Jared

McCain

Dort, who needs to play in one more game to be eligible for postseason honors, is the lone starter available for Friday’s game. Of the four replacements, McCain and Wiggins offer the highest ceilings for those in active fantasy leagues.

McCain played 16 minutes on Tuesday, as the reigning champs’ 36-point win led to a more even distribution of playing time. Twelve Thunder players logged at least 10 minutes on the night. McCain reached double figures in points for the first time since March 23 against the 76ers, with Oklahoma City’s return to full strength resulting in fewer opportunities for him off the bench.

Blowouts tend to give reserve players more opportunities to produce. McCain tied with Aaron Wiggins for the team lead in shot attempts, and he knocked down five three-pointers. While his fantasy upside for the rest of the season takes a hit when the Thunder rotation is whole, landing McCain for the price that they did was a heist. And don’t be surprised if he has a big night when Oklahoma City visits Washington on Saturday.

This is the second game of a back-to-back, and the Thunder will sit out a few of their key rotation players, including Dort. That will likely mean more minutes for Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Jared McCain; although, Dort hasn’t surpassed 20 minutes in either of the last two games.

On a day when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed 14 of his first 17 shot attempts, the Oklahoma City bench stepped up. Joe led three reserves in double figures with 20 points, and he was joined by Alex Caruso (17/2/1/3 with one three-pointer) and Jared McCain (15 points, one steal and five three-pointers) in lighting it up. Joe’s fantasy ceiling is limited, even with Jalen Williams out, but he’ll have his opportunities to contribute. And Sunday’s game was a reminder of what he’s capable of when the threes are falling.

Mitchell sprained his ankle while ramping up from an abdominal strain, missing three weeks as a result. His return gives the Thunder a little more depth on the perimeter, which may cost Jared McCain some playing time.

Mitchell’s continued absence has freed up rotation minutes for Jared McCain, who has played well enough to offer some upside to deep-league managers in need of points and 3-pointers.

While his former team was losing to the Spurs by 40, McCain was making a big impact off the bench for his new squad. McCain has scored in double figures in eight of his 11 appearances for the Thunder, including three 20-point games. McCain has been able to showcase the offensive juice that he had early on during his rookie season, and while they likely won’t lead to much fantasy production when the team is fully healthy, it has been a fun reminder that should be stored away for the future.

Mitchell, who sprained his ankle while working out towards a return from his abdominal strain, will miss at least one more game. His continued absence means more playing time for Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain, who also receive a slight boost on Tuesday since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also out.

The Thunder open their Week 19 schedule with a back-to-back against the Bulls and Knicks, so it’s unsurprising that some key players will sit out the former for injury management reasons. Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence makes Cason Wallace a more attractive fantasy option in shallow formats, while Jared McCain will be worth a look in some 14-team leagues.