NBA Player News

After spending last season with the Raptors on a two-way contract, Gueye is playing for the Hornets this summer. And he made quite the impression on Saturday, displaying his full potential on both ends of the floor. Impactful as a defender, Gueye also showed off the ability to score from just about anywhere on the court. Charlotte will have Mark Williams and Nick Richards under contract for next season, but Gueye’s primary focus this summer will be on earning an invite to training camp.

Initially listed as questionable, Edwards will sit out Friday’s game with a sore right foot. With Mike Conley also out, who starts in Ant-Man’s place is up in the air. Terrence Shannon Jr., Bones Hyland and Rob Dillingham are all possibilities, but the latter has been out of the rotation recently. Shannon and Hyland are safer streaming options in Edwards’ absence.

Jones, who suffered a lower back injury during the early portion of training camp, could be available to make his official NBA debut on Friday. While his availability does not affect redraft leagues, the rookie guard’s performances and opportunities will be of interest to managers in dynasty leagues.

Booker’s participation in practice means he’s got a chance to take the court Sunday against the Lakers after four straight absences. Booker’s return should mean less opportunities for Collin Gillespie, but Gillespie still has standalone value. Fantasy managers should hang onto Gillespie until further notice.

Wembanyama will be a welcomed site on the court, as the Spurs will try to take down the red-hot Thunder, winners of 16 straight games. Wemby may face restrictions in his first game back as he works his way back into game shape. His return should mean fewer minutes for Luke Kornet and Julian Champagnie. Bismack Biyombo may fall completely out of the rotation.

A sprained right thumb will keep Branham sidelined against Cleveland, but his absence shouldn’t cause much of a stir in the realm of fantasy hoops. He logged 14 minutes off the bench on Saturday, but that was due to multiple injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. He’s logged just eight minutes per game this season.

D’Lo is a late addition to the injury report, which doesn’t bode well for his chances of taking the court on Friday. He has averaged just 15.5 minutes across his last four outings, and if he is unable to go, Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams would presumably absorb his vacated minutes.

Diabaté sat out Sunday’s matchup with Denver, which allowed Mason Plumlee to join the rotation. With Diabaté expected to play, he could reclaim his role as Charlotte’s primary backup center, leaving fewer minutes available for Plumlee.

Morant is on track to return from a 10-game absence, but it’s unclear if he’ll face any restrictions after such a long time on the sideline. His return should mean fewer minutes for Vince Williams Jr. and Cam Spencer, but both players should be held until Morant’s health and usage are clarified.

Maxey was listed as probable on Friday, so his downgraded status suggests he’s in danger of sitting out against Indiana. If Maxey is unable to go, Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes could pick up the slack using a committee approach.

Making his third straight start in place of the injured Domantas Sabonis (knee), Raynaud took on a challenging matchup in the form of Denver’s Nikola Jokić. He finished one rebound shy of a double-double and has reached double figures in scoring in four straight games. With Drew Eubanks exiting Thursday’s game with a right thumb injury, the Kings will likely need more production from Raynaud as they await Sabonis’ return. He’s rostered in 23 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and that number may increase ahead of Sunday’s game against the Timberwolves.