NBA Player News

As has been the case all summer, there was both good and bad from Queen. He recorded his third straight double-double, but he now has 17 turnovers to just seven assists in three games. Queen has a lot for fantasy managers to like, but he hasn’t taken care of the ball well this summer. The upside is there, but he has a long way to go before he’s going to be a player to consider drafting.

Both players are dealing with left hamstring strains, and neither are expected to take the court against Boston. Collin Sexton is the most obvious beneficiary of these absences, and Jaden Ivey will earn some extra run, too.

Smith is still dealing with a right calf strain, and it will keep him out for a third straight contest. Guerschon Yabusele and Nick Richards will fill in at center until Smith returns.

Poeltl could return to the court after nearly two months on the shelf, though he’ll surely be on a minutes restriction if he does. With Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) already ruled out, Sandro Mamukelashvili could be in line for big minutes.

CMB aggravated a lingering injury in Sunday’s matchup with the Pacers, and it will keep him out against Detroit. If Jakob Poeltl (back) returns, he’ll likely face a minutes restriction and share playing time with Sandro Mamukelashvili. Mamukelashvili is worth streaming on Wednesday for fantasy managers in need of big man stats.

Fantasy managers will have to wait a little longer to see Zu in a Pacers’ uniform, and it’s unlikely he sees a ton of run for Indiana down the stretch of a lost season. While Zubac is on the shelf, Jay Huff should continue to start at center.

The second-year man out of Memphis has offered quality minutes for the Cavaliers this season, and he’ll be rewarded by having his two-way contract converted into a standard deal. Tomlin is a valuable member of Cleveland’s rotation, but his production hasn’t been noteworthy in the world of fantasy hoops, so he can remain on the waiver wire.

Smart will eventually return to the bench when the Lakers are finally healthy, but for now, he’ll remain productive. This was his second straight game with at least 15 points after five straight scoring in single digits. Smart isn’t a reliable option for fantasy managers, but he is still capable of making an impact. This was the first leg of a back-to-back, so it would be surprising if Austin Reaves (calf) played against the Spurs on Tuesday. That could mean extra minutes for Smart.

The Lakers three-game winning streak came to an end, but James was able to remain productive. This was his third straight triple-double, and after turning it over 15 times across two games, he only coughed up the rock three times in this one. With Luka Dončić (hamstring) sidelined, James has stepped up as the Lakers’ primary playmaker. This was the first night of a back-to-back, and LeBron has played in both legs of their last two back-to-backs. Expect him to be out there against the Spurs on Tuesday.

Joe has been red-hot recently, though only as a reserve. Over his last four games, he has averaged 20.7 points in the three games he came off the bench and scored just two points in his lone start. Joe has taken on more minutes due to the all the injuries in the backcourt and has been a decent streaming option as of late. He’ll look to stay hot against the Suns on Wednesday.

After missing nearly a month with a hamstring injury, Williams was back in the lineup against Los Angeles. He was limited to 24 minutes, but he was able to make a strong impact despite a subpar shooting night. Nearly half his points came from the free throw line, which helped make up for his field goal percentage. Williams is typically able to contribute more value than he did in this game, but this was about getting him back on the floor. He’ll likely continue to have his minutes managed and should miss back-to-backs. OKC plays in Phoenix on Wednesday and against the Bucks on Thursday; expect Williams to play against the Suns.