Washington Wizards point guard Isaiah Thomas has undergone surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb, sidelining him for six-to-eight weeks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. This is now the third straight season in which Thomas will not be ready to start once the campaign commences, as his recovery timetable puts him well into the Oct. 22 start for the season.

Thomas reportedly hurt his thumb during a workout on Monday, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.

“This was an unfortunate setback for Isaiah, but with his resolve and the top care he will receive from our medical team, we expect him to make a full recovery,” said general manager Tommy Sheppard.

Article Continues Below
More Washington Wizards News
Tre Johnson in Wizards jersey smiles next to Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and AJ Johnson
Tre Johnson reveals how he fits Wizards’ rebuilding puzzleJoshua Valdez ·
Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) cuts the net after defeating the Houston Cougars in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.
Jazz, Wizards trade grades for 2025 NBA Draft dealRohan Brahmbhatt ·
Will Dawkins smiles next to basketball player silhouette wearing Wizards jersey
Washington Wizards’ perfect outcome for No. 6 pick in 2025 NBA DraftJoshua Valdez ·
New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) reacts to scoring his 50th point against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Smoothie King Center.
CJ McCollum’s hilarious first tweet since blockbuster Wizards trade goes viralAlex House ·
Will Dawkins and Michael Winger smile next to basketball player silhouette
Wizards rumors: 1 player Washington may trade up for in NBA DraftJoshua Valdez ·
New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) passes the ball against Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) during the second half at Smoothie King Center.
Pelicans, Wizards trade grades for Jordan Poole-CJ McCollum swapZachary Howell ·

Thomas, who is coming off back-to-back hip procedures in the last two offseasons, will not be able to see the court until early November at the earliest, perhaps even at the end of that month if he requires further rehabilitation.

The Wizards signed him with the intention of having a starting-quality point guard to run their offense next to Bradley Beal, following the trade of Tomas Satoransky and how All-Star John Wall is unlikely to see the court in 2019-20.

Thomas' absence will be a definite blow for Washington, who will have to put the load on the hands of Beal once again, much like he did to finish out last season after Wall's injury. Ish Smith is likely to take Thomas' spot to start the season, though the bulk of the ballhandling will likely fall on Beal's shoulders until Thomas has fully recovered.

The Wizards however can still make some changes with only 13 guaranteed contracts (including Thomas') and five players potentially fighting for the last two spots in the roster, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. The free agent pool is however slim at this point of the offseason, which would render another signing merely inconsequential.