Jarrell

Brantley

Olynyk was not on the initial injury report, and his absence leaves Utah down another starter. His absence frees up additional minutes for Juan Toscano-Anderson and Jarrell Brantley, with the former being the player more likely to move into the starting lineup. Given how shorthanded the Jazz will be, the spot starter (especially if it’s JTA) is worth streaming in deep leagues.

Fontecchio sat out Monday’s loss to the Suns, with his absence coinciding with the return of Lauri Markkanen. Both players are questionable for Wednesday night, which would free up additional minutes for Juan Toscano-Anderson and Jarrell Brantley if either Fontecchio or Markkanen sits.

The former College of Charleston standout is back in the NBA after playing with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s NBL this season. And this will be Brantley’s second stint with the Jazz, as he appeared in 37 games during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. He gives the Jazz another body, but this transaction won’t impact fantasy basketball.

Brantley was recently waived by the Jazz but immediately found a contract overseas, having apparently pre-arranged the deal. The report by Ozario Cauchi of BasketNews states, “Brantley is expected to have a much more central role ... [and] the deal is expected to be in seven-figure territory.”

Brantley signed a two-way deal with the club last month, but apparently, the Jazz would like to move in a different direction. It’s extremely unlikely Brantley will have any fantasy value this season, regardless of where he winds up.

In what was an extremely low-scoring game on Monday evening, Forest was one of three Jazz players in double-figures, all of which tallied 10 points. Jarrell Brantley went 4-of-11 from the floor and added six rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and one turnover in 25 minutes, while Paul White went 4-of-4 from the floor with two rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes. The Jazz were able to hold the Suns to 57 points on 24.1% shooting from the floor and 21.1% from three on Monday evening. Even though it is just summer league, that is still a pretty impressive defensive effort from Utah.

In his two years with the Jazz, he’s only suited up for a total of 37 games. He’s an emergency depth guy who is safe to ignore in fantasy hoops.

The move makes both Brantley and Forrest restricted free agents, which would afford Utah the option of matching any offer sheet that either player receives (and signs) from another team. Neither Brantley nor Forrest factored into the Jazz rotation last season, with the former appearing in 28 regular season games and the latter 30. It’s difficult to see either being enough of a factor to merit consideration in any fantasy setting.

Joe Ingles (left knee soreness) and Royce O’Neale (rest) were both out tonight, leaving a combined 57 minutes up for grabs in coach Quin Snyder’s rotation. Brantley ran with the opportunity and got seven more minutes than any other Jazz reserve, but this was just a one-game fluke.

Neither one stands to be a consistent rotation player once cleared, so their absences won’t have an impact.