Russell Westbrook to Miss a Week for Wizards with Quad Injury

Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook will miss the next week of games with a quadriceps injury, the team announced Monday:  

With Bradley Beal eligible to opt out in 2022, the Wizards rolled the dice when they acquired Westbrook from the Houston Rockets. Unfortunately for Washington, the move might give Beal even more pause about committing his long-term future to the franchise.

Through seven games, Westbrook is averaging 19.3 points, 11.3 assists and 9.7 rebounds. The nine-time All-Star is stuffing the stat sheet but seeing his overall performance continue to trend downward. He has also been dogged by quad issues, limiting his availability early on.

The 32-year-old's arrival hasn't helped what was one of the NBA's worst defenses in 2019-20, either. The Wizards are 27th in defensive rating (114.7), per NBA.com.

Washington doesn't have a deep roster, and head coach Scott Brooks can only ask Beal to do so much more than he typically provides each night. Another injury to Westbrook presents a problem for the team in a slightly shortened season. Ish Smith should see a minutes bump with Westbrook out.