NBA Player News

Ranadive, who only took official ownership of the club Tuesday, is wasting little time in reshaping the Kings to match his vision. Current GM Geoff Petrie’s contract expires in June and he will not be retained. In addition to hiring a GM, Ranadive is looking to replace Keith Smart as head coach. Ranadive is so interested in Warriors assistant Mike Malone that he might look to hire Malone as coach before naming a new GM, partly to stop the Clippers from hiring Malone first. We’ll update as we know more, but it sounds like the remodeling of the Kings could happen quickly.

Reaves, who returned from a strained left calf on Tuesday, was inserted back into the starting lineup on Thursday. The plan was to continue exercising caution, but the guard was not on the court at the start of the third quarter. Marcus Smart started the period and would remain in that role if Reaves has to miss time.

Valančiūnas was initially probable for Thursday’s game, so the status upgrade was expected. He’ll occupy his usual role as Nikola Jokić’s backup, a spot that offers limited fantasy value at best.

Hyland was a late addition to the Timberwolves’ injury report, but he’s officially available to play. While he has earned rotation minutes recently, leapfrogging Rob Dillingham, Hyland boasts a limited fantasy ceiling, especially with Jaden McDaniels active.

After a one-game absence, McDaniels has been cleared to return to action. His availability affects Mike Conley the most, as the veteran point guard is likely headed back to the bench.

Williams did not play in Tuesday’s loss to the Magic, which was Portland’s second game in as many nights. Yang Hansen and Duop Reath both saw action off the bench, playing eight and five minutes, respectively. That isn’t enough time to make either player relevant in fantasy basketball.

Murray has filled in for the injured Jerami Grant (Achilles) for the last three games and will do so again if he’s cleared to play on Friday. However, if Murray can’t play, Sidy Cissoko may be the one who receives the call from interim head coach Tiago Splitter. Due to Portland’s lack of healthy options, Cissoko would be worth considering in deep leagues, but he is not a must-add.

Grant will miss a fourth straight game as he continues to deal with left Achilles tendon soreness. Kris Murray has been the replacement in the starting lineup, but he is considered questionable for Friday. If Murray also can’t play, Sidy Cissoko may be the next man up.

After totaling 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting in Dallas’ Monday/Tuesday back-to-back, Williams rebounded with his best performances of the season. The 26 points were a season-high for the guard, who played 30 minutes off the bench. Starter Ryan Nembhard (four points, one rebound and two assists in 17 minutes) struggled, resulting in more playing time for Williams. Thursday was another example of why it’s challenging to rely on either of the Mavericks point guards in fantasy, although Nembhard’s status as the starter gives him the slight edge.

Washington was back in the Mavericks’ lineup after sitting out Tuesday’s win over the Nuggets, and he made up for lost time with his fourth double-double of the season. All that his stat line was missing on Thursday was a three-pointer, a somewhat surprising development since he averages 1.5 per game on the season. Depending on what happens with Anthony Davis, who left the game with a groin injury, Washington could figure even more prominently in the Mavericks’ offense in the short term.

The good news is that Marshall reached double figures for the tenth consecutive game. The bad is that the stat line was meager outside of points and rebounds. And the limited production is why Marshall is ranked just outside the top-100 over the last two weeks. If Anthony Davis (groin) misses time, the Mavericks are going to need even more from Marshall. For that reason, he’s worth holding onto if you’ve been rostering him.