NBA Player News

Jones spent last season with the Bulls on a two-way contract and was in training camp on a non-guaranteed deal. Had he made the opening night roster, $250,000 of his deal would have been guaranteed. Jones’ departure doesn’t impact fantasy basketball, as he was unlikely to crack the rotation. In addition to retaining Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Alex Caruso, the Bulls signed Jevon Carter to a deal this summer.

Bailey didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, but he was impactful in other ways. The rookie wing was active on the glass, grabbing eight rebounds for the fourth time in his last seven games. Also, Bailey matched his season-high with three blocks, hitting that number for the third time this season. Rostered in 34 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Bailey has provided tenth-round value in eight-cat formats since the All-Star break, according to Basketball Monster. He’s one player whose opportunities should not decrease between now and the end of the fantasy season, making Ace a worthwhile target for the silly season.

With Keyonte George returning from a sprained ankle, Collier was moved to the bench to begin Saturday’s game. However, he still played plenty, with the second-year guard logging 33 minutes. Playing time should not be an issue for Collier, especially when considering how well George played to begin the season. At this point, getting more “data” on Collier may be the priority for the lottery-bound Jazz, which raises his fantasy ceiling for the silly season.

George was back in the Jazz lineup on Saturday after a six-game absence. And unsurprisingly, the Jazz guard was limited in how much he could play. George logged 23 minutes, checking out for good with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Isaiah Collier logged 33 minutes off the bench, and fantasy managers should prepare for a similar split the rest of the season for draft lottery reasons. Utah opens a four-game Week 19 schedule on Monday against the Nuggets.

While Fears’ fantasy value has remained low, his production has improved since the All-Star break. On Saturday, the rookie guard recorded a season-high in rebounds and matched his previous high in blocked shots. The game has seemingly slowed down for Fears, and while that may not pay dividends in redraft leagues for this season, a solid finish would bode well for his dynasty league value moving forward.

After totaling 13 points on 3-of-12 shooting in New Orleans’ prior two games, Jones had one of his best offensive performances of the season on Saturday. The 17 points were the most in a game for the Pelicans’ wing since mid-January, and Jones recorded a season-high seven assists. In two games against the Jazz, he was responsible for 13 assists and four turnovers. Jones will look to finish Week 18 on a high note when the Pelicans visit the Clippers on Sunday.

With Dejounte Murray (Achilles) sitting out the first game of New Orleans’ weekend back-to-back, McGowens was inserted into the starting lineup on Saturday. And he was productive, shooting 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. The 18 points were the most in a game for McGowens since January 7, when he dropped 20 in a loss to the Hawks. Even if Murray is available for Sunday’s game against the Clippers, McGowens may remain a starter, as Zion Williamson left Saturday’s victory during the first half with a sprained ankle.

Two nights removed from dropping a season-high 42 points in a win over the Jazz, Bey received more defensive attention in Saturday’s rematch. That didn’t prevent him from scoring 25 points on solid percentages, and the final stat line only lacked a blocked shot. Over the past month, Bey has provided third-round per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. The Pelicans have one more game in Week 18, as they visit the Clippers on Sunday.

Moody has now made at least three three-pointers in six straight games, good news for fantasy managers who roster for that specific reason. There were other positives to the Warriors’ wing’s performance, as he recorded three assists and two steals. Since the All-Star break, Moody has been close to a top-100 player in category leagues. While his ceiling isn’t as high as Gui Santos’s, Moody is worth rostering in deep leagues as long as Stephen Curry (knee) remains out.

While Santos may have preferred to celebrate his big day with a victory, the Warriors’ wing certainly earned the three-year contract he signed earlier Saturday. The final line against the Lakers wasn’t particularly impressive, but Santos has been a fourth-round player over the past month, according to Basketball Monster. Stephen Curry (knee) still hasn’t resumed on-court workouts, so it’s going to be a bit longer until he’s able to return. If Santos is sitting on the waiver wire, pick him up. The Warriors play three games in Week 19, starting with the Clippers on Monday.

Since returning to the starting lineup after the All-Star break, Reaves has scored at least 18 points in three of his last five games. During this stretch, the Lakers’ guard has averaged 18.8 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting from the field and 95.5 percent shooting from the foul line. While Reaves’ fantasy value has taken a hit in the aftermath of his two calf strains, he has remained a top-25 player in eight-cat formats.