Nic Claxton (hamstring) out at least two weeks

Nic Claxton is out with a hamstring injury, so Smith started at center for the Bulls on Wednesday night. Stix was solid, recording a stat line that lacked only a blocked shot over 20 minutes. Smith failed to crack the top-150 in nine-cat formats last season, but his value would rise if Claxton isn’t a full go when the regular season begins. As a result, Smith is worth a late-round flier in drafts.

Collins has been sidelined since undergoing season-ending toe surgery in February. With Nic Claxton dealing with a hamstring injury, Collins could occupy some of the center minutes to start the season, likely behind Jalen Smith. However, “close” isn’t a clear enough timeline for fantasy managers to take action on a potential backup center.

Less than 24 hours before the start of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Bulls have reportedly addressed their need for a center. Claxton appeared in 69 games for the Nets last season, averaging 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 blocks, shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 61.6 percent from the foul line. Playing alongside an established point guard in Josh Giddey could pay dividends for Claxton, but Giddey has been the subject of trade rumors recently. A solid option for managers willing to punt free-throw percentage, Claxton may be able to raise his fantasy ceiling in the Windy City. As for Brooklyn, they’ve got a hole to address at the center position, with Noah Clowney and Day’Ron Sharpe being potential options to fill the void.

The Nets will finish the season without their starting frontcourt, as Clowney and Claxton remain out. E.J. Liddell and Trevon Scott started Friday’s loss to the Bucks and should do the same on Sunday, with the latter logging 41 minutes.

The Nets will be without most of their usual starters and key reserves. so Brooklyn will have to go deep down the bench to find available options at power forward and center. E.J. Liddell and Chaney Johnson could be the next men up in the rotation.

Thursday will mark the third consecutive missed game for Claxton, who did not play in either of Brooklyn’s recent wins over Milwaukee and Washington. In his absence, rookie Trevon Scott could potentially make his second career start as the regular season nears its conclusion.

Claxton will miss a second straight game, which should allow Chaney Johnson to start at center once again. Johnson only played 21 minutes on Sunday, which is too limited of a role for him to be worth streaming.

Claxton is dealing with a sore right hand and will not play on Sunday. His absence frees up minutes for Josh Minott and Chaney Johnson, but both are risky plays due to the unpredictable nature of head coach Jordi Fernandez’s rotations.

Claxton played 25 minutes in Friday’s defeat, which is better for fantasy managers than not having him at all. The limitations placed on veteran players by some lottery-bound teams in the latter stages of the season are a good argument for ending fantasy seasons earlier than Week 23. Claxton has not exceeded 25 minutes since March 7, and he probably won’t on Sunday against the Wizards, either.

To no one’s surprise, Claxton and Clowney have been upgraded to available after getting a probable designation on Thursday. Expect the pair to handle their normal workloads against Atlanta.