Oscar

Tshiebwe

Tshiebwe appeared in 14 games for the Jazz last season on a two-way deal, with most of those appearances coming in March and April. If Utah ends up tanking at the end of the year again, Tshiebwe will hold some late-season value, but he will likely spend most of the year in the G League.

Unsurprisingly, Kessler will miss the second leg of Utah’s back-to-back set after landing on the injury report late on Friday afternoon. In his absence, Oscar Tshiebwe, KJ Martin and Kyle Filipowski should pick up the slack by committee.

Sexton and Oscar Tshiebwe will both get the green light on Monday, but Sexton’s availability is far more consequential for fantasy hoops. Sexton sat out Sunday on the first leg of a back-to-back set, and he may return on a minutes restriction after logging only 17 minutes Friday following an extended absence.

Kessler sat out the first leg of Utah’s back-to-back, but he should be back in the lineup against Detroit. That should push Kyle Filipowski to the bench and limit the minutes of Oscar Tshiebwe, who contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds in 20 minutes on Sunday. Tshiebwe may be with Utah’s G-League affiliate for Monday’s game, which would eliminate any streaming value that he held.

Hours after multiple outlets reported that the Jazz were waiving Taevion Kinsey, the team confirmed that move while announcing who would take over that two-way slot. Tshiebwe, who was not selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, spent last season on a two-way deal with the Pacers and played most of his minutes in the G League. Making 21 appearances for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Tshiebwe earned G League Rookie of the Year honors and was also a first-team All-G League selection. This move will not significantly impact fantasy basketball next season unless Utah moves Walker Kessler.

If Turner is ultimately ruled out, Isaiah Jackson would likely slot into the starting five, where he would be a useful streaming option. Over his last four, he’s seen increased run and averaged 12.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks across 17.2 minutes. Oscar Tshiebwe - the man who got caught in the middle of the Giannis Antetokounmpo game ball drama - could also find some additional minutes with Turner on the sidelines.

Tshiebwe was a start at Kentucky, but he didn’t end up hearing his name called on draft night. He’ll likely spend the majority of the season in the G-League, but there is a path for him to eventually become a rotational piece in the NBA.

The national player of the year during the 2021-22 season, Tshiebwe made the decision last spring to return to Kentucky for another season. In 32 games this season, the 6-foot-9 pivot averaged 16.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 56.0% from the field and 72.9% from the foul line. While there are questions regarding Tshiebwe’s positional fit at the next level, it’s worth noting that his free throw percentage increased by more than 11 points from his sophomore campaign. He’s projected to be either a late-second-round pick or an undrafted free agent this summer.