NBA Player News

While the 6-foot-11 Huntley may not have been on most draft radars, he performed well during the pre-draft process. During his final season at Appalachian State, he averaged 15.7 points and eight rebounds per game, ranking within the top-10 in the Sun Belt in both statistical categories. Huntley will likely spend most of his time in the G League, especially with Phoenix adding Mark Williams and Khaman Maluach over the last two days.

Batum did not practice on Sunday and is listed as inactive for Monday’s game. His absence does not affect fantasy basketball, but it may lead to a few more minutes for fellow reserve Kobe Brown.

Pritchard has struggled with his shot since the calendar flipped to December. Counting Monday’s 5-of-14 performance, he’s shooting 37.9 percent from the field in six games. The good news for fantasy managers is that Pritchard has provided solid value in rebounds and assists, allowing him to hold onto top-150 value in eight-cat formats in December. Pritchard’s season-long value places him just outside the top-100, well below his Yahoo! ADP (67).

After scoring 33 points in the first quarter, the Celtics were limited to 24 in each of the final three periods. That was the difference, even with White getting hot and shooting 5-of-8 from the field in the fourth quarter. The 31 points were a season-high for the Celtics guard, who last hit the 30-point mark in a December 4 win over the Wizards. While Jaylen Brown does more scoring, White remains the superior option in category leagues, especially those that factor in turnovers.

Aside from his foul shooting, fantasy managers who have Brown rostered don’t have anything to complain about regarding his performance on Monday. He’s scored at least 30 points in five straight games, his most productive scoring run of the season. Remove the turnovers, of which Brown had four against the Pistons, and he’s approaching top-25 value in eight-cat formats. As long as the Celtics are without Jayson Tatum, there’s a high likelihood that Brown will keep producing gaudy stat lines.

While he hasn’t missed a game since making his season debut on November 22, Ivey notched an important achievement on Monday. For the first time this season, the Pistons guard played at least 20 minutes in a game, logging 21. Ivey’s stat line was only missing a blocked shot, and the overall production was solid, aside from the field-goal percentage. A return to the starting lineup may not be in the cards for Ivey anytime soon, but he’s capable of providing solid value once he gets to 25 minutes per game.

Harris didn’t finish Monday’s victory with the most prolific stat line, but he was the only other Pistons starter to join Cade Cunningham in double figures. Over the past two weeks, the veteran forward’s fantasy value has slipped, a byproduct of limited defensive production and Harris shooting 40.9 percent from the field. While he has shown himself capable of providing excellent fantasy value in the past, Detroit’s depth limits Harris’ ceiling, and his floor may also take a hit.

At times, the fourth quarter of Monday’s game felt like a duel between Cunningham and Boston’s Derrick White, with both knocking down critical shots in crunch time. Alas, “The MotorCade” came out on top, helping push the Pistons to a conference-best 21-5 record. Cunningham’s double-double was his 13th of the season, and he’s scored at least 30 points in eight of the 23 games he’s played. In seasons past, Cade has been far more valuable in eight-cat formats and turnover-punt builds. But he’s closed the gap, which is why he’s been so much more beneficial to fantasy managers this season, regardless of league format.

Hauser, who missed his lone shot attempt and did not record any other statistics, headed to the locker room immediately after spraining his left ankle. The Celtics announced that the forward was questionable to return, but he never did. Hugo González (five points, five rebounds and one three-pointer in 16 minutes) and Baylor Scheierman (one assist in 15 minutes) picked up a few additional minutes in Hauser’s absence, with Jordan Walsh’s (eight points, six rebounds, two steals and one three-pointer in 18 minutes) foul trouble also impacting their playing time.

Despite being ruled out, Clarke’s initial status as “doubtful” ahead of Monday’s game indicates that a return from knee surgery could be very near. Once he returns, he’ll have an opportunity to join the rotation quickly, as Zach Edey is set to miss multiple weeks with an ankle injury. The Grizzlies have won five of their last seven games and have a chance to earn their third win of the season over the Clippers.

Harden is now officially available for Monday’s game. Fantasy managers can slot him into their lineups as they usually would. Bogdan Bogdanović misses out on a boost to his fantasy value and should not be rostered in most leagues.