Why Justin Champagnie Is Earning Permanent Role in Wizards Rotation

Through the first two games of the regular season, one player has emerged as one of the Wizards' most impressive contributors: Justin Champagnie. All throughout the offseason there were many Wizards fans wondering whether Justin Champagnie would get the opportunity to crack the rotation early on in the season.

As noted in the first two games, Champagnie has been the first player to come off the bench alongside Tre Johnson. Champagnie might not be the flashiest player on the roster, but his impact has been undeniable. Through two games, he's provided outstanding rebounding, efficient scoring, defensive versatility, and the type of physicality this Wizards team sorely needs. 

To no surprise, the most impressive contribution of Champagnie's early season performance has been his rebounding. Through 43 minutes of playing time, Champagnie has collected 14 rebounds, averaging five per game and roughly 11.7 rebounds per 36 minutes. For a Wizards team that struggled tremendously on the glass last season, those numbers are highly impactful. The Wizards finished near the bottom of the NBA in defensive rebounding last season, frequently allowing opponents to generate second chance opportunities. Champagnie, along with Deandre Ayton, directly addresses that weakness. What makes his rebounding impressive isn't just about the numbers. It's his willingness to fight for positioning, box out bigger opponents, and pursue loose balls, which is something that the Wizards sorely lack in their roster. 

Champagnie has also been remarkably efficient offensively, converting seven of his first 11 field goal attempts, good for an astounding 63.6% shooting percentage. Perhaps even more impressive, he hasn't committed a single turnover through two games, which is notable considering the Wizards turnover struggles against the Raptors. That's exactly what you want from a complementary offensive player. Champagnie doesn't require a high usage rate, and he isn't someone who constantly demands the basketball. He is a classic low maintenance offensive player which is highly desirable on a team that consists of two heliocentric players in Trae Young and AJ Dybantsa. He makes timely cuts, moves without the ball, and doesn't force unnecessary shots. 

Also, Champagnie helps finish defensive possessions which is something that was haunting the Wizards against the Raptors as the Wizards gave up 19 offensive boards to them. Although two games represent an extremely small sample size for evaluating lineup statistics, Champagnie's early performances affirm why many Wizards fans were clamoring for him to get consistent playing time once the regular season started. 

On the flip end, Champagnie provides defensive versatility to a team that sorely needs it. At 6-foot-6, Champagnie possesses the physicality and mobility to defend multiple positions, particularly opposing wings and forwards. He's willing to absorb contact, fight through screens, and constantly compete against bigger opponents. That flexibility gives the Wizards more options when experimenting with different lineup combinations. He's not necessarily going to dominate the defensive highlights with his defensive playmaking like Bilal Coulibaly, but his willingness to do the difficult work makes him valuable.

With AJ Dybantsa eventually returning to the lineup, the Wizards will face difficult decisions regarding their wing rotation. However, Champagnie has already demonstrated why he deserves to remain a consistent part of that rotation. His lethal combination of rebounding, defensive versatility, efficient scoring, and relentless hustle provides something that isn't easily replaceable. But in the grand scheme of things, his style of play doesn't interfere with the development of the Wizards' younger, higher usage players. If anything, it complements them.