With the trade deadline behind us, the next benchmark of the NBA season is All-Star Weekend. Due to that event, Week 16 in Yahoo leagues encompasses two weeks, beginning with Monday’s 10-game slate. Fantasy managers must navigate some availability issues, starting with the health of the two stars involved in the three-team deal between the Mavericks, Lakers, and Jazz.
PF/C Anthony Davis and SF/PF PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks
Davis put on a show in his Mavericks debut on Saturday, but a groin injury suffered during the third quarter put a damper on the win over Houston. Unfortunately, the issue is more serious than AD believed it to be, as he’s been diagnosed with an adductor strain that’s expected to keep him out for a few weeks. Starting center Daniel Gafford’s fantasy value will increase with Dereck Lively II (ankle) also out. What will help Dallas is for PJ Washington not to miss any time after spraining his right ankle during Saturday’s victory.
He’s considered questionable for Monday’s game against Sacramento, but the concern is the Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back before the All-Star break. As for who managers should look for on the waiver wire, Naji Marshall (10% rostered, Yahoo) and Max Christie (26%) are at the top of the list. Both have been top 100 fantasy players since the blockbuster trade was completed, and it’s clear Christie has added value in Dallas despite coming off the bench.
PG/SG Luka Doncic and SF/PF LeBron James , Los Angeles Lakers
Doncic did not make his Lakers debut on Saturday against the Pacers, and James also missed the game due to his left foot. However, both could be on the court for Monday’s game against the Jazz, giving fans a first look at this partnership in a competitive setting. There isn’t a streamer to target when Luka or LeBron isn’t active, but Austin Reaves’ usage is always worth watching. He was outstanding against Indiana, scoring a career-high 45 points with seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and four 3-pointers. How will he be utilized in an offense with two elite playmakers on the court?
The other question that will impact fantasy basketball is: who’s the fifth starter? Rui Hachimura (54%) has been a fixture in the starting lineup this season, but that was with LeBron and Anthony Davis. With AD being switched out for Doncic, Hachimura may not be the best fit. Dorian Finney-Smith (10%), a very good 3-and-D wing, could be the superior option in JJ Redick’s eyes, but we won’t know until LeBron and Luka are available. If Hachimura does move to the bench, fantasy managers should exercise some patience. Sharing the court with one of those stars instead of two could preserve some of his offensive value, even if the playing time takes a hit.
SF/PF Jayson Tatum and SG/SF Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Tatum torched the Knicks on Saturday night, but he and Brown find themselves on the injury report for Monday’s game against the Heat due to right knee issues (patella tendinopathy for Tatum and swelling for Brown). Add in Jrue Holiday (shoulder) missing a third straight game, and the champs could be without three starters. Kristaps Porzingis (illness) is off the injury report after being a late scratch on Saturday, and his return will certainly help.
As for who will have added fantasy value on nights when Boston is at less than full strength, Payton Pritchard (47%) is at the top of the list, even if he doesn’t start in those situations. Al Horford (25%) is the “sixth starter,” he’ll be in the lineup whenever one of the first five is out, and Sam Hauser (2%) has also made a few spot starts. However, his production has not been good enough to justify the risk on most nights. Last but not least, Luke Kornet (2%) was excellent on Saturday as Porzingis’ replacement in the starting lineup. With KP returning, he’ll take a hit, but Kornet’s is worth streaming when allowed to start.
SF/PF Kevin Durant, PG/SG/SF Bradley Beal, and SG/SF Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns
Durant missed Phoenix’s last three games with a sprained left ankle, while Beal missed two with a sore left big toe. Add in Allen, who sat out Saturday’s loss to Denver with a sore left knee, and the Suns ended Week 15 down three rotation players. Royce O’Neale (13%) and Ryan Dunn (2%) started on Saturday, with the former offering a higher fantasy upside due to his superior shooting ability. However, another potential streamer emerged against the Nuggets. Bol Bol (2%) played 33 minutes off the bench and finished 19 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, four blocks, and three 3-pointers.
