NBA Player News

Curry was one of three Warriors starters to sit out Friday’s loss to the Thunder, with Brandin Podziemski replacing him in the starting lineup. Podziemski would return to the bench if Curry plays against Utah, lowering his fantasy ceiling.

Inserted into the starting lineup due to Aaron Wiggins being out, Mitchell played 25 minutes before exiting with a right hip contusion. The second-year guard was productive while on the floor, finishing with 18 points (8-of-12 FGs), three rebounds, two assists, two steals and two three-pointers in 25 minutes.

For managers seeking players who could potentially offer value during the “silly season,” Peavy may be one of those options. The rookie out of Georgetown scored a season-high 17 points and recorded a complete stat line on Wednesday. While the Pelicans have no reason to tank, as they don’t control their 2026 first-round pick, there may be a desire later in the season to evaluate Peavy further. There’s no need to add him now, but keep the rookie on your radar.

Give the Pistons credit for their work on the defensive end, with Murphy requiring 19 shots from the field to score 17 points. He remains, by a considerable distance, the best fantasy option on the Pelicans’ roster, and that isn’t changing anytime soon. As long as Murphy’s healthy, he’ll provide excellent fantasy value regardless of league format. On Wednesday, he ran into one of the best teams in the NBA.

Bey didn’t have a great night shooting from the field, but he was a perfect 11-of-11 from the foul line. He’s scored 20 points or more in 11 games this season, going from “fantasy afterthought” to someone who needs to be rostered in deep leagues. At a minimum, Bey should remain in the starting lineup as long as the Pelicans remain without Herb Jones (ankle).

Given the expectations of many fantasy managers, Thompson’s season has been underwhelming in that regard. But he had a solid night in New Orleans, shooting 50 percent from the field and finishing one rebound shy of a double-double. And even with the limited scoring output, Thompson has been close to a top-75 payer over the past two weeks.

Due to Cade Cunningham being out, Jenkins made his seventh start of the season on Wednesday. As has been the case on multiple occasions this season, the second-year guard answered when his name was called. All that Jenkins’ stat line missed was a blocked shot. If Cunningham misses more time, the former St. John’s standout will be worth streaming in deep leagues.

With Cade Cunningham unavailable due to illness and a hip injury, the Pistons needed others to step up. Duren was at the top of the list, and the center was dominant in New Orleans. For the fourth time this season, Duren finished a game with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds. Add in the defensive stats and assists, and Wednesday was an excellent night for those who have Duren rostered.

Since grabbing 12 rebounds in a December 30 loss to the 76ers, Jackson has recorded six rebounds or more in three of his last nine appearances. That includes Wednesday’s six-rebound performance, one that was plagued by foul trouble. And the fouls weren’t limited to the defensive end of the floor, as there were a couple called due to illegal screens. Jackson has been a top-50 player over the past two weeks, and having Ja Morant on the floor should help, but the rebounding and fouls need to be cleaned up.

After six consecutive games of ten points or less, Wells snapped out of his slump on Wednesday. During that six-game run, the second-year guard shot 25.5 percent from the field, which obviously isn’t going to get it done for the Grizzlies or for fantasy managers. And Wednesday’s 18-point night occurred on a night when the guard shot 6-of-16 from the field. Wells is rostered in nine percent of Yahoo! leagues and with good reason, as the production has been inconsistent to put it kindly.

Playing stateside for the first time since January 2, Morant finished Wednesday’s defeat with his third double-double in as many appearances and eighth of the season. The Grizzlies’ point guard had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but his three-point attempt missed the mark. Morant did commit five turnovers, but that was the lone negative. Overall, he’s been very good in his first two games back from injury, a positive development for those who have Morant rostered.