NBA Player News

After playing 21 and 19 minutes in his first two appearances of the season, Collins logged 20 minutes on Friday. While the production was good, the true attention-grabber was the fact that he was part of the Bulls’ closing lineup, with starting center Nikola Vučević (13/3/4 with one block and one three-pointer in 22 minutes) watching from the bench despite not being in foul trouble. With Jalen Smith (5/10/1/1/1 with one three-pointer) playing 17 minutes and sharing the court with Collins at times, this is a position to monitor in the short term. Chicago sticking with this setup would make Collins worthy of a look in deep leagues.

Initially considered questionable, Dosunmu will miss a third straight game due to injuries to both thumbs. Kevin Huerter should figure more prominently in the Bulls’ rotation, but he isn’t worth the risk in most fantasy leagues when coming off the bench.

Green has missed Milwaukee’s last three games as he recovers from a sprained left AC joint. Kyle Kuzma has filled the void in the starting lineup, but he’s questionable for Thursday’s game due to illness. Gary Trent Jr. and Gary Harris would figure more prominently in the rotation if Green and Kuzma sit, with Trent Jr. being the superior streaming option.

Anthony is dealing with a strained neck, casting some doubt on his availability for Thursday’s game. He’ll only impact fantasy basketball if AJ Green (shoulder) remains out and Kyle Kuzma (illness) also sits. There’s no need to consider adding Anthony.

Niederhäuser’s absence does not affect fantasy basketball, as he is not guaranteed to play rotation minutes when available. He should only be rostered in dynasty leagues.

Harden played through the calf issue on Monday but was a shell of himself in a blowout loss to the Grizzlies. Bogdan Bogdanović could be the replacement in the starting lineup, which would raise his fantasy ceiling. Also, Kris Dunn’s usage should increase slightly with Harden unavailable.

Barrett was expected to begin the return-to-play process this week, and there’s still more work to be done before he’s cleared to play in games. Ochai Agbaji has been his most recent replacement in the starting lineup, with Ja’Kobe Walter also making multiple starts. Neither player has been consistent enough to merit being streamed in most leagues.

After being held out of a December 3 loss to the Lakers, Poeltl has played in Toronto’s last four games. The probable tag suggests that he’ll be available on Thursday, meaning that Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles would miss out on potential boosts to their fantasy values.

Edwards will miss a third straight game due to right foot injury management. Bones Hyland has started the last two games and should retain that role. While he isn’t a reliable fantasy option, Bones is worth the risk in deep leagues on a two-game night.

Hardaway played a season-high 39 minutes in Monday’s win over the Rockets, starting the second half due to Peyton Watson’s early exit. If Watson can’t play on Thursday, Hardaway could be moved into the starting lineup, provided he’s healthy. If so, he would be worth streaming in deep leagues.

Watson exited Monday’s win over the Rockets during the first half after suffering a right trunk contusion. If he’s unable to play against Orlando, there would be an opening in the starting lineup. Tim Hardaway Jr., who started the third quarter on Monday, is the most likely candidate to fill the void. However, he is also questionable for Thursday due to illness.