NBA Player News

Washington is one of the most experienced players on the Knicks roster, so his offensive takeover on Saturday was unsurprising. He finished last season on a two-way contract but is currently an unrestricted free agent, so Washington’s performance against the Hornets came at a perfect time. Also fighting for a contract is Jacob Toppin, who finished the loss with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, one block, and two 3-pointers in 32 minutes. Unlike Washington, Toppin is a restricted free agent.

Dončić has rejoined the team after missing two games for personal reasons, while James is back in the lineup after not playing in Friday’s loss to the Celtics. Their returns mean that Gabe Vincent and Jake LaRavia head back to the bench, with the latter offering a higher fantasy ceiling when used in a reserve role.

Embiid and George are good to go after being listed as probable on the initial injury report. While the latter’s availability does not necessitate a change to the lineup, since he played in Friday’s win over the Bucks, Embiid’s return means Andre Drummond will come off the bench. Also of note, Edgecombe’s minutes restriction should be lifted soon, but it probably won’t happen on Sunday.

Brooks, who has not missed a game since November 6, is dealing with a sore left Achilles tendon. If he’s unable to play on Monday, the Suns will likely turn to Ryan Dunn to fill the void in the starting lineup. Dunn would be worth a look in deep leagues, as the Suns won’t have Devin Booker available, either.

Livers’ last appearance in a game was on November 26. His absence does not affect fantasy basketball, as he is not guaranteed rotation minutes when healthy.

Monday’s game will be the third that Booker has missed since suffering a strained right groin during the Suns’ December 1 win over the Lakers. There is hope that he will be able to play in Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Thunder, but that isn’t guaranteed. Collin Gillespie should remain in the starting lineup, which has raised his fantasy ceiling.

Collins is good to go after the Bulls listed him as probable on the initial injury report. He’ll slot in as the backup center, with Nikola Vučević playing most of the available minutes as the starter.

Dosunmu is available after missing Friday’s loss to the Pacers with a thumb injury. He immediately moves back into the starting lineup, with Julian Phillips being pushed to the bench. That’s the lone change to the Bulls’ starting five.

The Warriors have made just one change to the lineup that began Saturday’s win over the Cavaliers. With Butler available, Jonathan Kuminga heads to the bench. While he should still play plenty, Kuminga’s fantasy ceiling is lowered with the move to the second unit.

Curry is officially available to play after sitting out Saturday’s win over the Cavaliers. With De’Anthony Melton and Jimmy Butler III also available, Gui Santos may be the one whose opportunities take the most significant hit. He played 27 minutes off the bench in Cleveland.

Initially questionable for Sunday’s game, Markkanen is officially out. His absence opens a spot in the starting lineup and significant usage, given his importance to the Jazz offense. Kyle Filipowski will move into the starting lineup alongside Jusuf Nurkić, raising his fantasy ceiling considerably. Also, look for Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks to figure more prominently in the rotation.