What happened: Washington cleared rookie forward AJ Dybantsa from a left ankle sprain on Wednesday after initially listing him as questionable on the pregame injury report. The BYU product injured his ankle on Oct. 17 in New Orleans and sat out the opening week of the 2026-27 regular season. Fellow Wizards forwards Justin Champagnie (right foot injury), Tristan Vukcevic (left hip impingement), and Jamir Watkins (left ACL surgery) remain out.

Why it matters: Dybantsa's activation gives a shorthanded Washington rotation its top draft investment after the franchise selected him first overall in June. His arrival against an Eastern Conference contender in Cleveland provides the first regular-season look at how the rookie forward fits into the lineup.

What to watch: Monitor whether Dybantsa enters the starting five or operates under a minutes restriction in Wednesday night's road test in Cleveland.