NBA Player News

Walter is back in the mix after missing Toronto’s last six games. While his availability won’t have a significant effect on fantasy basketball, there may be a few more minutes available if he isn’t under any restrictions. Immanuel Quickley (ankle) is a game-time decision, and his absence would open things up for multiple players.

Jones did not return to Thursday’s game after halftime, as he was ruled out with lower back soreness. The rookie logged 14 minutes off the bench, and afterward, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that he hopes Jones can play in Friday’s rematch. He should be considered questionable, with his absence potentially meaning more minutes for fellow rookie Taelon Peter if Jones can’t play.

Okoro missed the Bulls’ last game before the All-Star break with left knee soreness, but returned for the game against the Raptors Thursday. The 25-year-old small forward had 16 points and made three three-pointers. It was a good offensive game for Okoro, but he isn’t consistent enough to be worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.

In limited minutes, Wemby did a little bit of everything in the rout of the Suns. He amassed six stocks, finished tied for second on the Spurs in points and assists, and was the only player on San Antonio to collect double-digit rebounds. The large margin of victory likely factored into Wembanyama’s 25 minutes of game action, so a more competitive regular-season game would likely lead to more minutes and opportunities to produce. Still, he got a lot done in his time on the floor Thursday.

Nesmith exited Thursday’s loss to the Wizards during the second quarter and did not return, logging 15 minutes before spraining his right ankle. He’s already been ruled out for Friday’s rematch, which likely means a return to the starting lineup for Kobe Brown. Brown started the third quarter and finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one block and two three-pointers in 33 minutes. He’s worth streaming in deep leagues for Friday, especially with Pascal Siakam (personal) also out.

Giddey missed eight games prior to the All-Star break before returning with five points in Thursday’s loss to the Bulls. The 23-year-old guard was understandably rusty given the amount of time off and managed to play only 21 minutes. The Bulls have two more games this week with a back-to-back against the Pistons on Saturday and Knicks on Sunday.

Castle led all Spurs players in scoring on Thursday and only needed 21 minutes of game action to do so. The second-year guard shot efficiently and made good on most of his scoring opportunities while also contributing as a facilitator and disruptive defender. His minutes were low, potentially due to the large second-half lead the Spurs held or to the fact that he finished the game with five fouls. Either way, fantasy managers should expect that Castle will see more minutes and have more opportunities to put up a big line on Saturday against the Kings.

Simons started and played 31 minutes even with Josh Giddey back from a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old shooting guard had 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field and four three-pointers. If you need volume scoring, Simons is your guy for the rest of the season.

Gillespie was one of several Suns players who struggled to put the ball in the basket. He shot inefficiently both inside and outside the arc before finishing in single digits as a scorer for the fourth straight game. Gillespie has remained cold from the field throughout February but has offered high-level facilitating at times, which he did against the Spurs. He ultimately came up just shy of a double-double, but will have a chance to log one on Saturday against the Magic.

Signed to a contract for the rest of the season at the All-Star break, Sochan made his Knicks’ debut on Thursday. And those who were concerned that his playing time would come at Mohamed Diawara’s (two rebounds, one assist and one steal) expense were proven right, as the rookie was limited to nine minutes. Neither Sochan nor Diawara stands to affect fantasy basketball, but the hope is that one (or both) can provide some defense on the wings. That didn’t happen against the Pistons, who completed their sweep of the regular-season series.

Ingram went off for 31 points, but wasn’t very efficient as he shot 11-of-26 from the field. The 28-year-old forward also had eight rebounds and six assists with only two turnovers. On a night where Scottie Barnes had 14 points, five assists and six turnovers, Ingram carried the Raptors to the win. Toronto will close out the week against the Bucks on Sunday.