Nights like this have not been the norm for Bol, even when Phoenix has been down rotation players. However, he’s been solid the last two games, with Suns coach Mike Budenholzer saying after the second that they needed to attempt to find minutes for Bol once the team is whole. The Suns play twice before the break, and Tuesday’s game against Memphis is part of a four-game slate. Even if Durant, Beal, and Allen are back, there’s the possibility that Phoenix would avoid playing them in both games of a back-to-back, especially with the All-Star break on the horizon.
"Bol has certainly been impressive and has earned it. We have to seriously consider how we can keep him in the games and see how he can impact the games even when we're whole."
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 9, 2025
Mike Budenholzer when asked about Bol Bol minutes moving forward when Suns become whole.
2nd straight… pic.twitter.com/l549B2ZMvG
SG/SF Anthony Edwards and PG Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves
Edwards (hip) and Conley (finger) sat out Saturday’s win over Portland, and both are questionable for Saturday’s matchup with the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6%) and Rob Dillingham (2%) were their replacements in the starting lineup, with the former recording a line of 21 points, five rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, and four 3-pointers in 38 minutes. Dillingham played 24 minutes, accounting for eight points, six assists, and one steal.
Those absences also meant more playing time for rookie Jaylen Clark (< 1%), who contributed 11 points, three rebounds, three steals, and one 3-pointer in 32 minutes. With Donte DiVincenzo still out, Alexander-Walker is the player to target when Edwards or Conley cannot play due to injury. However, Dillingham and Clark should not be overlooked in deep leagues, especially with Minnesota ending its pre-break schedule with a Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back.
C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Since being cleared to return,
Embiid (knee) has played in three of Philadelphia’s four games, logging at least 30 minutes in each. However, a report from ESPN’s Lisa Salters during Sunday’s loss to the Bucks concerned 76ers fans and fantasy managers alike.
Joel Embiid believes he will need another knee surgery this offseason.
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 9, 2025
(via @saltersl) pic.twitter.com/8V4rj9QagU
Embiid is managing to play through the issue, and getting a few days off during the break should help some. However, hearing that he may need another knee surgery at some point is a concern, especially with the 76ers continuing to lag behind Chicago in the race for the final play-in spot in the East. Due to a toe issue, Andre Drummond (9%) has only appeared in three of Philadelphia’s last 14 games, most recently sitting out the loss in Milwaukee.
That leaves Guerschon Yabusele (34%) as the only big worth streaming. And Nick Nurse’s decision to leave him in the starting lineup means Yabusele has value when Embiid is active, even if his usage takes a hit. Quentin Grimes (9%) has averaged nearly 30 minutes per game in his two appearances since being traded to Philadelphia, and he’s worth a look in deep leagues due to the 76ers’ need for wing production from someone besides Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.
C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors
Poeltl missed the Raptors’ last three games with a hip pointer, and the trade of Kelly Olynyk led to rookie Jonathan Mogbo (5%) starting the last two. A double-digit scorer in all three games Poeltl has missed, the 6-foot-9 Mogbo tallied 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and four blocked shots in Sunday’s loss to Houston.
The Raptors have a special player on their hands with Jonathan Mogbo.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) February 10, 2025
Incredible hands + versatility on defense and the offense is coming along. https://t.co/SY6bhwyOTP pic.twitter.com/9ahN2ZNfh2
He was 0-of-6 from three, but the blocked shot tally stands out. He’s blocked 21 shots in 40 appearances this season, tallying three or more on three occasions. The Raptors play games on Tuesday and Wednesday before the break, so there may be at least one more start in the cards for the second-round pick out of San Francisco.
C Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets
Williams was supposed to be a Lakers, but he failed his physical. Since the trade deadline had already passed, the Lakers rescinded the deal. Williams returns to Charlotte, while Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and two draft picks head back to Los Angeles. With it being reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania that Williams’ back was not the reason for the failed physical, the questions now are what could it have been and whether this is something the Hornets may look to address now instead of waiting until the offseason?
