NBA Player News

Payton did not play in Wednesday’s win over the Bucks, which factored into Gui Santos picking up a few additional minutes off the bench. Neither player has been productive enough to affect fantasy basketball this season.

Brunson did not play in Thursday’s loss to the Warriors after spraining his right ankle the night prior in Sacramento. Miles McBride scored 25 points and dished out six assists as the starting point guard, and he would be worth rostering if Brunson has to miss another game. For those who already have Deuce, he may be worth holding onto if the Knicks’ captain returns, given the team’s need for consistent bench production.

Mamukelashvili was held out of Wednesday’s win over the Pacers, leading the Raptors to go small whenever Collin Murray-Boyles wasn’t on the floor. Mamu’s likely return may result in fewer minutes for A.J. Lawson, who logged 17 on Wednesday.

Injured during Wednesday’s win over the Pacers, Battle was initially doubtful for Friday night. His absence will result in more minutes for Gradey Dick, who recorded 21 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday. That said, this does not make Gradey a player worth streaming in most leagues.

LaRavia shot the ball efficiently on Thursday en route to finishing as one of five Lakers to score in double figures. The first-year Laker also collected a couple of steals in his team-high 37 minutes and tied for the team lead in three-pointers. LaRavia scored in double figures for the sixth time in January and continues to have a really good stretch from a production standpoint. He’s rostered in only 21 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and could be a worthwhile roster addition for those managers looking for upside.

Dončić put up another high-scoring performance on Thursday, despite it coming in a lopsided defeat. Yet, the do-it-all guard struggled to make much of an impact when he wasn’t scoring. Dončić combined for just seven rebounds and assists, which marks the lowest since December 20 against the Clippers, a game in which he exited early due to injury. He limited his turnovers to just one on Thursday, a great improvement from the seven he had on Tuesday. Nonetheless, fantasy managers should expect Dončić to get back to his stat-stuffing ways fairly quickly.

James followed up his 31/9/10 outing against the Hawks with another well-rounded performance on Thursday. In his 33 minutes, he once again shot well from the floor and was efficient from the three-point line, as his impact as a rebounder and playmaker also carried over. The 41-year-old forward also gathered a few stocks before the final horn sounded, giving him lots of fantasy basketball production on the night. The Lakers will face the Trail Blazers on Saturday, where James will have a chance to log another big performance.

Miller was one of several Hornets players to have a productive night on the offensive end against the Lakers. He utilized the free-throw line and was productive both inside and outside the arc before finishing as Charlotte’s second-leading scorer for the game. Miller also tallied three stocks on defense to further boost his solid final line and provide fantasy managers with more production.

Bridges did a bit of everything in the Hornets’ victory, making contributions as a scorer, rebounder and facilitator on Thursday. The veteran forward had a great impact from beyond the arc, where he combined for more makes against the Lakers than he had total over the previous two games. His three-point outburst was part of a night in which the Hornets amassed 20 three-pointers as a team to put the Lakers’ defense in a tough spot. Bridges will have a chance to put together another strong stat line against the Warriors on Saturday.

Ball’s strong scoring performance on Thursday marked the second time in the past four games that he’s recorded at least 30 points, and the second time over the past three games he’s notched 25 or more points. The three-point shot was the focal point again on Thursday, as he set a new season-high in makes. Ball also reached double figures in assists to land his sixth double-double of the season, but the recent scoring uptick has been the real story for Ball, who began 2026 with four straight games under 20 points. He continues to play well and has brought strong fantasy production in the process.

Grant returned to the floor for the first time in nearly a month on Thursday and provided the Blazers’ bench with a nice scoring boost. In just 23 minutes, the veteran forward utilized the free-throw line to help rack up points and ultimately finish as Portland’s second-leading scorer on the night. Grant also added a pair of blocks and a few assists along the way to provide a bit more fantasy production. How his role develops as the Blazers get healthier will be noteworthy from a fantasy basketball perspective.