NBA Player News

The Warriors’ vets have reportedly approved the team adding Howard, and he’s now heading to LA to work out with Draymond Green and Chris Paul. It seems likely that Howard ends up with the Warriors within the next few days, but even if he adds some depth down low, the odds of him playing a large enough role to impact fantasy hoops are slim to none.

Holiday started for the fourth straight game with Aaron Gordon still sidelined. He hasn’t been a great streaming option, but he was able to set a new season-high for scoring in this game. Denver plays again on Saturday in Sacramento, and if AG makes it five straight absences, Holiday should start once again. Across his four starts, he is averaging 10.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 triples. He doesn’t have much upside, but if you need a boost of 3-pointers or steals, he is a decent option.

Strawther’s role hasn’t been consistent this season, but he’s had a few games where he has provided some shooting off the bench. This was his third game with at least 10 points, and his third game with at least three 3-pointers. Strawther was the No. 29 pick in the draft and has found a small role with the defending champs after strong performances in both Summer League and the preseason. While he isn’t worth rostering in standard leagues as of now, he could end up contributing more as the season progresses. He’s worth keeping an eye on.

Okogie was pushed back to the bench for this game, but he was still able to post a solid line. He had his highest-scoring performance since opening night and set a new season-high for blocks. It was a nice performance for a player that hasn’t made much of a fantasy impact throughout his career. He may continue to see minutes on Saturday if Devin Booker remains sidelined. However, unless you’re desperate for some defensive stats, Okogie isn’t worth considering as a streaming option.

The last time Nurkic scored 30 points in a game was in February of 2022, when he scored 32 points against Memphis. He only has one other game this season where he has scored 20 points, so this performance certainly felt like it came out of nowhere. Nurk has provided fifth round value this season with averages of 12 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. After a few lost seasons in Portland recently, Nurk is thriving in his new home in Phoenix.

With Jamal Murray sidelined with an ankle injury that he suffered in their last game, Jackson returned to the starting unit for this game. He had 35 points and 13 assists in his last start, and while he didn’t reach that level of production, he still played well enough for Denver to get a road win in Phoenix. Denver travels to play in Sacramento on Saturday, and if Murray is sidelined once again, Jackson should be a priority streaming option. He is currently rostered in just 38% of Yahoo leagues.

KD needed 17 points in this game to pass Moses Malone for the 10th most points in NBA history. He scored 12 points in the first quarter alone and ended up passing Malone on a layup late in the first half. He scored 22 points before the break, but he wasn’t able to score as effectively in the second half. He didn’t hit a field goal attempt after halftime, but he was incredibly effective from the free throw line. In fact, he has now hit 67 consecutive free throws, which is the most in Suns’ history. He was also able to extend his streak of 30-point games to seven. It was a historical night for him, but it was soured by a poor second half performance and a loss.

Bane led all scorers with 30 points in the Grizzlies win over Dallas. Memphis is having a slow start to the season due to excessive injuries and the suspension of Ja Morant. Bane has exhibited tremendous value but some managers fear it will decrease upon Morant’s return. Bane’s ability to score the basketball and consistently deliver triples has contributed to his accelerated progression. He is currently hitting 3.2 three-pointers per game, a statistic that may be sustainable rest-of-season.

This wasn’t Brown’s best scoring night, and he didn’t really take over after Jayson Tatum’s ejection. However, he was able to make an impact defensively by tying his career-high with four steals. He had three in the first quarter alone, so it seemed like he had a great chance to break his personal record. He only ended up tying it, but he was also able to add in two blocks in his stellar defensive performance. His six “stocks” also tied his career-high. JB has now scored at least 20 points in three straight games, and he shouldn’t have an issue extending that streak against the Pacers on Monday.

Horford has turned back the clock over the last three games. He has averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, 1.3 steals, 2.3 blocks and two triples while shooting 64% from the field and 100% from the line. It’s a small sample size, but he has been the 7th best player in 9-cat leagues, according to Basketball Monster. When Kristaps Porzingis is back, Horford will lose most of his value in fantasy hoops, which could come as early as Monday’s In-Season Tournament game. If he remains sidelined, a matchup with the Pacers will be the perfect opportunity for him to keep up his pace.

Following Jayson Tatum’s ejection in the third quarter, Joe Mazzulla called on Pritchard to close this game out in the place of their All-NBA forward. After posting a 11/5/2 in 23 minutes in Tuesday’s blowout win, Pritchard followed it up with a 10/2/5 line in 23 minutes in this game, which didn’t come during garbage time. In fact, he ended up scoring all 10 of his points in the pivotal final period. Pritchard may not be a great fantasy option right now, but he is an important bench piece for a Boston tem that lost some depth this summer.