NBA Player News

Another day, another rumor regarding Lillard’s NBA future. October 2, which would be Media Day for the Blazers, is viewed as an unofficial deadline of sorts to get something done, as having the veteran guard in training camp would make for an awkward situation. Miami has been reported to be Lillard’s preferred destination, but there hasn’t been much movement on that front, according to multiple media reports over the last few days. Per Fischer’s most recent report, some around the league view Toronto and Chicago as possible destinations for Lillard, with Phoenix and Utah being franchises that could help facilitate a multi-team trade. Should Toronto acquire Lillard, his arrival would impact the fantasy values of Dennis Schroder and Scottie Barnes the most. Schroder projects to be a late-round option at best in most leagues, while fewer opportunities to play on the ball would cut into Barnes’ value as a potential top-50 player.

Powell was injured when Harrison Barnes fell into his leg after being fouled by Clippers wing Kobe Brown with 8:55 remaining in the fourth. While it appeared that he would stay in the game while game officials were reviewing the play for a potential flagrant foul, Powell was replaced in the lineup by James Harden and did not return. Should Powell miss an extended amount of time with the injury, Brown, Amir Coffey, and Bones Hyland would be in the running for rotation minutes.

Monk has been the Kings’ most consistent bench scorer this season, which has been good enough to merit being rostered in standard leagues. He didn’t have his most efficient night shooting the basketball, but there appeared to be a letdown of sorts for all Kings players not named De’Aaron Fox on the heels of Tuesday’s win over the Warriors. There isn’t too much to take away from Monk’s performance as far as his long-term fantasy value is concerned; he’ll be fine. Sasha Vezenkov was the other Kings reserve to score in double figures Wednesday night, finishing with 13 points, five rebounds, and three 3-pointers in 24 minutes. The Kings will look to rebound on Saturday when they host the Nuggets.

Mann didn’t offer much outside of the point total on Wednesday, which is a bit concerning given his role within the Clippers’ rotation. Sharing the court with three ball-dominant players in James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George, fantasy managers are likely hoping for more defensive production from Mann. The good news is that he shot the ball well on Wednesday, so all wasn’t lost. And producing more steals and blocks (combined 1.3 per game) would go a long way toward ensuring that he has value in more fantasy leagues. Currently, Mann is rostered in just 12% of Yahoo leagues.

The Clippers ran into an emotionally spent Kings team that beat Golden State in a thriller on Tuesday, and they took full advantage with Leonard leading the way. And after putting up an inefficient 31 points in Monday’s loss to the Nuggets, the Klaw was far better in Sacramento. Ranked just outside the top 25 in 9-cat per-game value over the last week, he’s ranked within the top 20 for the season. And with Leonard playing in all 17 games thus far, availability hasn’t been a concern. The hope of fantasy managers is that this continues to be the case.

James Harden looked like his old self in Wednesday’s win over the Kings. Since Russell Westbrook volunteered to come off of the bench the Clippers have slowly started to develop some chemistry. Harden delivered six dimes with pinpoint accuracy including a smooth alley-oop to Kawhi Leonard (34 points) in the 3rd quarter. Harden also swiped five steals. The Beard has been a viable fantasy option for years and fell in draft rooms due to the uncertainty surrounding his future. The managers that held on to Harden may be able to reap the rewards of their patience if he can keep this up.

Fox has exhibited a tremendous amount of poise on both ends of the floor. In Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers, he led all scorers with 40 points and fought valiantly to keep his team in the game. In the end, the Clippers proved to be too much for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis struggled from the field shooting 3-of-12 and only managed to chip in 11 points. Fox turned the ball over four times but shouldered the scoring load and carried the Kings offensively. He’s in the top 25 and averaging a career-high 29.8 points per game. Fox is primed to continue his ascension, so managers should hold on to him and enjoy the ride.

After logging 12 minutes in Monday’s win over the Clippers, Braun was back up to 19 on Wednesday. That may be his “sweet spot,” especially once Aaron Gordon is cleared to return from his heel injury. Braun scoring 11 points after totaling 12 in the three games prior is a positive, but it will be difficult for him to provide the value needed to justify his being rostered in most leagues.

Looking to redeem himself after putting together a disappointing performance in Monday’s win over the Clippers, Porter went off against the Rockets. He put together his first game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds this season, and he could have been even better from three. MPJ is providing close to top 50 per-game value in 9-cat formats this season, well ahead of his Yahoo ADP of 82. The return of Jamal Murray was a factor on Wednesday, with his presence leading to improved scoring opportunities for the rest of the rotation. More nights like this could be Porter’s future as Murray shakes off the rust after missing three-plus weeks with a strained hamstring.

Wednesday’s performance was one of Green’s best of the season, not just because of the numbers but also the efficiency. He committed just two turnovers on the night, falling one assist shy of his first double-double of the season. Green’s nine assists are the most he’s had in a game this season, but it happened on a night when starting point guard Fred VanVleet (thumb) didn’t play. Ranked outside the top 150 in 9-cat per-game value for the season, Green has been a 10th-round player over the last two weeks. If he can clean up the efficiency, as was the case on Wednesday, Green is capable of cracking the top 100 by season’s end, if not get close to his Yahoo ADP of 77.

Sengun isn’t the first center to have been outclassed by Nikola Jokic, and he certainly won’t be the last. The third-year center played well in his 28 minutes on the floor; it isn’t as if he was flat-out dominated. This has been an excellent season for Sengun thus far, as he’s providing top 50 per-game value in 9-cat formats, one round ahead of his Yahoo ADP of 60. Saturday brings another tough matchup for Sengun as the Rockets end their week with a road game against the Lakers and Anthony Davis.