NBA Player News

Simons has scored 21 points or more in three of his last four, and the absence of Scoot Henderson (quad) has forced him to play more minutes. In those three games of 20 points or more, Simons played at least 37 minutes in each. He’s providing 7th-round value over the last week, a significant improvement compared to Simons’ season-long value.

Gafford will be out for a third straight game, which means more minutes for Dwight Powell, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Moussa Cisse. None of that trio is particularly appealing for fantasy basketball purposes.

Washington sat out Thursday with an ankle injury, and he’ll miss both legs of Dallas’ Saturday-Sunday back-to-back set due to personal reasons. Expect Caleb Martin to remain in the starting lineup.

Blak has been surging lately, and Sunday’s final tally - albeit in a loss - was another strong performance. The young guard didn’t offer another highlight-reel dunk over four defenders, but he led his team in the scoring department and posted solid peripheral numbers. If he’s somehow still available on the waiver wire, make sure to get him on your roster.

Banchero went 9-of-16 for 26 points in Thursday’s win, but he couldn’t match that efficiency on Sunday. Fortunately for fantasy managers, Banchero was solid as a rebounder and facilitator, which he has been throughout the 2025-26 campaign. He’ll look to get back on track in the scoring department when the Magic host the Hornets on Thursday.

Landale shifted to the bench in favor of Santi Aldama, but the latter delivered a pitiful 9/5/3 line with no defensive contributions. The points represent Landale’s second-highest total of the season, and he should remain active in Memphis’ rotation until Zach Edey (ankle) returns, whether as a starter or with the second unit.

Morant returned from a six-game injury and looked no worse for wear as he went off for 20 points, 10 dimes and four boards in the first half. Memphis cruised to victory in this one, and Morant could have had an even bigger night had this one been more competitive. The Grizzlies will travel home from their European road trip, and they won’t play again until Wednesday. Keep an eye on Morant’s status moving forward, as he’s been forced to miss significant time, and his name is still on the trade block.

The Clippers lost to the Raptors in OT on Friday, and they’ll finish up their three-game road trip with matchups against the Wizards on Monday and the Bulls on Tuesday. Leonard’s absence will free up more playing time for Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller.

Aldama hasn’t missed a game this season, and Sunday’s matchup in London won’t be any different. Expect him to handle his normal allotment of minutes against the Magic.

Morant will be available following a six-game absence, but it’s unclear if he’ll face a minutes restriction after a lengthy absence. Cam Spencer may retreat back to the bench, but given Morant’s recent availability and trade rumors, Spencer remains a hold.

Howard will not be available for the final game of Orlando’s two-game European trip. He hasn’t been in the rotation recently, picking up a DNP-CD in Thursday’s win over the Grizzlies in Berlin. Howard’s absence does not affect fantasy basketball.