Washington Wizards vs Chicago Bulls: preview and player stats

The Wizards announced Thursday that Watkins has undergone surgery for a torn ACL. Watkins, a two-way player for the Wizards, suffered the injury during the Summer League. Although Washington has yet to offer a timetable for a return, a typical recovery time for the procedure is approximately 9-to-12 months. That leaves Watkins in serious jeopardy of missing most, if not all, of the 2026-27 season, and it remains to be seen if the team will continue keeping him around on a two-way roster spot while he's injured.

Champagnie (foot) is expected to miss several months, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The forward underwent surgery Wednesday to address a fractured foot, and the Wizards hope Champagnie will be ready to return at some time around the All-Star break in February. The likes of Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington will all be asked to help pick up the slack for the foreseeable future.

Vukcevic (hip) has been ruled out for Monday's game against Detroit. Vukcevic has yet to make his season debut due to a left hip impingement. The big man can be viewed as week-to-week until the Wizards provide an update on his progress.

The Wizards announced Monday that Beekman sustained a right acromioclavicular joint injury and will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks. Beekman is set for an extended absence, with his re-evaluation timeline suggesting he could remain sidelined beyond the initial three-week window. The injury further limits Washington's backcourt depth, though Beekman's absence is unlikely to have a significant impact on standard fantasy leagues.

Powell (shoulder) won't play in Wednesday's game against the Spurs,Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic reports. Powell will miss his second consecutive contest due to a shoulder injury. Head coach Tiago Spltter stated that the 33-year-old veteran is "probably at 70 percent," so there's a chance he won't play Friday against Atlanta. In the meantime, Isaac Okoro is expected to stay in the starting lineup, with significant usage bumps going to Josh Giddey and Caleb Wilson (hip), assuming the latter is cleared to play.

Wilson won't return to Wednesday's game against the Spurs due to a right hand injury. He'll finish with 15 points (5-7 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds and one steal in 15 minutes. Wilson turned in an efficient performance en route to 15 points before exiting Wednesday's contest early in the third quarter. The rookie forward's status will be worth monitoring ahead of Friday's game against Atlanta. If he's forced to miss time, Leonard Miller, Patrick Williams and Noa Essengue would be candidates for increased minutes.

Awaka (back) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Spurs. Awaka will be held out of Wednesday's contest due to lower-back tightness. However, his absence shouldn't cause any significant waves in the rotation.

Swain (back) is out for Wednesday's game against the Spurs. Swain will spend another game on the inactive list, and his next chance to play will come Friday against the Hawks. Swain is not a regular part of the Bulls' rotation.