The Washington Wizards will open their 2011-12 season against the New Jersey Nets on Monday night, but they will likely do so without one of their shiny new toys. Jan Vesely, the No. 6 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, will not play in the game due to a hip injury, coach Flip Saunders said before the game, via Craig Stouffer of the Washington Examiner.
Vesely suffered the hip injury some time between the Wizards' first and second preseason games. He played in the Wizards' game on December 16, but sat out the team's open scrimmage the next day and also missed Washington's preseason game in Philadelphia on December 20.
The Wizards are deep at small forward, Vesely's primary position. Rashard Lewis will start, while fellow rookie Chris Singleton and veteran Maurice Evans will likely see some time.
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