Malachi

Smith

The continued absences of Mann and Minott free up additional minutes for Jalen Wilson and Malachi Smith. The latter started Friday’s loss to the Bucks and played 43 minutes, while Wilson logged 34 minutes off the bench.

Smith notched two career milestones on Friday, finishing the loss with a career-high point total and his first double-double. He finished two rebounds shy of a triple-double and played 43 of a possible 48 minutes. Given how shorthanded the Nets are, Smith should take on a similar workload for Sunday’s season finale against the Raptors.

Powell and Liddell are the holdovers from the lineup that started Sunday’s win over the Wizards. Saraf, Smith and Scott replace Nolan Traoré, Jalen Wilson and Chaney Johnson. Saraf and Powell may be the “safest” options for those in active fantasy leagues, as they were first-round picks last summer, and their development is critical for the Nets.

Williams will miss a second straight game with this foot injury. Malachi Smith and Trevon Scott should continue to play extended minutes off the bench with Williams unavailable. Both played over 20 minutes on Sunday, though neither was productive.

Mann joins the lengthy list of Nets players who aren’t available for Sunday’s game. Drake Powell and Malachi Smith will play, and both are worth a roll of the dice in deep leagues due to Brooklyn’s limited numbers.

Williams is out after playing 21 minutes off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Hawks. His absence frees up minutes among the Nets’ reserves, including Malachi Smith and Trevon Scott. Smith offers higher upside, but both players are risky streaming options.

Saraf is dealing with back tightness, casting some doubt on his availability for Sunday’s game. Nolan Traoré is available, and his status as the starting point guard won’t change. If Saraf doesn’t play, Malachi Smith would figure more prominently in the rotation.

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.

Smith made six appearances on his first 10-day deal, averaging 6.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 19.6 minutes per game. His best performance came against the Kings on Sunday, when he contributed 18 points, four assists, three steals and three three-pointers in 29 minutes. Smith should continue to play a role off the bench for the Nets over their next five games.

Mann is good to go after sitting out Friday’s loss to the Knicks with an illness. He’ll provide added depth off the bench, with Malachi Smith possibly losing out on playing time.