Of the 22 NBA teams that are expected to continue the 2019-20 NBA season at Disney World in Florida in late July, six were not playoff teams when the league went on hiatus in mid-March. The only team that’s a member of the Eastern Conference among the six is the Washington Wizards.
Under the NBA’s plan for the resumption of the 2019-20 season, the ninth-ranked team in either conference could force a play-in round if they’re within four games of their respective eighth seed in the standings. Prior to the league’s stoppage, the Brooklyn Nets were the East’s seventh, holding a half-game lead over the No. 8 Orlando Magic and a six-game lead over the Wizards.
While the Wizards had to do a lot right to move up the rankings — and both the Magic and Nets had to get a lot wrong — Washington still had a good chance to force a play-in game against either Orlando or Brooklyn.
But whatever chance the Wizards had may be out the window after Monday’s development.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps are reporting Washington’s Davis Bertans will not participate in the NBA’s restart.
Reporting with @TimBontemps: Washington Wizards F Davis Bertans has decided to sit out the Orlando restart, sources tell ESPN. Bertans is entering free agency off of his most productive NBA season – with two ACL injuries in his past.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2020
The Latvian Laser averaged 15.4 points per game for the Wizards this year, nearly doubling his previous career-high. Bertans also shot 42.4% from long-range taking 8.7 3-pointers per game — again, nearly doubling his career-high (in threes attempted per game).
Bertans was Washington’s second-highest scorer before the hiatus, trailing only Bradley Beal, and he was the team’s best option from behind the arc.
Without him, both the Magic and the Nets should easily coast to the postseason without having to participate in a play-in game.