NBA Player News

The No. 5 overall pick’s Summer League debut certainly wasn’t flawless, but it was a positive step. He spent most of his time off the ball, which is a role he can be effective in immediately. He also showcased his shot-blocking ability. Even if it wasn’t the best shooting night for him, it was good to see Bailey out on the floor in a Jazz uniform and playing a role that will maximize him early on. The shots will start to fall.

LaVine was not on the initial injury report released by the Kings. If he’s unable to play, rookie Nique Clifford may be the player picked to move into the starting lineup. It may also mean that there’s room for Malik Monk and Keon Ellis in the rotation, but don’t bet on that happening.

Mitchell topped 30 points for the second consecutive contest as he hoisted a season-high 30 shot attempts while also dishing out nine assists. It was an impressive all-around effort for the 29-year-old fantasy star as he continues to deliver first-round fantasy value, averaging 29.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.2 blocks through 43 games. The Cavaliers have a rematch against the Magic on Monday before closing out a four-game week with matchups against the Lakers, Suns and Trail Blazers.

It’s been a frustrating season for Banchero and the Magic as they’ve consistently struggled to generate enough offense to turn things around. The 23-year-old playmaker has scored at least 20 points in seven of 10 games since Janaury 1, but the Magic are just 4-6 overall during that span. He’s dropped from 25.9 points per-game last season to just 21.1 through 34 contests this season. The Magic have a rematch against the Cavaliers on Monday before facing the Heat, Raptors and Spurs to close out a four-game week.

Tyson has been hot-and-cold from a scoring standpoint but he’s scored in double figures in eight consecutive games since January 10. It looked like he was on the verge of a monster performance, supplying 15 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. He cooled off considerably in the final two quarters, notching just two points. The 23-year-old has made a significant leap this season, morphing into a borderline top-100 overall fantasy contributor.

Orlando’s marquee offseason addition, Bane has been a consistent scoring threat, averaging 18.9 points through 44 games in his Magic debut. The 27-year-old guard has struggled from three-point range this season and was just 2-of-6 from downtown in this one. Simply put, Bane and Banchero haven’t supplied enough from an offensive standpoint which makes it critical to get Franz Wagner (ankle) back as quickly as possible.

Proctor was perfect from the floor and came up just a couple points shy of matching his previous season-high mark, despite playing just nine minutes off the bench in this one. The 21-year-old guard has gotten some additional run while Darius Garland (toe) remains sidelined, but he can be safely ignored in most fantasy leagues.

Bassey is back with the franchise that selected him with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 draft. While he himself may not affect fantasy basketball, this is a critical transaction regarding Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. With the 76ers now on 15 standard contracts, Barlow and Walker can be active for games without concern about the 50-game limit on players on two-way contracts.

Due to a sore right ankle, Quickley is a late addition to the Raptors’ injury report. If he’s unable to play against the Thunder, Jamal Shead is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup. However, with RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram available, there isn’t much to gain from streaming Shead.

While Traoré’s absence won’t affect fantasy basketball, it does free up minutes on the back end of the Nets’ rotation. Terance Mann, who did not play in Friday’s double-overtime loss to the Celtics, may re-enter the rotation on Sunday. Another possibility is that rookie Ben Saraf, who last played in an NBA game on December 6, gets a few minutes since he’s not on assignment with the Nets’ G League affiliate.

While hamstring injuries have been the reason given for limiting Thomas’ playing time in the past, a sprained left ankle sidelines him for the first game of the Nets’ road trip. Drake Powell’s playing time may increase after he logged 20 minutes in Friday’s double-overtime loss to the Celtics. If it isn’t “silly season” already in Brooklyn, it’s approaching.