Orlando, but he can't get into who.
— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) July 9, 2020
It isn’t entirely clear who that player is and whether they will play in the season restart. But the Wizards will definitely be shorthanded once the games begin in a few weeks.