Derrick

Jones

The Clippers will be without Jones for at least six weeks after he suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Celtics. Sanders, a second-round pick out of Nevada who has averaged 13.8 minutes in five appearances, will fill the void on Monday. Given the rookie’s limited production thus far, fantasy managers will be better off adding Sanders to their watchlists instead of going “all in” immediately. Last week, Lue mentioned Sanders, Jordan Miller (who’s currently out with a hamstring injury), Cam Christie and Kobe Brown as players who would play more, so there will be competition for those minutes.

Jones sustained a sprained MCL in his right knee during Sunday’s game against the Celtics and will be re-evaluated by the Clippers’ medical staff in six weeks. Without Jones, Bogdon Bogdanovic moved into the lineup and is a candidate to take Jones’ place among the starters. Bogdanovic should be rostered in all formats going forward.

This is a new injury for Bogdanovic, and it’s possible he’ll get a maintenance day on the second leg of a back-to-back set. Kobe Brown could see increased run if Bogdanovic joins Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) on the sideline.

Jones was injured during the second quarter when Celtics wing Jaylen Brown fell into his right leg while diving for a loose ball. The Clippers forward was helped back to the locker room immediately after, not putting any weight on the injured leg. Bogdan Bogdanović replaced Jones in the lineup and should be considered a candidate to start if Jones is out for an extended period.

Like teammate James Harden, Collins was excellent in the first half. He scored 15 points to help the Clippers take a one-point lead into the break. Well, the reigning champs flipped a switch, and most of the fourth quarter was left to non-rotation players. While Collins has recorded solid averages, the bench role has negatively impacted his fantasy value, a disappointing development for those who hoped he would be a starter. Derrick Jones Jr. (16/4/2/1/1 with three three-pointers) has held onto that role and provided top-100 value, yet is rostered in just six percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Jones Jr. went perfect from the field before finishing as one of the Clippers’ three best scorers on the evening. He repeatedly stepped into his three-point shots confidently and proceeded to knock each catch-and-shoot triple down one after the other. Jones Jr. eventually concluded with the most threes in a game that he’s made as a Clipper. The two produced stocks were the cherry on top for what was a productive night for him overall.

After two seasons with the Jazz, Collins joined a Clippers team that aims to contend for a championship this season. That alone preserves some of his fantasy value after spending two years with a franchise willing to tank to increase its draft lottery odds. However, Collins was used in a reserve role against Guangzhou, with Derrick Jones Jr. (six points, one rebound and two three-pointers in eight minutes) receiving the starting nod. There’s still a lot of basketball to be played during the preseason, so Collins is not locked into a reserve role. But this is a position battle to track, as JC’s ceiling would be limited if he’s asked to come off the bench full-time.

Harden, Leonard and Zubac being the starting lineup for the Clippers’ preseason opener was to be expected. However, with Bradley Beal (knee) still working his way back from offseason surgery, Bogdanović will start at shooting guard. He had an injury scare during EuroBasket this summer. However, while Bogi was limited early in training camp, the limitations did not last long. Also of note is Jones receiving the starting nod at the four, with John Collins coming off the bench. Many assumed Collins would slot into the starting role when he was signed in the summer, but Jones has a legitimate shot at beginning the regular season as a starter.

Batum’s absence impacts the Clippers’ rotation for Sunday’s game more. His absence means additional playing time for Derrick Jones Jr., but “Airplane Mode” is not worth the risk in most active fantasy leagues. Mills has not played consistent rotation minutes this season. Depending on Sunday’s results, the Clippers can finish anywhere fourth, fifth or seventh in the Western Conference standings.

Powell will be back after a one-game absence, which means that the Clippers will be at full strength in an important matchup for seeding in the West. Powell’s return will push Derrick Jones Jr. back to the bench and eliminate any streaming value that he held. Zubac will occupy his typical spot in the starting unit.