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Washington Wizards: Injury report ahead of our matchup against the Raptors. AJ Dybantsa (left ankle sprain) - Out Felix Okpara (illness) - Questionable Tristan Vukčević (left hip impingement) - Out Jamir Watkins (left ACL repair/surgery) - Out #ForTheDistrict | @ChasenBoscolo
Wizards PR: The Washington Wizards announced today that forward/center Tristan Vukčević has sustained a left hip impingement. Vukčević will remain a partial participant in training camp as he continues his rehabilitation work. He will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.
Montrezl Harrell: I don’t know what the hell Washington is doing, to be honest with you. It doesn’t make sense. They got the young kid AJ Dybantsa, but he’s at the three. You bring over Deandre Ayton, but you already drafted the young kid Alex Sarr. Then you have Anthony Davis, but you have another center on the bench in Tristan Vukčević. Now you have four centers because you also have Jonas Valančiūnas. Your only backup to Anthony Davis right now is Anthony Gill, and then you have Trae Young with no legitimate two-guard playing. It looks like a disaster. Their starting five is Trae Young, Khris Middleton, AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis and Deandre Ayton. But when you look at that bench, you can beat them with that every night. It’s going to be something where the coach is going to have to coach that team. There is a lot of uncertainty down there. I don’t see them being in any serious conversation in the East. Maybe they can get into a play-in situation, but I don’t see them being a crazy East contender. I just don’t know what their team identity is.
Josh Robbins: Alex Sarr, Tristan Vukcevic, Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly are sitting courtside across from the Wizards' bench. There might be more Wizards players here, but those are the four I see.
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The Wizards have downgraded Justin Champagnie (right knee contusion), Bilal Coulibaly (right retrocalcaneal bursitis) and Tre Johnson (right foot sprain) to questionable for Sunday’s game against Brooklyn. Tristan Vukcevic (right knee contusion) is also questionable.
Josh Robbins: The playing statuses of Alex Sarr and Tristan Vukčević have been downgraded to OUT for this afternoon's game in Miami. But Justin Champagnie, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson have been upgraded to AVAILABLE. Today's game is the first game of a back-to-back for the Wizards.
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The new deal means everything to Vukčević. From his perspective, it confirms the talent he recognized in himself. He said he spent approximately $1 million to buy himself out of his European contract early, and that was something of a risky decision, given that the Wizards had selected him in the middle of the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. “I paid a lot of money to come here,” he said. “… I bet on myself, and I knew my capabilities. I knew that it was going to turn out (well), and I think the investment turned out pretty good.” Asked what’s next, he had a quick response. “Fight for that second contract, of course,” he answered. “I’m obviously happy for my deal, but it doesn’t stop here. I’m still (only 23), I have a whole career in front of me. I think the contract is more motivation for me to work harder this summer and just get better. I don’t think I’m perfect. Everybody says I’m a shooter, but I have a lot of work there. This year, I haven’t shot the ball the way I’m supposed to.”
Josh Robbins: The Wizards' decision to sign Tristan Vukcevic to a three-year deal creates big-man depth behind Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis for 2026-27. But even with the Vukcevic move, the Wizards could add another big during the offseason to serve as the primary big-man backup.
