NBA Player News

Edwards, who has missed the Timberwolves’ last four games with a strained right hamstring, participated in Tuesday’s practice. How his hamstring reacts to the session will likely dictate whether or not he plays. If Ant-Man can play on Wednesday, Mike Conley will return to the bench.

Cunningham returned after missing Detroit’s last three games, and he made his presence felt immediately. With the Pistons leading by just two points with 90 seconds left, Cade hit back-to-back tough shots to extend the lead and secure the win, which was their 11th in a row. His shooting percentage is down, but he is averaging career-highs in points, assists and steals per game this season. It has been a team effort to sit atop the Eastern Conference early on, but when the game comes down to the wire, it’s clear it’s Cunningham’s team.

Both Cade Cunningham (hip) and Ausar Thompson (ankle) returned for this game, but Jenkins remained a starter. He has played really well and certainly earned it, but Thompson returning from a four-game absence was also a factor. Jenkins should still be part of the rotation, but it is unlikely that he remains in the starting unit, much longer, especially with Jaden Ivey (knee) getting closer to a return.

Duren’s double-double streak came to an end, but he was still able to make a big impact as a scorer, as he has all month. In November, he has scored at least 20 points in six of his eight appearances, with three 30-point performances included. He’s averaging career-highs in points and rebounds, which has led to a dominant fantasy season from him to this point.

The absences of Zaccharie Risacher (hip) and Kristaps Porziņģis, plus some foul trouble for Onyeka Okongwu, led to Gueye playing an extended role off the bench. Gueye has had some other strong performances this year, though they have generally come when Jalen Johnson is out. It was good to see him have a nice game off the bench, and they needed his impact on the glass, but he isn’t worth rostering unless Johnson is sidelined.

Tuesday’s game was the first for Memphis since losing Ja Morant to a strained calf, and Williams was head coach Tuomas Iisalo’s pick to move into the starting lineup. Result aside, this was a good night for the former second-round pick, who finished two rebounds and one assist shy of a triple-double. Williams only committed one turnover in his 30 minutes, which is especially concerning. On the heels of this performance, he’s worth picking up in deep leagues.

With Ja Morant (calf) out for at least two weeks, Spencer is one of the Grizzlies who will be asked to pick up the slack. The second-year guard had a good night in San Antonio, shooting 60 percent from the field and dishing out three assists. Spencer’s 24 minutes were the second-most among the Grizzlies’ reserves, which bodes well for his deep-league streaming potential. While he isn’t a must-add, keep an eye on Spencer.

Jackson had a decent night scoring-wise, but the lack of defensive stats is concerning for a player who has been a mediocre rebounder. Counting Tuesday, he’s averaging 1.3 blocks per game, and this would be the third straight season in which JJJ has averaged fewer than two if that were to hold. Not only has his value in redraft leagues been disappointing so far, but dynasty managers can’t be thrilled with Jackson, either.

Coward struggled in the first half, scoring just three points. The rookie was far better after halftime, finishing with his third double-double. Coward has hit double figures in scoring in six straight games, and he’s still providing top-100 value in nine-cat formats. He did not do much outside of points, rebounds and three-pointers on Tuesday, but the ability to change that is there with Ja Morant out for at least two weeks.

While Vassell did not shoot well on Tuesday, the assists and defensive stats are what should be the focus. With Stephon Castle (hip) out for at least one to two weeks, there should be more opportunities for Vassell to serve as a primary playmaker. That was the case on Tuesday, and he only committed one turnover. Vassell’s fantasy value has been low thus far, but Castle’s absence may be what he needs to get things headed in the right direction.

Two days removed from recording his first double-double of the season, Johnson stepped up with another solid outing in the second game the Spurs have played since losing Victor Wembanyama to a calf strain. He hasn’t been the best category league option for most of his NBA career, but Johnson may be worth a look with Wemby and Stephon Castle unavailable. However, one can’t blame those who may want to see more before committing, as Keldon is ranked just outside the top-150 in nine-cat formats. He’s rostered in just 10 percent of Yahoo! leagues, so he won’t be hard to find on waiver wires.