NBA Player News

Proctor was 4-of-14 from behind the three-point line, but a perfect 9-of-9 on free throws. The 21-year-old shooting guard dropped a game-high 35 points after debuting in Summer League last week. After a productive three-year career at Duke, Proctor will be in the mix for a bench role with the Cavaliers next season.

The Grizzlies will be down numerous rotation guards for Saturday’s game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is available, so he should figure prominently in the rotation, whether he starts or comes off the bench. Also, look for Jahmai Mashack to get more opportunities after playing solid minutes in Friday’s loss to Portland.

Coward was initially listed as doubtful with shoulder soreness for Saturday’s game against the Trail Blazers, so his absence isn’t a surprise. There are a number of Grizzlies who could take on minutes vacated by Coward, which includes the newly acquired Kyle Anderson.

Spencer was initially questionable with right ankle soreness and has since been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Trail Blazers. Javon Small and Walter Clayton Jr. should fill in the vacated minutes, though neither of them are worth rostering in fantasy leagues.

For the few who had Bagley rostered, his Mavericks debut went about as well as one could hope. Despite coming off the bench, he played 24 minutes, six more than starter Daniel Gafford (nine points, four rebounds and two assists), who was in foul trouble for most of the night. Even if the minutes were reversed, Bagley offers solid fantasy upside in Dallas. Deep-league managers should consider picking him up, with Dallas playing four games in Week 17.

Making his first appearance since being traded to Dallas, Jones played 17 minutes on Saturday. While the assist production was excellent, he’s in a challenging spot as far as fantasy relevance is concerned. The basketball will be in Cooper Flagg’s (14/4/4 with two three-pointers) hands a lot as he continues to develop as a pro. So even if Jones were to move into the starting lineup at some point, he would not be worth the risk unless there’s a dire need for assists.

Thompson turned back the clock during the second quarter of Saturday’s game, scoring 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. The Spurs did a better job of defending Thompson during the second half, but the final stat line was solid. Unfortunately for the few who hold out hope that Klay can achieve fantasy relevance, he wasn’t moved at the trade deadline. Getting to a team with postseason ambitions may have given him a better shot at providing value later in the season.

In the first six games he played afer returning from a strained adductor, Vassell averaged 10.7 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field. Saturday’s performance was his best since the injury, with the Spurs’ wing also providing solid value in the rebound and assist categories. San Antonio’s Week 17 starts with games on Tuesday and Wednesday, so Vassell managers may only get three games out of him instead of four.

While he took a back seat to Stephon Castle on Saturday, Wembanyama was still impactful on both ends of the floor. The three blocks don’t do the third-year center justice, as there were other occasions when Mavericks players passed up shots because of Wemby’s presence. With Saturday’s game not being as close as the 138-125 final score would indicate, the Spurs only needed to play Wembanyama 27 minutes.

The second meeting in three days between the Mavericks and Spurs was dominated by Castle, who made some history. The second-year guard became the first player in franchise history to record a 40-point triple-double with points, rebounds and assists. Castle joins David Robinson as Spurs players with a 40-point triple-double; The Admiral recorded his with points, rebounds and blocks. While Castle recorded six turnovers, their impact was muted by his all-around production. The Spurs play four games in Week 17, starting with a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back before the All-Star break.