NBA Player News

Ashley put up averages of 12.2 points and 5.2 boards at Arizona last season, and he also hit a respectable 33.3 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. We will watch him closely during the preseason, but he likely won’t be in the rotation next season if Dallas ends up keeping him.

Leonard was active in all phases of the game on Friday. He posted an 18-point fourth quarter to total at least 20 points for the 12th straight game, and nearly reached 30 despite an inefficient shooting performance. The two-time Finals MVP also tied a team-high in assists and led the Clippers in steals and rebounds en route to Los Angeles’ third consecutive win. Leonard is averaging 33.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.0 steals during the win streak, and will have a chance to tally another big fantasy performance against the Pistons on Sunday.

Robinson has now made at least three three-pointers in four straight appearances, which is precisely how he’s expected to offer value in fantasy basketball. Averaging 2.9 three-pointers per game, the Pistons wing is ranked outside the top-150 in eight-cat formats. Unless there’s a need for three-pointers and not much else, fantasy managers in most leagues can afford to leave Robinson on the waiver wire.

Holland was back in the Pistons’ rotation after missing two games with a knee injury. He was productive in his 19 minutes on the floor, joining Jaden Ivey and Caris LeVert as reserves who finished with 11 points. The issue for Holland from a fantasy standpoint is Detroit’s depth. Against the Jazz, five reserves reached double figures in minutes while a sixth, Daniss Jenkins, played nine. That limits the fantasy ceilings of the Pistons’ reserves, especially Holland. He should only be rostered in dynasty leagues at this point.

Harris has scored in double figures in four straight and five of his last six games. While the scoring has been relatively consistent, the veteran forward’s fantasy value has remained relatively low. Over the past two weeks, Harris has been ranked just outside the top-150 in eight-cat formats. Rostered in 33 percent of Yahoo! leagues, some fantasy managers will have to determine if holding onto Harris is worth it. His ceiling is considerably lower than in seasons past, due in part to Detroit’s improved depth.

After dishing out 14 assists in Tuesday’s win over the Kings, Cunningham racked up 17 more on Friday, one shy of his career-high. Even better for fantasy managers is that the Pistons’ point guard kept the turnovers in check. He only committed four on Friday, less than half of his total against Sacramento (nine). Cunningham had a chance to win the game, but his three-pointer fell left of the mark as time expired. He and the Pistons will look to end Week 10 with a win when they visit the Clippers on Sunday.

While Sensabaugh has logged consistent rotation minutes since mid-November, his role may expand in the aftermath of Friday’s victory. Ace Bailey exited during the second quarter with a left hip flexor strain, and that may rule him out for a bit. If so, Sensabaugh is well-positioned to provide additional value. The third-year wing matched his season-high with 20 points and finished a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. If he starts on Saturday against the Spurs, Sensabaugh would be worth the streaming risk in deep leagues.

While Nurkić has recorded a double-double in each of his last two appearances, he had a day off on Tuesday because it was the second game of a back-to-back. With the Jazz visiting the Spurs on Saturday, there’s a good chance the veteran center won’t play. With Kevin Love (14/5/3/1/1 with three three-pointers) playing 16 minutes off the bench, Saturday’s game may be one in which Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks and even Kyle Anderson figure more prominently in the frontcourt rotation.

Markkanen has recorded 30 points or more in 11 of the 26 games he’s played this season, including Friday’s two-point victory. Production isn’t the concern right now, but availability is. Markkanen has missed four of Utah’s last eight games, including Tuesday’s loss to the Grizzlies, which was the team’s second game in as many nights. That’s important because the Jazz visit the Spurs on Saturday. Fantasy managers should consider him questionable, with Kyle Filipowski (two points, four rebounds and one steal in 11 minutes) in line to benefit if Markkanen sits.

George has been one of the most improved players in the NBA this season, with Friday’s performance rating among his best. Not only did he shoot over 50 percent from the field, but the third-year guard only committed two turnovers. And George’s last play was his most important, as his runner with 2.3 seconds remaining gave Utah the victory. He’s providing third-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats and has shown no signs of slowing down. The Jazz won’t have much time to celebrate their win, as they visit the Spurs on Saturday.

Porter Jr. had several highs and lows throughout Friday’s loss. He finished as the Bucks’ second leading scorer, but shot poorly overall and made only one of his seven three-point attempts. He also tied a team-high in assists, although his seven turnovers led to a poor assist-to-turnover ratio and cost his team several scoring opportunities. His eight turnovers were impactful and helped add to his balanced stat line. However, he left a lot of meat on the bone and will look to be more consistent on Saturday against the Bulls.