<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas was held out at the start of training camp Tuesday after a cardiac test showed an irregularity during a routine medical exam. It's not known how long he will be sidelined.</p> "He's not cleared to play," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. "We talked last night. He's disappointed, obviously. He's concerned. We're all concerned."</p> Thomas will have more tests before his status is determined, and Jordan's guess was that nothing will be resolved before training camp closes Saturday.</p> "This came to us unexpected," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. "We want to be cautious and make sure that we do whatever is in Etan's interest, long term."</p> Before word of Thomas' condition emerged, Jordan had said the player would compete during the preseason with Brendan Haywood for a spot in the starting lineup. They both spent time as the starting center in 2006-07, when Thomas averaged 6.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in his sixth NBA season, all with the Wizards.</p> Thomas and Haywood also scuffled with each other a few times last season. At the team's media day Monday, Haywood spoke about moving past that, saying the fighting "makes us both look like idiots."</p> Thomas wasn't at the media day for what the team called personal reasons. And instead of accompanying his teammates to Virginia Commonwealth University's basketball arena for the beginning of camp, Thomas stayed back home in Washington.</p> "It's a tough thing, because you hate to see somebody of that young age with a heart problem. It seems unreal. We wish him the best," Haywood said after the first of two practice sessions Tuesday.</p> "We heard about the news this morning," team captain Antawn Jamison said. "It's tough. To not know if you're going to play the game of basketball again is always a difficult thing."</div></p> Source: Yahoo Sports</p> </p>
Ah jeez, I just got back home and heard this news. Hopefully he'll get back as soon as possible, but I'm not sure how these procedures can go. But for Brendan Haywood, he needs to step up now that everyone is expecting him to start all 82 games this season. As for the young big men like Pecherov and Blatche, they'll have to work harder in practice not knowing how severe this may be for Etan.</p>
Wow, despite believing that Brendan was the better basketball player it was always nice to see competition for the starting job. Now it's up to Pecherov and Haywood to carry the load, wether they can do that, I really don't know. I think it's time for Brendan to step up, it's now or never. Best of luck to Etan Thomas.</p>
