NBA Player News

Lofton Jr. signed with the Jazz just before the end of last season after starting the year in Memphis and also spending time in Philadelphia. He’ll remain under contract with Utah for the next two seasons, but it is unlikely that he is able to become a consistent fantasy contributor. The only times that he has put up numbers in his career is during silly season, and it’s difficult to imagine him taking minutes from the forwards in front of him in the rotation. Still, it’s encouraging to see him play well this summer.

Castle is good to go after sitting out Sunday’s win over the Magic. His return likely pushes Harrison Barnes back to the bench. That won’t have a significant impact on fantasy basketball, as Barnes is on the waiver wire in most leagues.

Initially listed as questionable with a foot injury, Olynyk has subsequently been ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Thunder. With Victor Wembanyama healthy, Olynyk wouldn’t have entered the Spurs rotation anyway, so his absence doesn’t impact the plans of the Spurs or fantasy managers.

Embiid sat out Tuesday’s win over the Warriors, as it was Philadelphia’s second game in as many nights. If he’s unable to play against the Lakers, Andre Drummond would get another start, with Adem Bona remaining in the backup role.

Harper popped up on the injury report Wednesday morning with an ankle injury and has since been ruled out for the game against the Thunder. Jordan McLaughlin should backfill the extra backup point guard minutes vacated by Harper on Wednesday.

The Celtics are without Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser for Wednesday’s game, opening up two spots in the starting lineup. However, Payton Pritchard will remain in the bench role he held in Tuesday’s win over the Mavericks. Harper and Garza are the new starters, with the former making his first start in four NBA seasons. Of the two, Garza is the safer streaming option.

Green will miss a second consecutive game due to the hamstring and hip injuries. His absence frees up additional minutes for Jordan Goodwin, who is worth streaming in deeper category leagues.

Based on the timeline provided when Booker suffered his sprained ankle, he was due to be re-evaluated early this week. However, the Suns have not offered an update, and the guard remains out. Phoenix will continue to roll with a starting backcourt of Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen, and both players are worth rostering where available.

Hamstring and knee injuries will keep Brown out for the second game of Boston’s back-to-back in Texas. Payton Pritchard came off the bench in Tuesday’s win over the Mavericks, and Brown’s absence may push him back into the starting five.

Curry banged knees with a player during Friday’s loss to the Pistons, aggravating a case of “runner’s knee” that has lingered for a bit. Thursday’s game will be the second that he’s missed. Gui Santos played reasonably well as Curry’s replacement in the lineup for Tuesday’s loss to the 76ers, but Golden State’s offensive struggles in the 113-94 defeat will likely prompt other changes to the lineup.

Anthony is good to go after initially being probable with a sprained left ankle. While Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique) will be under a minutes restriction, his return to action means fewer minutes are available to Anthony.