Next man up.
That’s how NBA teams operate when an injury occurs.
On Saturday, the Washington Wizards announced that Ian Mahinmi, who they signed to a $64 million deal in the summer, will be out four to six weeks after undergoing knee surgery.
Mahinmi became the Wizards’ top target after Ernie Grunfeld failed to convince Al Horford to join the team.
As a starting center for the Indiana Pacers, Mahinmi became a top-10 defender in the NBA. Washington hoped that acquiring Mahinmi would help the team regain their defensive identity after falling out of the NBA postseason picture this past season.