Dennis

Schroder

Schroder, Finney-Smith, and Smith are all done for the season, with the Nets focused on getting younger players quality minutes for developmental reasons. The former was the most impactful in fantasy basketball this season, ranking just inside the top 150 in season-long value. While Schroder and Finney-Smith should be worth selecting with a late-round pick in drafts next fall, Smith will not.

Brooklyn’s rotation will be light on proven bodies Friday night, with Schroder’s absence being the most noteworthy. With Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) also sidelined, Cam Thomas could be asked to do more playmaking. Johnson’s absence frees up additional minutes for Jalen Wilson, while Sharpe’s absence boosts Noah Clowney’s value.

Day’Ron Sharpe is also doubtful, which means Noah Clowney should continue to see significant run in the frontcourt. If Schroder is unavailable, Cam Thomas and Jalen Wilson would presumably pick up extra playing time in the backcourt.

After shooting 1-of-12 from the field and scoring four points in Sunday’s 30-point loss to the Kings, Schroder bounced back on Wednesday. The veteran point guard has surpassed the 20-point mark for the second time in three games, and the nine assists were the most in a game for Schroder since April 3 against the Pacers (11). With Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) sidelined, Schroder is essentially the only point guard interim coach Kevin Ollie trusts. Whether or not that ensures he’ll play in Brooklyn’s final two games remains to be seen, but Dennis is in a good place availability-wise.

Smith will remain sidelined, meaning starting point guard Dennis Schroder will play even more than usual.

Schroder is available for Brooklyn’s second game in as many days and will take on his usual duties as the starting point guard. Should he experience issues with the Achilles, Cam Thomas and Lonnie Walker IV would be asked to spend more time on the ball.

After playing 36 minutes on Saturday, Schroder may be left on the sidelines for the second night of the back-to-back. If that happens, Dennis Smith Jr. should slide into the starting lineup in his place, with Lonnie Walker taking on the backup guard role.

Smith being probable does not necessarily mean he’s on track to return Sunday. He had a similar designation for Friday’s win over the Bulls before being ruled out. If Smith is cleared, he will take some of the pressure off of starting point guard Dennis Schroder, but not enough to merit being rostered in most leagues. Jacob Gilyard has only played a handful of minutes in Smith’s absence, not playing enough to impact the Nets rotation or fantasy basketball.

The Nets had a big night from beyond the arc, shooting 25-of-44, with Schroder and Mikal Bridges leading the way. Both shot 7-of-11, with the latter supplementing his 25 points with three rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 38 minutes. As for Schroder, his seven 3-pointers were one shy of a career-high for the veteran point guard. While he has only provided late-round value in 9-cat formats over the past month, Schroder’s status as the starter makes him a must-roster player in standard leagues. Brooklyn finishes Week 22 with a home game against the Lakers on Sunday.

After scoring 19 points in Toronto on Monday, Schroder was two points better against the Wizards. These were two much-needed performances for the veteran point guard, who scored 14 points on 6-of-23 shooting in losses to the Bucks and Knicks to begin Brooklyn’s road trip. Schroder has provided 11th-round per-game value in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks, which aligns with his season-long value.