Damion

Baugh

Baugh has played sparingly as of late, and fantasy managers shouldn’t expect him to be an impact player given that he’s only appeared in one of Charlotte’s previous 10 games.

Earlier Friday, it was announced that LaMelo Ball (wrist, ankle) is out for the rest of the season. Simpson will replace him in the starting lineup, and the two-way rookie is eligible for every game the rest of the way. He’ll likely retain the role for the foreseeable future, with Damion Baugh potentially getting a few opportunities when he’s active. Baugh is inactive for Friday’s game.

Charania says the procedures will be minor, but Ball will not play again this season. With the Hornets eliminated from postseason contention and LaMelo having played through those issues, it’s unsurprising that he’ll be shut down. Damion Baugh and KJ Simpson will play more down the stretch, with Baugh offering greater potential for managers needing scoring at the point guard position.

Both players missed Tuesday’s game against Atlanta but were initially listed as probable against New York. They have now officially been cleared to return to the lineup, which means that Damion Baugh and Seth Curry should return to reserve roles.

Baugh was recalled from the G League to start for LaMelo Ball, who sat out Tuesday’s game with a right wrist injury. Baugh’s rebound and assist production was solid, and he’ll be worth streaming whenever Ball misses games. Given how long LaMelo has been dealing with the wrist injury, it would be unsurprising if the Hornets eventually shut him down. Charlotte hosts New York on Thursday, the first of three games it will play to close out Week 20.

The Hornets are without LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges for Tuesday’s game, meaning there will be a lot of minutes and shots available. Baugh and Curry move into the starting lineup, and they’re worth streaming in deep leagues due to the Hornets’ availability issues.

Williams and Ball are off the injury report after sitting out Saturday’s win over the Nets. Their returns mean Damion Baugh and Moussa Diabate will head to the bench. Baugh and Diabate should remain in the rotation, but their fantasy ceilings are limited when used in a reserve role.

Charlotte will shuffle its starting lineup yet again, with Baugh drawing his first career start and Diabate filling in at center while Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic are sidelined. Miles Bridges is the only remaining player in this rotation who opened the season as a starter, so expect him to see monster usage. Bridges scored a career-high 46 points in Friday’s loss to Cleveland.

Green, a late addition to the Hornets’ injury report, will not play against the Timberwolves. His absence frees up a place in the starting lineup and significant playing time. Seth Curry and Damion Baugh are two players who may see more action with Green out. However, neither player is likely to do enough to merit being streamed in this spot.

While Curry was sidelined with a back injury for Saturday’s loss to the Wizards, Moore has missed the Hornets’ last two games with a concussion. Curry’s return would be more impactful in fantasy basketball, as Damion Baugh, who played 20 minutes on Saturday, likely would experience a decrease in playing time.