Cooper Flagg heading to the locker room early

The big man is dealing with lower back soreness, and with Steven Adams also out, Clint Capela could draw the start at center, with Jabari Smith Jr. playing the five in small ball lineups.

Hachimura is considered day-to-day, so it’s unclear how long he’ll be out. Sanders makes an interesting streaming option for Wednesday’s cross-town showdown with the other Los Angeles team.

With Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) out for 6-8 weeks, Utah’s frontcourt rotation is suddenly very thin. Markkanen’s absence should mean more run for Kyle Filipowski, making him a worthwhile waiver wire add.

The good news for JJJ is that he won’t require surgery, but given his injury history, it’s another significant blow to his outlook for the rest of the season. With Jusuf Nurkić (foot) still sidelined, Jaxson Hayes is a guy to scoop up off the waiver wire as one of Utah’s only healthy centers.

Edgecombe sat out Sunday’s matchup with the Pistons, but his full participation in practice suggests he could return as soon as Wednesday against the Pacers. If Edgecombe is forced to miss another game, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could remain in the starting lineup.

Both players took the court on Monday, and both are on track to appear in both legs of a back-to-back set. Fantasy managers should still keep an eye on their statuses closer to tip-off to ensure neither are late scratches.

Aldama underwent knee surgery in March and has yet to make his Mavericks debut, but his assignment to Dallas’ G League affiliate is an encouraging update to his status moving forward.

According to Shams, an MRI revealed no structural damage, but the Raptors are being cautious with the superstar and will keep an eye on his knee while ramping him back up. In his absence, Ja’Kobe Walter should see an increased role. Walter started on Sunday and finished with 22/4/2 with three “stocks” and five triples. Guys like Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles could also be in line for bumps in playing time, but Walter is the preferred add from a fantasy basketball perspective.

For the first time since his rookie season, DeRozan is being asked to come off the bench. As expected, the veteran forward needs to adjust to the unfamiliar role. After taking 19 shots in Denver’s first two games, he took 15 against the Warriors and recorded his first 20-point stat line of the season. As DeRozan gets more comfortable in his role, his chances of providing the fantasy value managers have grown accustomed to over the years improve.

Monday’s start was the second in as many games for Hopkins, who continues to fill in for the injured Cameron Johnson (ankle). Unlike Saturday’s win over the Pelicans, when he offered limited production, the rookie was more aggressive on offense. The result was Hopkins’ first double-figure scoring night as an NBA player. He should remain a starter until Johnson is healthy enough to play.