Washington Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook is expected to miss at least the next week with a left quadriceps injury, the team announced Monday.

Westbrook will be reevaluated at the end of the week. It is the latest blow in an already disappointing 2-8 start for the Wizards, who entered the season with high hopes after trading John Wall for Westbrook.
The injury was caused by repeated contact to his quadriceps area, according to the team.

"He got hit pretty bad in his quad in training camp," coach Scott Brooks said before the Wizards started Raul Neto at point guard against the Phoenix Suns on Monday. "... It bothered him. He pushed through it with the treatments and padding, but he'd never make an excuse, not even to me. I know he knows he can play better. It was starting to get better, and then he hit it again, set him back a little bit. And then the last time, it was in Philadelphia [on Wednesday], he hit it again."

The Wizards also just lost starting center Thomas Bryant for the season due to a partially torn ACL in his left knee. Bryant suffered the injury against Boston on Saturday.


Westbrook, who also is dealing with a dislocated finger, is averaging 19.3 points, 11.3 assists and 9.7 rebounds in seven games this season.

"If there is a silver lining in all of this -- he dislocated a finger and played on that as well," Brooks said. "He is going to get a week to get that to settle down. Hopefully a week, both are settled down. ... We are going to have to make another adjustment to not having Thomas Bryant for the rest of the year, but we will have Russell back and as good as I know he can play."

Bradley Beal, who is averaging 35 points per game this season, will carry the load in Westbrook's absence. The shooting guard played in Monday's game against the Phoenix Suns after being placed in health and safety protocols last week due to his exposure to Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.

"They said Brad can play tonight. That is great news for us," Brooks said ahead of the game. "... I don't know what all goes into the decisions on the safety and protocols. But I do know this and I am a thousand percent confident in this: the NBA is going to do what is right for the players. And if the players need to sit out, we have to sit them out. If they can play, they can play. They are not going to put any of us in harm's way."