AJ Dybantsa, the Wizards' top overall pick, left Washington's preseason finale early after rolling his ankle on a bad landing. The team will run additional tests to determine the severity of the injury.
This is exactly what the Wizards didn't need heading into the regular season. Dybantsa arrived as the consensus best prospect in the draft, the kind of foundational piece a rebuilding team banks on playing heavy minutes from day one. An ankle injury now throws that timeline into question. The Wizards have to wait for the evaluation results before knowing if he misses games or just needs a few days of rest.
Preseason injuries are always a roll of the dice. Sometimes they're nothing. Sometimes they linger. The fact that he couldn't finish the game suggests the team is taking it seriously rather than playing it off as routine soreness. Washington can't afford to rush him back if there's real damage, but sitting him out too long derails their early-season plans when Dybantsa's development and acclimation to NBA pace matters most.
The Wizards' front office will get clarity soon. Until then, it's a waiting game nobody wanted.