NBA Player News

Vučević fractured his right ring finger during the first quarter of Friday’s game against the Mavericks and exited moments later. The reported four-week absence means that he won’t be a factor in fantasy basketball outside of leagues that run through the final week of the NBA’s regular season. Luka Garza has moved into the backup center role, but he should only be considered in extremely deep fantasy leagues.

Less than 24 hours removed from a 12-point first quarter in a loss to the Hawks, Smith has received a standard contract. That said, he was productive across two 10-day contracts, earning the upgrade to a standard deal. Given the Nets’ injuries on the perimeter, Smith should play rotation minutes over the final eight days of the regular season.

DeRozan had a fairly quiet Friday night from a production standpoint. He fell way below his season average in points, which is understandable given he only played 23 minutes. But even in his limited time, he was one of Sacramento’s best passers on a night when the offense scored a lot of points. DeRozan was impactful in his minutes, but the fantasy production didn’t follow.

Clifford was one of the Kings’ most productive players on Friday; he led the team in assists and three-pointers while finishing second in points. The rookie also logged a team-high in minutes, and like fellow rookie Maxime Raynaud, Clifford has had a very encouraging season for the Kings. He’ll be an intriguing player to follow from a fantasy standpoint going forward.

Raynaud’s stellar rookie season continued on Friday, as he impressed by nearly logging 30 points. He shot the ball with extreme accuracy, got to the charity stripe a good amount, and finished one rebound shy of a double-double. Raynaud has been one of the bright spots for the Kings in what’s been a tough season from a wins and losses standpoint. Based on what he’s shown as a rookie, his ceiling should be high when projecting fantasy impact down the road.

Bey was one of the Pelicans’ leaders in scoring and reached the 20-point mark for the first time since March 19 in a win over the Clippers. The veteran forward struggled from the three-point line but did his damage inside the arc and found scoring at the charity stripe. He didn’t fill up the stat sheet by any means, but his scoring was likely enough to serve as helpful across fantasy leagues. He’ll have a chance to put together another solid outing on Sunday against the Magic.

Williamson had a relatively quiet outing. He played under 30 minutes and scored his fewest points since February 28 against the Jazz. The former first-overall pick’s numbers currently some of the lowest of his career. He’s not currently finishing the fantasy season strong and likely isn’t someone fantasy managers can trust on Sunday’s fantasy finale against the Magic.

Fears followed his 21-point outing against the Trail Blazers on Thursday with another 20-point performance on Friday’s back-to-back. The rookie guard was exceptional from beyond the arc, impactful as a passer, and his effort on the glass led him to finish as the team’s leading rebounder. Fears has been one of the bright spots for New Orleans in what’s been another underwhelming season overall. He will have a chance to finish his rookie season on a high note over the Pelicans’ final four games.

Wagner scored the ball well in his 17 minutes of game action. He was aggressive, getting up 12 shots in that time, and was productive on the glass during his minutes. Arguably, the only thing that truly didn’t go his way on Friday was the three-point shooting, which hasn’t been a strength to this point in his career. Nonetheless, the fifth-year forward has shown encouraging signs as he continues to knock off the rust before the regular season ends. Given his low workload in his return from injury, it’s hard to know what kind of production to expect from him during the fantasy playoffs.

Bane was effective on both ends of the floor on Friday, as his impact helped the Magic get back into the win column. Bane’s 27 points only trailed Wendell Carter Jr.'s 27 points for the most on the team. His three-point shooting was a factor, as was his ability to convert at the line. Additionally, the sixth-year guard tied a team high in rebounds, assists, and steals. Bane did it all for the Magic, and they’re going to need more of the same from him in an attempt to move up in the standings and out of the Play-In Tournament.

Carter’s 28 points led all Magic players on Friday, as Desmond Bane’s 27 points were the only other players’ in the vicinity. In 36 minutes, the veteran center was accurate outside the arc and really utilized the charity stripe to his advantage. Carter didn’t put up big numbers in any other statistical category. However, his high production as a scorer was enough to provide positive value from a fantasy standpoint.