NBA Player News

With Dejounte Murray (Achilles) sitting out the first game of New Orleans’ weekend back-to-back, McGowens was inserted into the starting lineup on Saturday. And he was productive, shooting 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. The 18 points were the most in a game for McGowens since January 7, when he dropped 20 in a loss to the Hawks. Even if Murray is available for Sunday’s game against the Clippers, McGowens may remain a starter, as Zion Williamson left Saturday’s victory during the first half with a sprained ankle.

After logging three minutes in Game 5, Huerter picked up a DNP-CD for Detroit’s Game 6 victory on Friday due to aggravating his strained adductor. If available for Sunday’s series decider, Red Velvet is unlikely to get the minutes needed to impact the outcome.

While a left heel contusion has LeVert back on the Pistons’ injury report, he has not missed a game since Game 7 of the Orlando series. Look for his role to remain unchanged, with the veteran wing most recently playing 29 minutes off the bench in Detroit’s Game 6 victory on Friday.

After sitting out Game 5 with a sore lower back, Robinson played 20 minutes off the bench in Game 6. That should remain the case for Sunday’s series decider, with Daniss Jenkins sticking in the starting lineup.

Williams strained his left hamstring during Game 2 of Oklahoma City’s first-round series against Phoenix and has not played since. Based on his words in a recent video from his personal YouTube page, a return could be in the cards for the Western Conference Finals. Williams was at Thunder practice on Friday, but it’s unknown how much he was able to do. Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs is on Monday night, and J-Dub’s availability will most impact Ajay Mitchell’s presence in the lineup.

Murray, who initially injured his left ankle in early January, aggravated the sprain during a February 25 game against the Rockets. That was the last game of the season for the Kings’ forward, who underwent a “minimally invasive” procedure on May 12 to remove loose bodies from the ankle. With the six-to-eight week timeline, Murray being ready for the start of training camp in late September should not be an issue. In addition to health, his fantasy outlook in 2026-27 will depend on whether the Kings can move some of their veterans this offseason.

Reid’s 18 points matched his high for the series, which he first recorded in Game 3. While the Timberwolves had to navigate injuries throughout the playoffs, Reid’s role remained largely unchanged. And given who’s all under contract for next season, that’s likely to remain the case. Reid is a player who has to be rostered in standard fantasy leagues, but his ceiling is limited with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert starting while he comes off the bench.

Out of the rotation for most of the regular season, Shannon took on a more prominent role during the postseason out of necessity. He finished Game 6 with his second 20-point game, the first being Minnesota’s series-clincher against the Nuggets. With Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) injured and Mike Conley hitting free agency, there may be room for Shannon to take on a more prominent role in 2026-27, even if the Timberwolves re-sign Ayo Dosunmu. Shannon will be worth taking a flier on in standard league drafts.

While he didn’t do much scoring in Game 6, Dosunmu did dish out nine assists in what could be his final appearance in a Timberwolves uniform. His play in Game 4 of the Denver series will go down in franchise history, and Ayo was clearly not playing at full strength in the second round. An unrestricted free agent this summer, Dosunmu should not lack suitors, including Minnesota. With Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) sidelined, the Timberwolves could make retaining Dosunmu a priority. A return would make Ayo a must-draft player in standard leagues whose ceiling would be considerably higher than it was in Chicago.

Gobert’s matchup with Victor Wembanyama was the challenge that many expected it to be before the series began, but Game 6 was brutal. In addition to missing all four of his shot attempts, the veteran center grabbed just three rebounds and did not block a shot. The matchup at the start of the game didn’t help, either, as Gobert was assigned to guard Stephon Castle. Castle knocked down shots, scoring 14 of his game-high 32 points in the first quarter. As effective as he was in the first round, Gobert will head into the offseason with a bad taste in his mouth. Looking to 2026-27, the 7-foot-1 pivot has top-100 fantasy potential, and he can be even more valuable in roster builds that punt free-throw percentage.

Like many of his teammates, McDaniels struggled in Game 6. And finishing proved to be particularly problematic, especially when Victor Wembanyama was on the floor. A 44.4 percent shooter from two in the first five games of the series, McDaniels shot 2-of-9 in Game 6. However, his overall postseason production was positive for the Timberwolves, especially in the series against Denver. Looking ahead to next season, McDaniels has usually been underrated in category leagues. With Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) expected to miss most of next season, McDaniels will possess a higher fantasy ceiling.