Bilal

Coulibaly

Dybantsa will miss a second straight game due to a sprained left ankle, but the Wizards play the second leg of a back-to-back set on Saturday against the Bulls, which will give the rookie a quick turnaround to make his regular-season debut. Dybantsa could replace Bilal Coulibaly or Kyshawn George in the starting five when he finally gets back on the court.

While Bilal didn’t score many points, he did have several steals and blocks in this game. He looks more confident in his 3-point shot. He will likely come off the bench when AJ Dybantsa is healthy, but he will still have value as the best point of attack defender on the team.

Bilal Coulibaly will take the starting spot of AJ Dybantsa who rolled his ankle in the final pre-season game against the Pelicans. Bilal is worth a stream spot in redraft leagues if he’s available.

Dybantsa sustained the injury in the preseason finale, and it’s serious enough to keep him out through at least Wednesday. It’s unclear when he’ll be available, but Dybantsa’s next chance to take the court will come Friday against the Raptors. For as long as Dybantsa is out, Bilal Coulibaly and Khris Middleton are likely to see bumps in playing time and usage, with Coulibaly the favorite to fill in with the first unit.

Coulibaly will be one of the first players off the bench for the Wizards once the regular season begins. He wasn’t a reliable fantasy option in his first three seasons, and the reserve role limits his ceiling in 2026-27. However, Coulibaly may benefit from a full season with Trae Young because he can get out in transition and finish. He should be rostered in dynasty leagues, but fantasy managers don’t need to select Coulibaly in most redraft leagues.

Watkins reportedly suffered the injury during the Wizards’ summer league opener against the Jazz, which explains why he didn’t appear again after playing 20 minutes as a starter in that game. Watkins was selected with the 43rd pick in 2025 and was solid as a rookie, especially down the stretch of the season. Now, there is a chance he misses the entirety of his sophomore campaign. It’s unclear if he would’ve had much of a role this upcoming season, but this solidifies that Bilal Coulibaly and Will Riley will see most of the wing minutes off the bench.

Dybantsa entered the 2025-26 season as one of the top prospects in this draft class, and his lone season at BYU did no harm to that status. The 6-foot-9 wing averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 three-pointers last season, earning consensus first-team All-America honors. Dybantsa shot 51.0 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the foul line. An excellent athlete who can score on all three levels and provide some playmaking, Dybantsa needs to become a more consistent three-point shooter. That said, he projects to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come. He’ll join a core in Washington that features young studs Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George, as well as veteran stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Dybantsa should start from day one and be a strong scoring option.

The Wizards will be light on options for Sunday’s season finale, especially on the perimeter. The absence of Coulibaly and Johnson will mean more opportunities for Will Riley and Leaky Black. As for Vukčević, his continued absence does not change much in the frontcourt, with the Wizards continuing to rely on Julian Reese.

Back in the lineup after missing Thursday’s loss to the Bulls, Coulibaly recorded his first stat line this season with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. Given the Wizards’ many young wings and the fact that they’ll likely hold onto their top-8 protected first-round pick, Coulibaly will face significant competition for rotation minutes when training camp opens next fall. Nights like Friday can only strengthen his case for a starting spot.

Coulibaly is back after missing Thursday’s loss to the Bulls and reclaims his place in the starting lineup. Will Riley heads to the bench, but he should still play plenty due to the Wizards still being shorthanded on the wings.