NBA Player News

Hachimura and Austin Reaves (17/7/4/1/2 with five three-pointers) combined to shoot 10-of-22 from beyond the arc in Game 4, providing solid shooting alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic. And this was a needed effort for the former, as he totaled 28 points in the first three games of the series. The Game 4 version of Hachimura is who needs to show up for Game 5 on Wednesday, as the Lakers are a loss away from elimination.

Traditionally a player whom fantasy managers could count on to approach top-50 value, DeRozan has not played to that standard thus far. While his scoring and three-point production were solid on Sunday, his point and assist averages have decreased compared to the 2024-25 numbers. With Zach LaVine in the fold for a full season and the Kings adding Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook as free agents, there are more options for DeRozan to contend with. And that doesn’t factor in the eventual return of Keegan Murray from a preseason thumb injury. DeRozan will still be a valuable option in standard leagues, but getting back to top-50 status will be challenging.

Sabonis was back on the floor after missing two games with a rib contusion. While there were times when his discomfort was visible, the Kings center played 30 minutes and recorded his seventh double-double in as many appearances. Sabonis struggled from the field on Sunday, as the Timberwolves were able to force him to play in a crowd consistently, but frequent trips to the foul line boosted the final point tally. Also, Sabonis attempted a season-high 17 shots, the second time he’s had at least 15 attempts. That level of activity may be required for Sabonis to meet his lofty Yahoo! ADP of 18. And it could be tough to pull off due to the other scorers in the Kings’ rotation.

Finishing with his fourth double-double of the season, Gobert had one of his best performances of the season on Sunday. Not only did he shoot 90 percent from the field, but the Timberwolves center recorded a season-high five blocked shots. Thus far, Gobert’s fantasy value has been underwhelming, mainly because he’s averaging 9.9 rebounds per game. While that isn’t a “bad” number, he averaged at least 10.9 boards in seven straight and nine of his previous 10 seasons. Being more active on the glass will go a long way toward getting Gobert’s fantasy value back to where many expect it to be.

McDaniels has scored either 21 or 22 points in three of his last four games, and he’s produced five games of at least 20 points this season. By comparison, he had 12 games of 20 points or more for the entire 2024-25 season. McDaniels is averaging a career-high 12.7 shot attempts per game and shooting 55.9 percent from the field, which is one reason why he’s providing third-round value in nine-cat formats. The Timberwolves play three games during Week 4, starting with the Jazz on Monday.

After shooting 5-of-13 from the field in his first game back from a strained hamstring, Edwards has totaled 63 points on 19-of-37 shooting. Of course, some will point out that neither Utah nor Sacramento is on par with the Knicks team that Ant-Man faced in his first game back. However, how sharp he’s looked over the last two games should not be ignored. And the Week 4 schedule works in Edwards’ favor, provided he’s available for Monday’s game against Utah. Following that, the Timberwolves don’t play again until a Friday/Saturday back-to-back to end Week 4.

Schröder appeared to sprain his left ankle during the second quarter when he stepped on the foot of Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo while attempting a layup, with his ankle “rolling” inward instead of out. While Schröder remained in the game, he was a shell of himself from that point onward. And with the Kings beginning Week 4 with a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back, this may impact Schröder’s availability. Russell Westbrook would be the next man up, and he finished Sunday’s defeat with six points (2-of-7 FGs), one assist, one steal, one block and two three-pointers in 16 minutes off the bench.

Nembhard finished Sunday’s defeat with a solid assist tally, but the field-goal percentage took a beating in Indiana’s final game of the week. However, the fact that he played 30 minutes or more in both games of the Pacers’ weekend back-to-back is far more critical, given the time he missed with a shoulder injury. Plus, Indiana was without Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith on Sunday, which has to be factored into Nembhard’s poor shooting. He should get better looks when Siakam is on the floor. Indiana plays three games during Week 4, starting with the Jazz on Tuesday.

According to Cleaning the Glass, Huff has played 21 percent of his minutes this season at power forward, and that was his role on Sunday. He recorded his first double-double of the season, hitting double digits in scoring for the second time and in rebounds for the first. Isaiah Jackson (12/6/1/0/1 in 21 minutes) also recorded a solid stat line, but he and Huff played 21 and 22 minutes, respectively. That’s the issue for both, especially with Pascal Siakam returning after sitting out Sunday’s game for rest reasons. Jackson is the player whom more fantasy managers have invested in, but Huff has provided greater fantasy value.

Richard has reached double figures in three straight games, which have coincided with Stephen Curry’s absence due to illness. The opportunities haven’t been consistent enough for the rookie to remain rostered in fantasy leagues, but he’s becoming a player who’s at least worthy of a look on nights when the Warriors aren’t at full strength. And another such day may be on the horizon, as Golden State begins Week 4 with a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back, and neither game will be nationally televised.