If you’re under the impression that the NBA has gotten off to a rough start from an injury standpoint, you are not alone. Multiple teams have been decimated by injuries early on, and the names of two more stars were added to the injury report on Sunday night alone. But there is some good news. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid will return from his knee injury (and three-game suspension) on Tuesday when the 76ers open Emirates NBA Cup play against the Knicks.
He and Paul George will share the court as teammates for the first time while the 76ers continue without Tyrese Maxey (hamstring). He’ll be re-evaluated toward the end of Week 4, with his absence moving Kyle Lowry into the starting lineup. However, fantasy managers may want to focus on rookie Jared McCain, who was outstanding in Sunday’s overtime win over Charlotte. He may lack Lowry’s experience, but the rookie offers a significantly higher ceiling. Another 76ers player to consider for their three-game Week 3 is Guerschon Yabusele, who also played well against the Hornets and has been consistently better than Andre Drummond in Embiid’s absence.
Let’s look at some of the injuries that will impact Week 4 in fantasy basketball, beginning with two stars injured on Sunday.
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Davis exited Sunday’s win over the Raptors during the third quarter after being inadvertently hit in the left eye by Jakob Poeltl. The concern is that this is the same eye Davis injured on two separate occasions last season, in March and April. The initial corneal abrasion suffered in March did not require Davis to miss any game time, but he missed one game after aggravating it during an April 7 game against the Timberwolves. The severity of the most recent eye injury was unknown at the time of publishing, but an absence would push Jaxson Hayes into the starting lineup.
However, managers in standard and shallow leagues should check first to ensure Rui Hachimura (54% rostered) is not sitting on the waiver wire. He stands to be far more impactful in fantasy leagues than Hayes, even if the latter were to make a spot start (or more) in place of Davis. The Lakers play three games in Week 4, all within a four-day span beginning wiht the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Already playing without Isaiah Hartenstein (hand), the Thunder watched their young phenom Holmgren go down during the first half of Sunday’s loss to Golden State. Early Monday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Holmgren has been diagnosed with a right iliac hip fracture and will be re-evaluated in 8-to-10 weeks. Add in the likely ramp-up process, and it may not be until sometime close to the All-Star break when Holmgren can play enough to impact fantasy basketball.
Thunder: Chet Holmgren suffered a right iliac hip fracture and a return to play protocol will be provided in 8 to 10 weeks. pic.twitter.com/ijma0D5zy5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 11, 2024
So, who should you add? While he’s already a starter and doesn’t play the same position as Holmgren, Luguentz Dort (24%) would be an excellent place to start. He’s providing 6th-round per-game value thus far, and while that may not be sustainable, given his career numbers, Holmgren’s absence makes Dort’s role that much more important to Oklahoma City. Ousmane Dieng may pick up more minutes, along with Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, and Isaiah Joe, but they all come with considerable risk. Dieng has only played 12.4 minutes per game, while the Wiggins/Wallace/Joe trio has rotated in the fifth starter role. They will all play rotation minutes, but this is not a great spot to find significant fantasy value.
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Durant injured his calf during Friday’s win over the Mavericks in Dallas and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks. As was the case when the Suns were without Bradley Beal, Ryan Dunn (2%) was the replacement in the starting lineup, but the rookie did not provide much fantasy value. Again, Royce O’Neale (28%) is the player fantasy managers should target if they’re looking for a player who can provide value in Durant’s absence.
He didn’t shoot the ball well against the Kings on Sunday, but O’Neale is shooting 47.4% for the season and offering top 75 per-game value. Grayson Allen (15%) is also worth a look for the 3-point production, especially if Beal has to miss time after taking a hit to his left knee during overtime on Sunday. Lastly, Mason Plumlee (2%) will only have streaming value if Jusuf Nurkic has to sit due to his sore ankle.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Morant is back on the injury report for a hip injury suffered during the Grizzlies’ win over the Lakers last week. He’s considered week-to-week, which means one thing: it’s Scotty Pippen Jr. (49%) time. Already playing well as the backup point guard, Pippen has stepped into the starting point guard role in Memphis’ last two games, wins over the Wizards and Trail Blazers. Both games being blowouts limited his time on the court, but he only needed 28 minutes to record a triple-double in Friday’s win over Washington. Marcus Smart (21%) could return during Week 4, especially with Memphis not playing until Wednesday, but Pippen is the player to target in standard and shallow leagues.
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Butler sprained his ankle early in Miami’s loss to Denver on Friday, playing just seven minutes. That game sparked multiple changes to the lineup, with Nikola Jovic (9%) being moved to the bench after a run of ineffective play. The starting forwards in Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves were Haywood Highsmith (4%) and Kevin Love (1%), while Jaime Jaquez Jr. (20%) was among the reserves in his first game back from an illness. Of the available options, Jaquez offers the highest ceiling if Butler remains sidelined, but this may only be a one-game absence for him. The Heat hit the road for three games in Week 4, beginning with the Pistons on Tuesday night.
