NBA Player News

After finishing the California Classic with a solid showing against the Kings, Smith shot the ball much better in his Las Vegas opener. He got to his spots offensively, finishing with his highest point total of the summer thus far. Smith faces a bit of a logjam on the perimeter heading into next season, especially with LaMelo Ball returning from ankle surgery. However, playing for a new coaching staff could get Smith a more extended look once training camp begins.

Thomas, who last appeared in a game on November 5, has been recovering from a strained left hamstring. However, while he still does not have a concrete return timeline, the guard was recently cleared to resume 5-on-5 activities. And Thomas got through Saturday’s session without any issues. Depending on how much he plays once cleared to return, Thomas may push Terance Mann to the bench. Mann has not been consistent enough to merit being rostered in most leagues.

Absent from the most recent Rockets’ injury report, Adams will take his customary night off with Sunday’s game being the second in as many nights. That means there should be more playing time available to Clint Capela, but there’s no need to stream him.

Fox served as San Antonio’s primary offensive catalyst, delivering a robust all-around effort in a stat sheet-stuffing performance. He knocked down 5-of-7 from three-point range and shot 52.6 percent from the floor on a team-leading 19 attempts. The 28-year-old guard has been in a little bit of a rut from a scoring standpoint over the past week so it was a positive sign to see him get back on track in this one. The Spurs are back in action with a three-game week that includes a pair of matchups against the Thunder before closing the week against the Jazz.

After missing Thursday’s loss to the Raptors, Kuzma was moved into the starting lineup, with Gary Trent Jr. dropping to the bench. He only recorded six official field-goal attempts, but Kuzma recorded his second double-double of the season. The inconsistency makes him a challenging player to rely on in standard fantasy leagues, but Kuzma is worth a shot in deeper leagues if he remains in the starting lineup. Trent once again struggled with his shot on Sunday, scoring six points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Carrington continues his emergence as one of Washington’s main scoring threats as he’s topped 14 points in five of his last six games since December 6. The 20-year-old youngster drained 4-of-6 from three-point range and shot 63.6 percent from the floor overall in this one. He’s at least worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy formats until further notice. The Wizards kick off a three-game week against the Hornets on Tuesday before facing the Raptors and Grizzlies.

After a stellar performance in Thursday’s loss to the Raptors, Portis was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time since November 22. The veteran forward answered with his second straight double-double and third in four appearances. Jericho Sims, who was moved back to the bench to make room for Portis, played 19 minutes and finished with nine points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal. As long as he’s starting in place of the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, Portis should be rostered in 12-team leagues.

While Porter committed six turnovers on Sunday, his finishing one assist shy of a triple-double is more notable, especially in eight-cat formats. Since the Bucks lost Giannis Antetokounmpo on December 3, KPJ has been a top-10 player in eight-cat. And even with the high turnover counts, Porter has been a top-20 player in nine-cat during this stretch. The Bucks play three games in Week 10, starting with the Pacers on Tuesday.

Conley was active after missing four games with a sore Achilles, and the 24 minutes played may have been more than expected. And there was a good reason for the veteran guard to play more, as Jaden McDaniels exited during the first half with a hip injury. Conley started the third quarter, and while he didn’t do much scoring, the rebounds, assists and defensive stats were there. If McDaniels can’t play on Tuesday against the Knicks, Conley could be moved into the starting lineup. He would only be worth a look in deep leagues.

Wemby recorded his second straight double-double, accomplishing the feat in just over 21 minutes off the bench. The 22-year-old franchise cornerstone has had a governor on his workload since returning last weekend from an extended absence due to a calf injury. However, he’s remained productive from a fantasy standpoint, averaging 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 2.5 blocks during that four-game span.

Goebrt has been a beast on the glass recently, grabbing at least 12 rebounds in five straight games. Sunday’s tally of 18 was the most in a game for the veteran center since October 26, when Gobert reached that number in a win over the Pacers. For managers either punting free-throw percentage or willing to take a hit in that category, Gobert has been a third-round player over the last two weeks.