Washington Wizards vs Boston Celtics: preview and player stats (Dec 16, 2026)

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.

Carrington (chest) has been ruled out for the remainder of Thursday's game against the Pistons. Carrington played 16 minutes before exiting the contest due to a chest contusion. He had two points (1-6 FG, 0-3 3Pt) and two assists before being ruled out. Washington will provide an injury update when available.

George (illness) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against Toronto, Taylor Snow of the Celtics' official site reports. George will sit out the second leg of this back-to-back set due to an illness, and his next opportunity to play will come Sunday against the Mavericks. With the veteran forward sidelined, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser and Hugo Gonzalez are all candidates to see increased playing time.