NBA Player News

There weren’t many who believed Warriors head coach Steve Kerr when he said after Monday’s win over the Heat that he could turn to Kuminga if need be, with Jimmy Butler III (knee) done for the season. Well, Kuminga checked into Tuesday’s game at the start of the second quarter and provided excellent contributions in his 21 minutes. The Warriors forward scored 12 points in the third quarter alone, helping make the game somewhat competitive after Golden State fell behind by 29. With Kuminga get legitimate chances to contribute? Or will this be a “shop window” phase in which the team looks to boost his trade value ahead of the February 5 deadline? Regardless of the answer, Kuminga getting the chance to play is huge after being shelved for 16 straight.

Monk is back after missing Friday’s win over the Pelicans for personal reasons. He’ll provide depth and production off the bench, and his return is likely to result in fewer minutes for Daeqwon Plowden.

Santos was not fully healthy in Thursday’s loss to the Cavaliers, but he still logged 31 minutes and scored 25 points. Stephen Curry (knee) is expected to return, but his playing time will be restricted. Santos will continue to figure prominently in the Warriors’ rotation, even if he comes off the bench.

Curry did not play in Thursday’s loss to the Cavaliers after logging ten minutes the previous night against San Antonio. His availability won’t affect fantasy basketball, especially with Stephen Curry (knee) expected to return on Sunday.

Westbrook will miss an eighth consecutive game due to right great toe injury management. The Kings will continue to rely on Devin Carter and Killian Hayes to handle the point guard responsibilities.

Martin will miss a tenth straight game as he deals with a plantar fascia strain in his right foot. His continued absence does not affect fantasy basketball; Martin should be considered out indefinitely.

Smith, who played six minutes in Friday’s loss to the Magic, is on the injury report due to back spasms. His availability does not affect fantasy basketball or the Mavericks’ rotation, especially with Marvin Bagley III likely returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for three games.

After missing Dallas’ last three games, Bagley is on track to return on Sunday. If so, his minutes will likely come at Dwight Powell’s expense. Powell played 25 minutes in Friday’s loss to the Magic, going scoreless but grabbing five rebounds.

Vanderbilt is dealing with some soreness in his right calf. While he has not affected fantasy basketball this season, the Lakers will need all hands on deck for the foreseeable future due to their many injuries.

Smart remains out for a seventh straight game as he continues to recover from a right ankle contusion. Jake LaRavia will get another start, and he has a higher fantasy ceiling with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves also out.

Caruso and Dort participated in Saturday’s practice and have been removed from the injury report for Sunday. They’ll take on their usual roles against the Jazz; Dort will start, with Caruso providing depth off the bench.