NBA Player News

The 6-foot-4, 206-pound guard played four seasons at North Florida before transferring to Tennessee for his final collegiate season. Lanier averaged 18 points, 3.9 boards, 1.1 assists and 0.9 steals last season and took home the Jerry West award for the country’s best shooting guard. He’s a strong defender, but his biggest strength is outside shooting. Lanier knocked down 3.2 triples on 39.5 percent shooting last season, and he shot at least 39 percent from beyond the arc in his last three seasons. Adding a scorer of Lanier’s caliber can help the Pistons account for the potential loss of either Tim Hardaway Jr. or Malik Beasley in free agency.

Eason sprained his right ankle during the third quarter of Friday’s loss to the Trail Blazers and did not return. While Dorian Finney-Smith is available, Reed Sheppard is the player whose minutes increased the most after Eason’s exit.

Bouyea’s absence does not affect fantasy basketball, especially since Grayson Allen has returned to action.

Murray was one of many Nuggets who did not play in Friday’s loss to the Hawks. Jalen Pickett replaced him in the starting lineup and would do so again if Murray can’t play on Sunday.

Jones did not play in Friday’s loss to the Hawks, with Hunter Tyson being tabbed to fill the void in the starting lineup. If Jones remains out and the Nuggets decide to keep Aaron Gordon in a reserve role, Tyson should get another start on Sunday.

Gordon played 24 minutes off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Hawks and should take on a similar workload on Sunday. The Nuggets have taken a conservative approach to his playing time, with Hunter Tyson starting on Friday since Spencer Jones (ankle, illness) was out.

Collins has been out since late December with a sprained left big toe. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said on Saturday that the 6-foot-11 forward/center suffered a “pretty significant sprain” and will remain in a walking boot for the foreseeable future. Surgery isn’t currently on the table, but the team has been seeking additional opinions on Collins’ injury. Chicago will continue to rely on Jalen Smith to absorb most of the backup center minutes.

The Pistons won’t have multiple players for Saturday’s game, including Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart. As a result, Ivey will make another start at point guard, while Green slides into the lineup to replace Stewart. Reed is the starting center, and the opportunity makes him a worthwhile streamer.

Braun is back on the injury report, but the probable tag suggests that he’ll be able to play. However, his minutes may be managed by the Nuggets’ coaching staff due to the time missed with a sprained ankle.

Smith is officially back after a two-game absence. He was in the starting lineup before the injury and could return to that role on Saturday. If Smith starts, Kevin Huerter would come off the bench. Also, Lachlan Olbrich will likely fall out of the rotation entirely.

Huerter was ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Heat, but he did not officially miss a game since it was postponed. Since Coby White and Jalen Smith are also available, Huerter could be used in a reserve role on Saturday.