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Brunson’s deal includes a player option in Year 4, which means he can opt out and sign another four-year deal worth $323 million in 2027. The move allows him to save a serious franchise contender serious money with the understanding that he’ll be able to recoup those savings with his next deal. New York is among the favorites to win the NBA championship in 2024-25 thanks to a loaded roster that includes Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby in addition to most of the roster that just made the Eastern Conference semis.

Brooks was not at the team’s morning shootaround, but he is also not on the injury report, so there is an expectation that he will be able to suit up on Thursday night. With Devin Booker listed as questionable with an ankle injury, the Suns could use Brooks on the court.

Kuminga’s relationship with the Warriors seemed to sour over the summer and only got worse when Warriors coach Steve Kerr benched the 23-year-old after the first 12 games of the season. Kuminga hasn’t played in the last 13 games despite having a two-year, $46.8 million contract. Part of that contract is a $24.3 million team option for next season, which could factor into his trade market, but the wing is finally eligible to be traded on Thursday, so a deal might come together quickly.

Konan Niederhauser added another nice stat line in what’s been a solid rookie season thus far for him in limited action. He went perfect from the floor and had several highlight-worthy finishes at the rim throughout the game to tie a career-high in points. The rookie center also erased shots on the defensive end and showed off his athleticism. He’s currently the third center in the Clippers’ rotation, so it’s unlikely he’ll have fantasy value aside from nights when one of Ivica Zubac or Brook Lopez is sidelined. Nonetheless, he had a productive night in his 23 minutes.

Harden struggled with his shooting efficiency against the Wizards, but utilized the free-throw line to finish as one of two Clippers with at least 20 points. The former league MVP also led the team in assists on the evening and protected the basketball fairly well in the process. Harden has quietly shot inefficiently in the majority of his appearances during January. If he can find his rhythm again as a scorer, he’d likely see an uptick in his overall offensive numbers, which would equate to better fantasy basketball production.

Leonard wasn’t his usual efficient self on Wednesday, but still played well enough to extend his streak of 20-point games to 22 games and record a second consecutive 30-point outing in the process. His scoring was mostly a result of efficient three-point shooting — he’s now tallied at least four triples in four consecutive games. The free-throw line was also a factor on this night, and as usual, the former two-time Defensive Player of the Year used his active hands to collect several steals. The Clippers have now won four straight games, and Leonard is playing at an All-Star level.

Bagley saw extended minutes on Wednesday after Alex Sarr was ejected in the second quarter against the Clippers. Bagley took advantage, using efficient shooting to record his best scoring game of January and attacking the glass hard for his first double-double since December 14. Bagley has shown on multiple occasions this season that he can put up big numbers in the right amount of playing time. But in his reserve role, he’s unlikely to sustain enough consistent production to become a reliable option in fantasy leagues.

Middleton logged one of his more productive games of the season on Wednesday, utilizing the three-point shot to pave the way for his success on offense. The veteran forward also led all Wizards starters in assists in his 27 minutes of game action. Middleton is having one of the least productive seasons of his career as he plays the veteran role for a Wizards team trying to develop young talent. He’s not someone fantasy managers should consider rostering at this time.

George led all Washington players in scoring on Wednesday, getting the job done both inside and outside the paint. He made some plays with his athleticism and showed off his well-roundedness as a facilitator along the way. George has played well throughout his sophomore season — his consistency leaves optimism for even greater ceilings as a fantasy basketball player. He’ll look to land even more production on Friday against the Kings.

Anunoby missed all six of his three-point attempts, contributing to an 8-of-41 night for the Knicks as a team. That ends a run of three consecutive games with at least two three-pointers. Even with Wednesday’s poor showing, Anunoby has shot 49.5 percent from the field over the past two weeks. Anunoby and the Knicks will look to end their road trip on a high note when they visit the Warriors on Thursday.

Towns and the Knicks had a night to forget in Sacramento. He didn’t shoot the ball well, with the one positive for fantasy managers being his steals. Towns’ five steals were a career-high, nearly double his tally in New York’s first six games of 2026. However, shooting just 41.2 percent from the field, KAT has been an eighth-round player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks.