NBA Player News

It didn’t take long for Randolph to show fans why the Warriors took him with the last pick in the lottery this year. Keep in mind that Marco Bellinelli scored 31 points in his summer league debut last season, then went on to average 2.9 points during the regular season. Second-round draft pick Richard Hendrix missed the game with a left quad strain, but should be ready to play on Sunday.

Without Ivica Zubac and James Harden, who were both traded ahead of Wednesday’s trade deadline, Leonard led the new-look Clippers to a win on Friday, ending a two-game skid. The two-time Finals MVP reached the 30-point mark for the first time since mid-January and set a new season-high in assists in the process. Leonard also fell one rebound short of a double-double, posting one of his more balanced performances of the season. Until the Clippers get their newly acquired players into the lineup, particularly Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin, expect Leonard to shoulder most of the load on a nightly basis.

Pippen Jr. was one of eight Grizzlies to score in double figures in his first game of the season. He made contributions as a scorer, but his biggest impact came as a facilitator, concluding as Memphis’ leader in assists. He logged just 22 minutes on Friday, so it’ll be interesting to see what the team’s plan is for him on Saturday’s back-to-back. Nonetheless, it was an encouraging season debut from Pippen Jr.

Jackson led all Memphis starters in scoring in his 27 minutes of action. He didn’t take many shots, but scored efficiently and used the three-point line to his advantage. The third-year forward has now scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games, and his production should realistically increase now that Jaren Jackson Jr. has been traded away. He’s someone fantasy managers should at least keep an eye on for now.

Spencer, once again, thrived off the bench. In 26 minutes, he led all Grizzlies in scoring on Friday, took advantage of his scoring opportunities with efficient shooting, and made an impact with his passing along the way. Spencer also collected a few stocks to conclude with another strong performance off the Grizzlies bench. He’ll look for a repeat performance on Saturday in a rematch against the Trail Blazers.

Henderson made his season debut on Friday and came off the bench to log 21 minutes and nearly notch a double-double. The long-awaited return came with plenty of ups and downs. Henderson shot poorly from beyond the arc but was aggressive and had enough shooting volume to score in double figures. And while he led the team in assists, he also totaled five turnovers. Henderson will need time to work off the rust, but coming out of his first game healthily is an encouraging sign.

Holiday was productive in his 25 minutes. He shot the ball well and made great use of the charity stripe en route to finishing as one of two Trail Blazers to score at least 20 points. Not to be forgotten, the veteran guard was one of Portland’s most impactful passers, and he’s likely to continue doing so in his current role. Holiday will have a chance to land another productive performance against the Grizzlies again on Saturday, should he be available on the second game of a back-to-back.

Dieng ultimately wound up in Milwaukee, while the Hornets waived Conley. However, due to White’s calf injury that will keep him out through the All-Star break, the Bulls had to take less in the deal. Instead of three second-round picks, they’ll receive two, a 2031 via New York and a 2031 via Denver.

Grant got the start for the injured Deni Avdija (back) and didn’t disappoint. In 28 minutes, the veteran forward scored well both in and outside the arc, ultimately finishing as Portland’s leading scorer on the evening. Since his January return, he’s scored at least 15 points in six of his nine appearances. Grant doesn’t offer much value in other fantasy basketball categories. But for those fantasy managers in need of points and three-pointers, he’s a fine streaming option.

Sharpe finished the second quarter of Friday’s game but did not return for the third, with the Trail Blazers eventually declaring him done for the night with a left calf injury. His early exit has led to more minutes for Sidy Cissoko and Vit Krejčí, with the latter knocking down two three-pointers and scoring 11 points.

Hunter was struck near the eye during the third quarter of Friday’s contest when attempting to defend the Clippers’ Kobe Sanders. He exited the game and was eventually ruled out during the fourth quarter. Hunter, who was recently acquired by the Kings via trade, has started in each of his two appearances with the team. If he has to miss any time, Nique Clifford could see an increased role.