NBA Player News

“My goal is to join the team next year,” Jaiteh said. “I’ve had three years now playing overseas pro. I really earned some experience, some maturity, and I think if I want to keep improving fast, I think the best is to be around the best players in the world, with the best coaches. That’s why I want to join the team this year and fight for it.” Jaiteh will likely be taken in the second-round of the 2015 NBA draft, but he’s not likely to produce in a meaningful way during his rookie season.

Ware’s absence means the Heat may opt to play more small ball against Washington, but Vlad Goldin and Simone Fontecchio (upgraded to available) are two candidates to see increased run.

Herro is dealing with left quad soreness, and he’s in danger of sitting out against the Wizards. If he ends up missing this one, Jaime Jaquez Jr. Pelle Larsson and Myron Gardner could enjoy some extra minutes.

Carter Bryant could pick up a few extra minutes, but Waters III hasn’t seen enough minutes for his potential absence to be impactful in the world of fantasy hoops.

Black sustained the back injury in Saturday’s win over Minnesota, and he’ll be out indefinitely as a result. Until Black is cleared to get back on the court, Tristan da Silva should continue to take on an expanded role. The latter is worth an add off of the waiver wire.

Hart finished Monday’s defeat with his 13th double-double of the season and third since the All-Star break. Due to decreased production across multiple categories, his fantasy value has dipped significantly since the All-Star break. The Knicks end their road trip with games against the Jazz and Pacers, two matchups that may serve Hart well. Fantasy managers will certainly hope that’s the case, as his value has been trending in the wrong direction, even with Monday’s double-double.

After dropping 34 points in the Knicks’ blowout of the Nuggets to open their five-game road trip, Anunoby struggled against the Lakers on Sunday. The wing rebounded nicely on Monday, even if it did not result in a Knicks’ victory. Since the All-Star break, Anunoby has provided top-50 value in nine-cat formats. While his season-long value has been better than that, his consistency has made OG a player whom fantasy managers have been able to rely on all season long.

Brunson was one of the few Knicks to shoot the ball well against the Clippers, making just over half of his attempts on the night. That was a positive development for fantasy managers, as the Knicks’ captain opened March shooting 37.5 percent from the field in his first five games of the month. Having lost both of their games in Los Angeles County, the Knicks dropped to 0-4 in California this season. The Knicks play three more games in Week 20, starting with the Jazz on Wednesday.

Including Towns, four players were responsible for 97 of the Knicks’ 118 points. Add in 20 turnovers, and it’s nearly impossible to win a game against a team that has postseason ambitions like the Clippers. The good news for fantasy managers was that Towns, who has played well over the past month, recorded a robust stat line that only lacked a steal. With the Knicks ending their road trip with games against the Jazz and Pacers, those could be big nights for KAT.

Mathurin has scored at least 21 points in three of his last four games. The 28 points in Monday’s win were the most for him since dropping a season-high 38 on the Nuggets in the Clippers’ first game out of the All-Star break. Mathurin has been close to a top-100 player in eight-cat formats since the break, providing excellent value off the bench on most nights. With the Clippers’ remaining Week 20 schedule including games against the Bulls and Kings, there could be at least one more big night in Mathurin’s immediate future.

Jones left Monday’s game briefly during the third quarter, having taken a shot to the head from Josh Hart while attempting to convert a reverse layup. “Airplane Mode” was able to return, and his three-pointer with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter extended the Clippers’ lead to nine, effectively serving as the dagger. While he isn’t a must-roster player in most leagues, Jones has been productive enough to provide consistent late-round value in 12-team leagues.