NBA Player News

Griffin should be in the rotation when the regular season begins; how much he’ll play is the question. De’Andre Hunter (knee) made his first appearance of the preseason on Monday and played 20 minutes, with Saddiq Bey playing 20 off the bench himself. And this was on a night when the Hawks rested Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, which freed up minutes and shots for multiple rotation players. Griffin had a shot at offering late-round value, but he’s a deep-league option at best in fantasy leagues.

Between Detroit and Chicago, Ivey was limited to 37 appearances in 2025-26, with a fractured fibula suffered in January 2025 delaying his season debut until November 22. Ivey appeared in four games after being traded to the Bulls, his last action coming on February 11. He recently banged knees with another player during a recent practice, an unfortunate setback after head coach Billy Donovan said that Ivey was progressing in his recovery. Given the uncertainty surrounding Ivey’s injury, he’ll be a challenging player to trust in drafts next fall.

Smith aggravated his right calf strain during Wednesday’s loss to the 76ers, and the decision has been made to shut him down for the rest of the season. The initial injury suffered in late January limited his availability until the aggravation, limiting Smith’s fantasy value. He played in 53 games, averaging 10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers in 20.7 minutes. For the rest of the season, Nick Richards, who exited Wednesday’s loss with an elbow injury, and Leonard Miller will have added importance within the Bulls’ rotation.

While Wagner did not do much during Thursday’s shootaround in preparation for Orlando’s matchup with Sacramento, he did respond well to a recent contact session, according to Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley. It has been over a month since the forward was shut down due to a need for additional time and rehabilitation to recover from a high ankle sprain suffered in December. With many fantasy leagues concluding in Week 23, if not sooner, the chances of Wagner having an impact are slim. Tristan da Silva remains a worthwhile hold in 14-team leagues, and some 12-team leagues as well.

Initially listed as questionable, Murray is good to go for Thursday’s game. However, with it being the first of two games in as many nights for the Pelicans, fantasy managers should plan for the likelihood that Murray does not play against the Raptors on Friday. If Trey Murphy (ankle), who remains questionable for Thursday’s game, can’t play, Yves Missi could still make a spot start.

After missing Orlando’s last two games due to illness, Suggs was listed as questionable on the injury report for Thursday’s game against the Kings. His ability to participate in shootaround, with Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley saying that the point guard is “definitely” feeling better, is a positive sign regarding Suggs’ availability. If he can play against Sacramento, Jamal Cain is the player most likely headed to the bench. Jevon Carter, who started the first game that Suggs missed, would also lose out on streaming value with the point guard back in the lineup.

Jeffries, who began his NBA career with the Kings, has returned to Sacramento on a short-term deal. He was in training camp with the team in the fall but was waived just before the start of the season. While Jeffries’ return gives the Kings needed depth on the perimeter due to injuries to Russell Westbrook and Nique Clifford, it is unlikely to affect fantasy basketball.

Barrett struggled on Wednesday with his shooting, both inside and outside the arc. He failed to convert on any of his seven three-point attempts and even shot below 50.0 percent from the free-throw line. The seventh-year guard was one of Toronto’s top rebounders and facilitators on the night, but his inefficient scoring held back his production in a big way. Fantasy managers will hope he can bounce back on Friday against the Pelicans.

Despite being relatively unproductive as a scorer, Barnes offset those struggles by making plays throughout the night as a passer. He’d finish with double-digit assists for the second straight game and narrowly miss out on a triple-double for a consecutive time. Still, Barnes rebounded well, made plays on defense, and provided a balanced performance overall. He’ll have a chance to stay productive against the Pelicans on Friday.

Ingram was Toronto’s leading scorer on a night when not much went right for the team’s offense. He shot unspectacularly in his 36 minutes but failed to reach the 20-point mark. The former Most Improved Player did decent work on the glass and as a passer, as well, but his final line wasn’t one that should excite fantasy managers during the fantasy playoffs. Ingram and the Raptors will face the Pelicans on Friday and will have a chance to put forth a better performance.

Mathurin’s return from a four-game absence was a successful one, as he helped lead the Clippers to a third consecutive win. Per usual, the Clippers’ sixth man scored the ball well, with free-throw shooting being a primary reason. He also contributed as a passer and ultimately tied a team-high in assists. Mathurin’s offensive production off the bench is necessary for Los Angeles. Fantasy managers can expect him to remain in his role the rest of the way, with nightly scoring production being likely.