NBA Player News

The Sixers selected Lessort with the 50th overall pick in the 2017 draft. The plan has always been to stash him in Europe for a year or two. Lessort’s contract with KK Crvena Zvezda is reportedly for three years, but very likely has an NBA opt-out clause should the Sixers want to bring him stateside in 2018-19.

One night removed from one of his worst performances of the season, Schröder is on the move. After beginning the season as Sacramento’s starting point guard, the veteran lost his job to Russell Westbrook, with his fantasy value diminishing considerably. The move to Cleveland puts Schröder in a more challenging spot, as Lonzo Ball and Craig Porter Jr. are already on the roster. While it’s unknown how long starting point guard Darius Garland will be sidelined with a right toe injury, it will be tough for Schröder to regain fantasy relevance.

Saturday’s trade was a three-team affair, with the Bulls receiving Dario Sarić and two second-round picks. As for Hunter, a trade made last February that was meant to bolster the Cavaliers’ bench offered mixed results. After averaging 19.0 points per game in 37 appearances for the Hawks to begin the 2024-25 season, his scoring decreased by nearly five points in Cleveland. Add in the size of Hunter’s contract, and the move makes sense for the Cavaliers financially while also adding point guard depth.

Washington took an inadvertent shot to the head from a teammate early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game and exited shortly thereafter. He’s been diagnosed with a head contusion; hopefully, the forward doesn’t have to enter the league’s concussion protocol. Dallas opens a three-game Week 16 on Tuesday against the Celtics.

Rust? What rust? Saturday’s game was Jerome’s first after suffering a calf strain during the preseason. And the minutes limit didn’t matter, as the Grizzlies guard was highly productive in his 20 minutes on the floor. Cam Spencer (5/3/5/2 with one three-pointer) played 25 minutes off the bench, but Jerome’s immediate insertion into the starting lineup is a concern for those who held onto the second-year guard. Memphis’s four-game Week 16 includes a back-to-back, so Jerome may be limited to three games. That said, fantasy managers should add him immediately.

Wells has hit double figures in six of his last seven games, a solid way for the second-year wing to finish January after starting the month slowly. For fantasy managers, the hope is that Wells can get back to the level he reached in December, when he averaged 14.3 points on 45 percent shooting and hit double figures in 11 of 12 games. Given the way in which the Grizzlies are trending, seeing what Wells can offer offensively when given more freedom may become a priority after the All-Star break.

While he did not move into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup on Saturday with Jaren Jackson Jr. (quad) sidelined, there were still ample opportunities for Jacksonto contribute. And he took advantage of them, with the 19 points being a season-high. Add in the rebounds and assists, and Saturday was a good night to roll the dice on the third-year forward. The Grizzlies open a four-game Week 16 on Monday against the Timberwolves, and GG will be worth a look if Jaren remains out.

Reid, who’s reached double figures in four straight and six of his last seven games, had one of his best all-around games of the month on Saturday. The six three-pointers were a new season-high, and he was a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Over the past month, Reid has been a top-40 player in fantasy basketball according to Basketball Monster. If he’s sitting on the waiver wire in a shallow league, don’t hesitate to pick him up.

Rebounds and defensive stats are the areas where Gobert can be most valuable to fantasy managers, and that’s how things played out on Saturday. He’s hit double digits in rebounds and blocked at least two shots in three of his last four outings. For those willing to punt free-throw percentage, Gobert has been a top-25 fantasy player this season. The Timberwolves play four games in Week 16.

For the first time since early November, McDaniels has recorded back-to-back 20-point games. He’s also reached double figures in shot attempts in two straight games, and this level of aggression is what the Timberwolves need from McDaniels consistently. He got off to an excellent start to the season, but tailed off a bit after Christmas. Even if he doesn’t do much scoring, McDaniels will provide solid fantasy value. However, he’s a far different player when willing to look for his shot more often.

While Randle’s defensive production wasn’t as robust as it was in Thursday’s win over the Thunder, he got back on track offensively. The Timberwolves’ forward was responsible for 27 points and seven assists, with the latter tally being the most in a game for him since December 29. The Timberwolves open a four-game Week 16 in Memphis on Monday, which is good news for those who have Randle on their fantasy rosters.