Moussa Diabate (28%), rewarded with a standard contract on Sunday, has been a solid streamer, mainly after Charlotte traded Nick Richards to Phoenix. However, he suffered a right eye injury during Sunday’s loss to Detroit. Could this mean a return to fantasy “prominence” for Jusuf Nurkic (72%)? An afterthought in Phoenix before being traded at the deadline, he was not active for Sunday’s game but did sit on the bench. Rookie Tidjane Salaun (1%) started the third quarter, but he hasn’t reached the point where fantasy managers should consider streaming him...yet. That may change after the All-Star break, especially with the Hornets six games behind Chicago in the loss column.
Also, the Hornets did not have LaMelo Ball (ankle), Nick Smith Jr. (back), or Josh Green (calf) for Sunday’s game. KJ Simpson (2%), Seth Curry (1%), and DaQuan Jeffries (1%) were the starters, with Curry scoring a season-high 26 points. Charlotte plays games on Monday and Wednesday before the break, and the three starters may be available for the game against Brooklyn. However, with Vasilije Micic now in Phoenix, Simpson could be a valuable player to have rostered after the break, especially if Charlotte shuts down Ball.
SF/PF Tari Eason and C Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Already without Fred VanVleet (ankle), the Rockets played Sunday’s win over Toronto without Eason for lower left leg injury management reasons. And things would get worse, as Sengun exited after suffering back spasms during the first quarter. In Eason’s case, the absence was expected because Sunday’s game was the second in as many days for Houston. He hasn’t reached the point where he can play both ends of back-to-backs, so Week 16 could be a two-game week for him as the Rockets have two (Tuesday/Wednesday before the break and Friday/Saturday after).
Cam Whitmore (7%) has played more recently, but the poor field goal percentage and lack of assists make him a difficult player to rely on as a streamer in category leagues. As for Sengun, his early exit led to Jock Landale (< 1%) starting the second half of Sunday’s game, and he finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, one steal, and one blocked shot in 24 minutes. Also seeing more time was Jeff Green (< 1%), who tallied 14 points, five rebounds, and one assist in 20 minutes. If Sengun misses time, that would boost Whitmore’s appeal, even if he doesn’t play the same position.
SF/PF Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
Porter was held out of Saturday’s win over the Suns due to tightness in his left hamstring. As a result, Julian Strawther (2%) entered the starting lineup, and he finished with 18 points, six rebounds, one steal, and four 3-pointers in 39 minutes. Denver’s bench takes a hit with Strawther in the starting lineup, but he’s worth a roll of the dice if Porter remains sidelined. While the Nuggets won’t have a back-to-back before the break, as they’re in action on Monday and Wednesday, hamstring issues can be problematic if a player returns too soon. Keep an eye on the injury report before Monday’s matchup with Portland, and add Strawther if Porter cannot play.
PF/C Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Antetokounmpo has missed Milwaukee’s last four games with a strained right calf and will miss time after the All-Star break. While Bobby Portis (82%) was his replacement in the starting lineup in two of those four contests, Kyle Kuzma (81%) received the nod on Sunday. In 36 minutes, he accounted for 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block, and one 3-pointer. While he was only 5-of-13 from the field (1-of-6 3-pointers), Kuzma did a little of everything against Philadelphia. That was good, considering his struggles in Washington for most of this season.
Portis contributed 18 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and two 3-pointers in 30 minutes off the bench, so he still has value whether or not he starts. As for a low-rostered player to consider, Gary Trent Jr. (19%) is the only one who should be on anyone’s radar. Yes, he shot 7-of-20 from the field against the 76ers (21 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and seven 3-pointers), but he still got up 20 shots. With Giannis out, there will be more opportunities for Trent to fire away, and he certainly isn’t bashful.
