Yuki

Kawamura

The Pacers were in danger of being run out of Cox Pavilion on Saturday, but the play of their point guards helped force overtime. Smith, the NCAA Division I all-time assist leader, racked up five while also scoring 16 points. However, it was Yuki Kawamura who provided the initial spark, and he finished with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer. All three of the Pacers’ two-way contract slots have been filled, so Smith and Kawamura may be competing for one training camp invite in Las Vegas. Being the draft pick may give the latter an edge in the competition.

Giddey has missed Chicago’s last four games with a strained hamstring. With the Bulls trading Coby White to the Hornets, they will be asking a lot of Ayo Dosunmu if he’s healthy enough to play. Dosunmu is also questionable for Thursday’s game, which could make this a showcase for Yuki Kawamura if Ayo and Josh can’t play.

Huerter missed Sunday’s game, but he could be back against Milwaukee. Yuki Kawamura, Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips played significant roles in the blowout loss but will lose out on minutes if Huerter and Jalen Smith (calf) return. However, none of the three are productive enough to be worth streaming regardless.

No surprise here as Kawamura is rewarded with a two-way deal after a strong summer league performance with the Bulls as a free agent. Kawamura spent his rookie season with the Grizzlies on a two-way deal. The 5-foot-8 guard has limited upside due to his size, but his playmaking ability was on full display in Vegas.

After spending his rookie season with the Grizzlies on a two-way contract, Kawamura played with the Bulls in the summer league as an unrestricted free agent. While the 5-foot-8 guard may be considered small for his position, his playmaking ability put people on notice in Las Vegas. Kawamura racked up 10 assists on Friday and was also 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. There are still strides for him to make defensively, but it would be unsurprising if Kawamura landed a two-way deal based on his play in Las Vegas. However, Chicago has already filled all three of its slots, so it would have to be with another team, or the Bulls would have to waive someone.

Memphis is sitting its top rotation players for Sunday’s game, as they will be the seventh or eighth seed in the West, depending on the results. With Pippen and Ja Morant out, Cam Spencer should play heavy minutes, with Yuki Kawamura likely moving into the rotation. Spencer is the player worth targeting in active deep leagues.

As expected, both star guards will miss the regular season finale. While the Grizzlies still have a chance to move up to seventh in the West, they will be in the Play-In Tournament regardless, so they will prioritize having their stars rested for the postseason. Cam Spencer and Yuki Kawamura should be in line for significant workloads.

Pippen and Kennard are among the Grizzlies’ rotation players listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game. Memphis’s loss to the Nuggets on Friday locked them into the play-in tournament; Sunday’s results will determine if they’re the seventh or eighth seed. With Pippen and Kennard unlikely to play, Yuki Kawamura and Cam Spencer should play rotation minutes out of necessity.

With Friday’s loss to the Nuggets locking Memphis into the play-in tournament, most of the team’s key rotation players are doubtful for Sunday’s regular-season finale. Morant has struggled with injuries for most of this season, so his chances of playing against the Mavericks may be slimmer than Bane’s. With Scotty Pippen Jr. also doubtful, Cam Spencer and Yuki Kawamura could play rotation minutes on Sunday.

GG Jackson was recalled from the Memphis Hustle while Yuki Kawamura, who is on a two-way contract, has been transferred to the Grizzlies. With Memphis dealing with some injuries, these moves were made to have more available players, but won’t significantly impact fantasy basketball.