NBA Player News

A free agent after being waived by the Clippers just before the start of summer league, Miller did what’s expected of returning players throughout his time in Las Vegas. While Sunday’s blowout defeat was a disappointing conclusion for his team, the 2023 second-round pick was efficient offensively against the Grizzlies. In the Clippers’ first four games, Miller averaged 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 three-pointers while shooting 49 percent from the field. The Clippers have filled all three of their two-way slots, so Miller may be looking at an Exhibit 10 deal that gets him into training camp if he’s unable to land in a better situation elsewhere.

Hitting double figures in points for the third time this season, Hendricks recorded his first career 20-point game on Sunday. With Lauri Markkanen (illness) being out, there were more opportunities available to the third-year forward despite his coming off the bench. Hendricks has not reached the point where he’s worth rostering in most fantasy leagues, but that could change as the season progresses, especially with the Jazz still rebuilding.

Filipowski, who has hit double figures in five straight games, achieved two firsts on Sunday. In addition to recording his first 20-point game, the second-year center finished with his first double-double of the season. With Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkić each missing a game, Filipowski has provided third-round fantasy value over the past week. While he can certainly be a “silly season” standout, Filipowski has the potential to provide added value well before the season reaches that point.

A double-digit scorer in three straight games, Clayton finished Sunday’s defeat with career-highs in points and assists. With Keyonte George (8/5/3/0/1) struggling and Isaiah Collier (one assist) only playing six minutes, it was Clayton’s show for most of the second half. The rookie guard had an encouraging effort, but it’s unlikely to mean much regarding his fantasy value in the short term. However, there may come a time later in the season when the Jazz look to feature Clayton more as the rebuild moves forward.

Williams isn’t always in a position to provide tangible fantasy value. However, the combination of blowout victories and some key injuries has freed up additional minutes for “Kenny Hustle.” He’s played at least 17 minutes in three straight games, with Sunday’s performance being the most productive. How much he plays moving forward depends partially on the availability of Isaiah Hartenstein, who has missed the last five games with a strained calf. There’s no need to add Williams ahead of what may be a two-game week for the Thunder, but he’s worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues.

Sunday’s performance was the best for Wiggins since returning from an adductor strain that sidelined him for 11 games. And this was the third outing in which he made at least five three-pointers. Shooting 60 percent from the field, Wiggins has provided top-100 fantasy value over the past week, receiving a boost due to the absences of Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso. He’ll continue to have added value if those two can’t play in Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Suns.

In his fifth appearance of the season, Williams recorded a season-high point total on Sunday. The only thing missing from his final stat line was a blocked shot, but that should not concern any fantasy managers. Thus far, Williams is providing third-round fantasy value in eight-cat formats, which isn’t far away from his Yahoo! ADP (26). Next up for J-Dub and the Thunder is an NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup with the Suns on Wednesday.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (elbow) getting the night off, Holmgren was one of the players Oklahoma City relied on for added production on Sunday. However, with the Thunder blowing Utah’s doors off, he only played 23 minutes. Given Holmgren’s final line, there are undoubtedly some fantasy managers wondering what he could have done against a more formidable opponent. Next up for Oklahoma City is an NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Suns on Wednesday.

With Edgecombe playing 24 minutes in each of his three prior appearances, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said before Sunday’s game that the rookie’s minutes limit would increase “soon.” Sunday must have qualified as “soon,” since Edgecombe played 38 minutes against the Lakers. While the stat line wasn’t great, this is a spot where the increased playing time should be the focus. And with the 76ers off until Friday, Edgecombe has some time to work on his conditioning.

Embiid had a rough night shooting the basketball. In addition to missing all six of his three-point attempts, the 7-footer shot 4-of-15 from inside the arc. Many of his attempts came in the mid-range, and explosiveness seems to still be an issue in the paint. However, fantasy managers should be encouraged by Embiid playing 30 minutes, the second time he’s hit that number this season. The 76ers are off until Friday; hopefully, that time off will help Embiid as he works to get back to full strength.

On a night when Joel Embiid and Paul George (12/6/3/1) combined to score 28 points on 7-of-29 shooting, Maxey did his best to keep the 76ers afloat. Unfortunately for him, another poor third quarter did in the 76ers, with the Lakers winning the period by a 34-24 margin. Maxey finished with another excellent stat line, and he continues to provide top-five value in eight- and nine-cat formats. The 76ers play games on Friday and Sunday during Week 8, starting with the Pacers at home.