NBA Player News

Ellis played nine minutes before exiting Sunday’s game against the Mavericks. His absence opens the door for Davion Mitchell to rejoin the rotation, as he was passed up by Ellis while the Kings were without De’Aaron Fox. Mitchell isn’t worth streaming in this spot, but worth watching to see if he can work his way back into Mike Brown’s rotation.

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.

After a 44-point loss to the Sixers on Monday, the worst loss of LeBron’s career, the Lakers looked to bounce back against the Pistons. James finished with 25 points in an impressive road win. D’Angelo Russell had a strong game and ended with 35 points. At 38 years old, LeBron is the oldest player in the NBA this season but remains in the top 20. James played an average of 52 games per season over the last three years, so managers should keep that in mind when receiving trade offers for him.

With Fred VanVleet (thumb) ruled out, Holiday made his first start of the season Wednesday night in Denver. While the overall field goal percentage could have been better, the issue was that he missed all five of his 3-point attempts. Rostered in two percent of Yahoo leagues, Holiday wasn’t widely streamed on Wednesday, but he dished out five assists without committing a turnover. VanVleet should be back for Saturday’s game against the Lakers, so fantasy managers do not need to add Holiday now.

In his sixth game back from the right ankle injury he suffered during the offseason, Alvarado tweaked that same ankle during the first quarter of Wednesday’s game. While he didn’t play again in the first half, the good news is that “Grand Theft Alvarado” was able to return in the third quarter. Alvarado may not get the minutes he needs to be of value to fantasy managers, especially with CJ McCollum back in the fold. But his defensive prowess will keep him in the rotation.

Anyone who knows a fantasy manager that has Paul Reed rostered should give that person a hug. With Joel Embiid being a late scratch due to illness, 76ers coach Nick Nurse decided to roll with Morris as his starting “center.” Morris may have recorded a full line, but the production was meager. And if that wasn’t enough, Mo Bamba (six points, four rebounds, and four blocks in 14 minutes) was the first big off the bench. To his credit, Bamba provided reputable rim protection, but the Reed breakout many hoped to see hasn’t happened. Reed finished with nine points, four rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 27 minutes. If Embiid is available for Friday’s game in Boston, none of this will matter. But it’s become quite clear that Morris will be the next man up on nights when the MVP sits.

After scoring nine points in Monday’s rout of the Lakers, Melton was back in double figures in New Orleans. He’s scored 13 or more in eight of his last nine games, a reason why he’s ranked just outside the top 50 in 9-cat per-game value over the last three weeks. Rostered in 76% of Yahoo leagues, Melton’s ranked within the top 100, well above his ADP of 120. While it remains to be seen how the eventual return of Kelly Oubre (ribs) will impact Melton’s usage, he does enough across the board to preserve his fantasy value, even if the touches decrease.