Concussion sidelines Scott; Lawson added
Forward stays in Orlando after suffering blow; team’s point guard options grow
On Thursday while one player remained in Orlando, the Washington Wizards added another guard to its playoff roster.
Forward Mike Scott, who plays as a key member on the team’s second unit, has entered the NBA concussion program after sustaining a blow to the head in the Wednesday night regular-season finale against the Orlando Magic and did not travel back to Washington with the rest of the team, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
In another development, the Wizards announced the signing of free agent Ty Lawson, a point guard who had previously attracted the team’s attention as he played in the Chinese Basketball Association this season. Lawson, 30, will be eligible for Washington’s playoff run that begins Saturday in Toronto against the top-seeded Raptors.
“Ty’s experience and ability will give us extra depth in the backcourt during the playoffs,” Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement. “He’s a veteran player who can score and distribute while bringing additional postseason experience.”
Over his NBA career, Lawson has averaged 12.7 points, 6.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds but his numbers improved across the board in China where he scored 55 points during a game in February. He last played in the NBA in last season for the Sacramento Kings, averaging 9.9 points and 4.8 per game.
The presence of Lawson, the sub-6-foot veteran who has played eight seasons in the NBA, overstocks the Wizards’ pantry of smallish point guards and he may not see much court time in the playoffs behind John Wall and Tomas Satoransky. However, the injury to Scott, the 6-foot-7 backup who can play three different positions, could affect the team’s frontcourt depth.
Late in the game Wednesday — in which starting small forward Otto Porter Jr. sat out with a strained calf — Scott closed his eyes while shakily walking off the court. When he made it to the bench, Scott needed assistance from team staffers to keep his balance before being ushered to the Amway Center visitor’s locker room. Scott underwent an evaluation and following the conclusion of the game, he sat in the locker room with his head low while most of his teammates had already dressed and headed to the charter bus.
According to league concussion policy, any player who undergoes a concussion evaluation “must be reviewed by a physician within 24 hours of the injury.” Since Scott has entered the concussion program, he must clear several steps before returning to game action, which includes riding “a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contract drills,” according to the NBA. Scott must be symptom free before advancing to the next step.
Although the team will practice today, there is no timeline for when Scott will begin his steps.
This season, Scott averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.5 minutes off the bench.