AJ Dybantsa needed three starts to go from 26 minutes and change to a career-high 33. Now the Washington Wizards are taking the cap off altogether.
Head coach Brian Keefe said Dybantsa is no longer on a minutes restriction ahead of Wednesday’s home game against the Atlanta Hawks, according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins. The decision comes two days after the Wizards raised Dybantsa’s limit against the Orlando Magic and watched the No. 1 pick score a career-high 21 points.
The Atlanta game will be Dybantsa’s fourth regular-season appearance. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena, where Washington will try to win its third straight game. See the Wizards’ schedule.
Is AJ Dybantsa on a Minutes Restriction?
No. Dybantsa is expected to play against the Hawks on Wednesday, Nov. 4, without the minutes restriction that shaped his first three starts, per Robbins’ report on Keefe’s pregame comments.
Dybantsa sprained his left ankle in Washington’s Oct. 16 preseason finale against the New Orleans Pelicans and missed the first four games of the regular season. He made his NBA debut on a minutes restriction in Cleveland on Oct. 28. The Wizards kept a limit in place for his home debut against Charlotte and loosened it Monday in Orlando.
The difference for Keefe is what he can do late in a close game. If Dybantsa has already played 30 minutes by crunch time, the coach has the flexibility to leave him on the floor or bring him back for the final stretch. Matchups, foul trouble and the score will still shape the rotation.
AJ Dybantsa’s Stats and Minutes Through Three Wizards Starts
Dybantsa entered Wednesday averaging 19.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.0 minutes per game. He shot 50.0% from the field, 27.3% from 3-point range and 93.3% from the free-throw line.
- Oct. 28 at Cleveland: 26:57, 19 points, two rebounds and two assists in a 121-111 loss. NBA box score
- Oct. 30 vs. Charlotte: 29:35, 17 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one steal in a 95-79 win. NBA box score
- Nov. 2 at Orlando: 33:24, 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals in a 103-94 win. NBA box score
His workload grew by 6 minutes and 27 seconds from his debut to the Orlando game. The scoring held up throughout. Dybantsa went 8-for-12 from the field in Cleveland, then made six free throws in each of the next two games. He scored 57 points on 40 field-goal attempts across the three starts, with 14 of those points coming at the line.
Orlando also offered a glimpse of what the extra minutes can give Washington on defense. Dybantsa recorded three steals after totaling one in his first two games. With the cap gone, the next rotation to watch is the fourth quarter. If Atlanta keeps it close, Keefe can use his rookie for the full closing stretch
Washington Wizards Make New AJ Dybantsa Decision Before Hawks Game