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Wizards' Justin Champagnie Undergoes Surgery, Sidelined Long-Term
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- Wizards' Justin Champagnie Undergoes Surgery, Sidelined Long-Term
(Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images)
The Washington Wizards will now have a big absence in the rotation to replace in the months ahead.
Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that forward Justin Champagnie has underwent surgery for a fractured bone in his right foot. The hope is that Champagnie is able to return by the All Star break, marking a significant injury in the rotation.
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Champagnie exited Monday's loss against the Charlotte Hornets in the closing minutes of the first quarter, being helped off the floor by his teammates, before being among the Wizards ruled out vs. Cleveland on Wednesday night on the team's initial injury report.
The team announced that Champagnie underwent successful surgery on Wednesday, performed by Dr. Martin J. O'Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
Described by head coach Brian Keefe as a winning player in multiple media appearances through preseason, Champagnie led the team in rebounding prior to his appearance in Monday's loss, totaling just two points and two rebounds in four minutes. Champagnie was two days removed from posting his first double-double of the season after notching 11 points and 14 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls. He also opened the season with eight points in each of the first two games, along with 14 combined rebounds.
Champagnie is averaging 7.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 60% from the floor in 18.3 minutes through four games. He is also coming off consecutive seasons where Champagnie averaged just shy of nine points and six rebounds per game, proving his impact in the Wizards' rotation.
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Now, head coach Brian Keefe is tasked with replacing his production with Will Riley and Khris Middleton candidates to replace Champagnie's minutes in the meantime.
The news also came shortly after AJ Dybantsa was officially upgraded from questionable to active, paving the way for the top overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to make his regular season debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. How much Dybantsa is able to replace Champagnie's production remains to be seen, though the bigger question for Washington may sit with the frontcourt given the inconsistent rebounding results to start the 2026-27 regular season with the double big identity a work in progress.
The Wizards are set to close out the three game road trip when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night with tipoff set for 7 PM ET.
