NBA Player News

Towns wasn’t on the initial injury report, but there is a chance he misses Friday’s game. Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is also questionable and would likely start if he plays and KAT doesn’t. However, if both are sidelined, the starting job would likely fall to Ariel Hukporti.

Jaquez will remain out for a second straight game, which will leave open minutes off the bench. Kasparas Jakucionis played 27 minutes on Thursday, leading all Heat reserves. Nikola Jovic and Simone Fontecchio also should take on extra minutes with Jaquez still out.

If Herro is sidelined, there will be a second spot open in the starting lineup, with Davion Mitchell (shoulder) already out. Kel’el Ware started during Herro’s most recent absence, though Dru Smith and Kasparas Jakucionis should also see a bump in minutes of Herro is unavailable.

Ellis is a late addition to the injury report. However, it shouldn’t impact the Kings’ rotation much if he isn’t able to suit up; over their last three games, he’s averaged under eight minutes per game. Malik Monk may see a few extra minutes if Ellis is unavailable.

Coulibaly played the first ten minutes of Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers before leaving with lower back tightness. Already ruled out for Friday’s game against the Kings, he has traveled back to Washington to begin treatment. With Coulibaly out for the final game of the road trip, rookie Will Riley should see extended minutes in both games of the back-to-back. While not a must-stream player, Riley is worth watching with an eye toward the “silly season.”

Santos sprained his left ankle during the first half of Thursday’s win over the Knicks and did not return. While he will not play on Saturday, the Warriors do not expect this to become a long-term issue. Will Richard should see an increase in his minutes off the bench, but the rookie is not worth rostering in redraft leagues.

After missing 23 games with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain, Braun played three games before heading back to the sidelines. He’s missed the last three games, and it’s likely going to be a little while before he’s back on the court. During Friday’s practice, Braun was limited to non-contact work. Following the session, Nuggets head coach David Adelman said the team will be patient with Braun’s return. The absence of Braun and Cameron Johnson (knee) is all the more reason to add Peyton Watson if he’s available.

Adams played 25 minutes off the bench in Thursday’s loss to the Thunder. His absence from the injury report means he’ll be available for both ends of a back-to-back for the first time this season. Alperen Şengün is locked in as the starting center, which limits Adams’ fantasy upside.

Finney-Smith is back after missing Houston’s last two games for injury management reasons. His return will likely mean fewer minutes for Reed Sheppard and JD Davison, with the latter possibly falling out of the rotation entirely.

Eason has missed Houston’s last three games, most recently sitting out Thursday’s loss to the Thunder. Josh Okogie has started the previous two, but his production in that role has been limited. Okogie losing minutes to Eason would not affect fantasy basketball, as he should not be rostered in most leagues.

Sabonis, who has been out since November 16, was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. His return affects Maxime Raynaud the most, as the second-round pick has served as the starting center in Sabonis’ absence. However, fantasy managers may want to exercise a little patience with the rookie. Sabonis is one of the veteran Kings whose name has been mentioned in trade rumors, and a return to action could kick things up in that regard.