Wizards' Thomas Bryant set to return for first time in a year on Wednesday

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has revealed that center Thomas Bryant appears likely to suit up for Washington on Wednesday against the Magic, tweets Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. This will be the first game back on the hardwood for Bryant in just over a year. The 6-10 big man tore the ACL in his left knee in a game against the Heat on Jan. 9, 2021.

Unseld previously indicated that Bryant, still just 24, had cleared the league’s COVID-19 protocols and would take a bench role during his initial games back with the Wizards.

Before the injury, Bryant averaged 14.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.5 APG and 0.8 BPG in 10 games with the Wizards during the 2020-21 season, all starts. Bryant is in the final season of a three-year, $25 million contract extension he signed with the Wizards in the 2019 offseason.

At 20-20, the Wizards currently occupy the No. 9 seed in the crowded Eastern Conference. A return for Bryant should help shore up their interior defense. For now, Bryant will play behind springy young starting center Daniel Gafford.