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12/22/2024 06:45:04 pm

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NBA News & Rumors: Wizards Not Rushing Ian Mahinmi's Return from Injury

Washington Wizards center Ian Mahinmi

(Photo : Getty Images) The Wizards are not rushing Ian Mahinmi to return to action.

The Washington Wizards are reportedly not rushing to bring back Ian Mahinmi from the knee injury he suffered last month as the team wants him to be 100 percent healthy before returning on the court.

Mahinmi, who turned 30 earlier this month, partially tore the medial meniscus in his left knee on Oct. 15. After undergoing surgery, he was ruled out for four to six weeks, which means that Washington will have to wait until then for his debut as a Wizards player.

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Mahinmi's knee was banged in the final period of a preseason match with the Sixers in October. An MRI test confirmed the partial tear, and an operation was immediately scheduled. He had complained about knee soreness earlier in the offseason during training camp, but the bump in the game seemed to have worsened the pain.

The Wizards signed Mahinmi to a four-year $64 million contract via free-agency in July. He is entering his ninth year in the NBA. He spent his first two years in San Antonio then moved to Dallas before spending the last four seasons with the Indiana Pacers.

ESPN reported that Mahinmi's rehab "appears to be on schedule," but Wizards officials, led by head coach Scott Brooks, are said to be not "willing" to suit him up unless they are sure that he is in full health.

"Once [he's] able to get on the practice court with the group, it's going to take some time to gain condition," Brooks said via the Washington Post. "He's still some time away. Like I said, I hate to put a timetable on it, but I know he's going to do his job to get back as soon as he can, but we're not going to push him. We want to make sure he's fit to play for the remainder of the season."

Mahinmi is set to become the Wizards primary backup center behind starter Marcin Gortat. At the moment, Brooks has Andrew Nicholson and Jason Smith alternating as Gortat's backups.

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