NBA Player News

Cronin took over as interim GM when Neil Olshey was fired in December, and he was rewarded with a four-year deal. Cronin made moves that had the team focused on the future, specifically this off-season. It’s critical that he sets Portland up for success now with Damian Lillard coming off an injury-riddled season on the wrong side of 30. Portland has the 6th best odds at the top pick in this draft, which could be either a franchise cornerstone or an appealing trade piece. Cronin has some tough decisions to make, but the four-year deal speaks to the confidence the organization has in him to lead the charge.

Johnson had a few rough performances in January, but the last three games have been strong. He has averaged 27.7 points, 16.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game during this stretch. He hasn’t been as strong in the other categories, but he has been a beast in points, rebounds and assists. He matched his career high for boards in this game, which he has now set three times this season. He’ll look to keep his dominance on the glass up against the Pacers on Monday.

Landale was one of several productive Grizzlies on Friday. He scored well both inside and outside the arc while making a difference on the glass. As a result, the fifth-year center came away with a big double-double in his 32 minutes of game action. Landale has easily put together his best statistical season as an NBA player and has proven to be a nice fit alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt. He’ll have a chance to land a third straight double-double on Friday against the Nuggets.

Gillespie has been fantastic for the Suns this season, and with injuries to both Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring), he’s only going to become more important. He was solid in this game and should continue to be a strong source of triples, assists and steals, but he’ll have more upside as a scorer if the Suns remain this shorthanded. If Booker and Green remain out against the Heat on Sunday, Gillespie should be in for a big performance.

Despite some inefficient shooting, mostly beyond the arc, Jackson took advantage of the charity stripe and worked his way past the 25-point mark for the third time in January. The former Defensive Player of the Year also impacted the game as a shot blocker and used active hands to walk away from this one with five stocks. Additionally, Jackson reached double figures in rebounding for the first time this month, which resulted in his third double-double of the season. Friday served as a nice bounce-back performance for him.

Allen came off the bench once again, but that may not be the case for long. Both Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring) exited early from this game, and if they remain out, Allen should slide into the starting lineup and take on more minutes. He’s rostered in just 35 percent of Yahoo! leagues, but that should change quickly with the recent injury news.

Booker was in the midst of a big night before injuring his ankle, which forced him to exit early and not return. He was seen using crutches after the game to avoid putting pressure on it. The team should provide an update in the coming days, but with Jalen Green (hamstring) also exiting early, Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin should see a bump in minutes and production. Hopefully this isn’t a long-term absence for Booker.

After exiting Wednesday’s game early with an illness, Williamson made up for the missed time against the Grizzlies on Friday. As usual, he did all of his work inside the arc as a scorer and would have crept a bit closer to the 30-point mark if it weren’t for missed free throws. The versatile forward also left his mark on the glass, as he led the Pelicans in rebounds on the evening en route to his second double-double of the season. Williamson remains a high-ceiling player in fantasy leagues. He’s put together some nice performances of late.

Holland hasn’t been able to contribute value consistently during his second season, but he is certainly capable of making an impact in a multitude of ways. Most of his value this season has been tied up in steals, but he was able to do more than just that in this game. He still has a lot of growing to do before he can be a standard league option, but performances like this show that he will be able to make a big impact eventually.

Murphy was one of multiple Pelicans players to have a big night. On the offensive end, he efficiently shot his way past the 30-point mark for the fifth time in January and utilized the free-throw line along the way. Defensively, Murphy used his length to rack up a few steals and boost his fantasy basketball production in the process. Friday’s strong two-way performance was just the latest in what’s been a great start to the calendar year for Murphy. He’ll have a chance for another big game against the Spurs on Sunday.

Bey’s stellar season continued against the Grizzlies, as he shot efficiently from the floor en route to his first 30-point game of the season. A season-high six three-pointers was a major part of his success on the offensive end in this game, while he also made contributions as a facilitator. Bey’s best moments, however, came in the fourth quarter; he scored 19 in the frame to help the Pacers mount a big comeback and ultimately an overtime victory. Bey remains one of the bright spots for New Orleans this season.