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Justin Champagnie's Status in Question after Exiting Wizards Loss
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- Justin Champagnie's Status in Question after Exiting Wizards Loss
(Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images)
The Washington Wizards were humbled on Monday night after falling by seven against the Charlotte Hornets, making a deflating result in a game where Charlotte was short-handed despite Washington getting dominated on the boards. Part of that had to do with injuries as the Wizards saw Justin Champagnie depart the game with a right foot injury in the closing minutes of the first quarter, suiting up for just four minutes before being helped off the floor.
Head coach Brian Keefe declined to reveal whether Champagnie underwent X-rays in Charlotte before revealing the team is still evaluating his status.
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It marks a deflating blow for Champagnie, who has cemented himself as an impact piece along an upgraded Wizards' roster with all eyes on if he's sidelined and for how long. Ahead of Monday night, Champagnie averaged a team-high 9.3 rebounds in addition to nine points across 23 minutes per game. Champagnie also has yet to record a turnover this season, evidence of why he's proven himself as a winning player for head coach Brian Keefe. With second-year wing Will Riley and veteran Khris Middleton now likely tasked with stepping into an expanded role with Champagnie potentially, his absence marked notable after the Wizards were outrebounded by ten once he exited the game in the first quarter.
It also marked one of two notable injuries in the loss, though the second may not prove to amount to anything after veteran forward Anthony Davis appeared to hurt his right hand in the closing minutes of the game. Keefe noted that he believed that Davis was hit on the hand with no update immediately postgame on his status, though Davis pushed back on that after joking postgame that he was "hitting too many shots" and was simply shaking his hand because "it was kind of hot."
Davis recorded 29 points and ten rebounds in the loss, marking a team-high in both categories, en route to his second double-double of the 2026-27 regular season. The good news is that Davis' minor injury marked the opposite hand that he worked to get back to full strength last season as the veteran previously battled a left hand ligament injury.
The Wizards will look to rebound when they close out the three-game road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, Oct. 28 before hosting the Hornets for a rematch on Friday night. Tipoff for both games is set for 7 PM.
