While running mate John Wall is yet to suit up for a game for the Washington Wizards, shooting guard Bradley Beal has been cleared following a concussion he suffered at the start of training camp.
The 6-foot-5 Florida product will start in Tuesday’s preseason game against the Miami Heat, according to a report by J. Michael of CSN MidAtlantic.
Brooks says starting lineup vs @MiamiHEAT as of today: Burke, Beal,Porter, Morris, Gortat #WizardsTalk @CSNMA
— J. Michael (@JMichaelCSN) October 3, 2016
This is good news for the Wizards as they will need Beal's scoring to start the season while Wall acclimates to the team and gets up to speed.
Eventually, they will need the tandem to work together in order to chase down a playoff spot, but it is up to Beal, for the time being, to keep the ship afloat.
“He had a great practice,” head coach Scott Brooks said of Beal after Saturday's practice. “We scrimmaged a lot. Today was the most we’ve scrimmaged all week. I thought Brad was fine. Did a great job. He was going at the team. I thought he showed great leadership. His group did a great job putting pressure on the group that they were playing against. He was getting after it defensively. He’s such a gifted shooter. His ability to make plays for his teammates, it was showing in today’s scrimmage.”
Meanwhile, Brooks plans on limiting his starters' minutes during the preseason and at one point sit them out of games to give ample opportunities to the new faces vying for roster spots.
“The veterans are definitely going to play some minutes,” Brooks said. “Not a lot. I would be surprised if anybody plays over 20. The guys that do play right around 20 are just going to play in the first half. See how it goes after that.”
“They won't play all seven games,” Brooks said of his veterans. “I don't know which games they will sit out as we speak now. Sooner or later, I will narrow that down.”
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