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
Speaking of Detroit, Duren has missed the team’s last two games with a sprained ankle, pushing Isaiah Stewart (18%) into the starting lineup. In games against the Hawks and Rockets, he produced 26 points, 19 rebounds, four assists, and three blocked shots, shooting 14-of-17 from the field. Beef Stew is worth streaming as long as Duren remains sidelined. Detroit’s four-game Week 4 begins with a home game against Miami on Tuesday, followed by a game in Milwaukee the following night. Even if Duren plays against the Heat, fantasy managers may get one more start out of Stewart due to the back-to-back.
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Due to the inefficiency, George hasn’t been the best fantasy option thus far. He’s shooting 32.2% from the field and averaging 3.3 turnovers per game, which is why the second-year point guard is ranked outside the top 250 in per-game value. George missed Saturday’s win over the Spurs with a sore foot, leading to rookie Isaiah Collier starting his second game back from a hamstring injury. Going 0-of-6 from three, he finished the one-point win with seven points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 25 minutes. If George misses more time, Jordan Clarkson (32%) would be a better option to roll the dice on, but Collier would be worth tracking in deep leagues.
Trey Murphy, New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are on track to welcome back one of their essential contributors this week, as Murphy is probable for Monday’s game against the Nets. Injured during the preseason, he has not appeared in a game this season, so fantasy managers should not expect too much from Murphy in his first game back. With Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and Zion Williamson all sidelined, streamers still have ample room to emerge.
Jose Alvarado (37%) and Brandon Boston Jr. (26%) are the first players to seek out, especially with Jordan Hawkins sidelined due to a back injury. Yves Missi (9%), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (4%), and Javonte Green (1%) haven’t shown much recently, but they’re playing rotation minutes on a severely limited team that has four games on the schedule for Week 4. Due to his ceiling, Missi is the one most worthy of a dice roll.
De’Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks
First, he was sidelined for over a month last season due to a persistent right knee issue. Over the weekend, Hunter’s designation was changed to “personal family reasons.
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Per league sources, the Hawks plan to change De’Andre Hunter’s injury designation from “right knee injury management” to “personal family reasons.”
— Lauren L. Williams (@WilliamsLaurenL) November 9, 2024
The hope is that Hunter can return sometime during Week 4, with the Hawks scheduled to begin their three-game week in Boston on Tuesday. Could Friday’s home game against the Wizards be the target date? We’ll see. Hunter’s absence led to Zaccharie Risacher (37%) moving into the starting lineup, and the rookie may not be going anywhere anytime soon. While his season-long value remains low, Risacher has provided respectable 12th-round value over the last week. He hasn’t shot the ball well from the foul line, and that’s been the most significant issue for the rookie. Risacher will be worth holding onto even after Hunter returns to the lineup.
Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards
Already dealing with a right wrist injury, Carrington exited Sunday’s loss to the Magic during the second half with an apparent leg injury. Rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues, he’s been an 11th-round player in 9-cat formats thus far. The injuries likely put him on the shelf for Monday’s game in Houston, at a minimum. Fellow rookie Kyshawn George (27%) is certainly worth a look since he’s already in the starting lineup, while Corey Kispert (6%) may pick up a few more minutes himself. However, Kispert’s shooting 36% for the season and has gone ice-cold in November, making 22.6% of his attempts from the field while shooting 1-of-16 from three. Look for George on your waiver wires first, and go from there.
Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings
Monk exited Sunday’s overtime win over Phoenix with an ankle injury and has already been ruled out for Monday’s game in San Antonio. That’s the first of four games for the Kings in Week 4, which will conclude with a Friday/Saturday home back-to-back against the Timberwolves and Jazz. Fellow reserve Keon Ellis (8%) played 28 minutes in Phoenix, but it’s “Red Velvet” time. Kevin Huerter (17%) has been a top-100 player thus far and played a season-high 35 minutes on Sunday, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block, and five 3-pointers. While he may not consistently produce a stat line that robust, it isn’t unrealistic. Add Huerter first, looking for Ellis if he happens to be off the board.
Dereck Lively II and PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks
Washington has missed Dallas’ last three games with a knee injury, while a shoulder injury has sidelined Lively for the previous four. The former’s absence has pushed Naji Marshall (4%) into the starting lineup, and he provided 6th-round per-game value over the last week. Dallas plays four games in Week 4, beginning with the Warriors on Tuesday (Sea Captain Klay’s return to the Bay!), and Marshall will be worth the risk if Washington remains sidelined.
As for the impact of Lively’s absence, Dwight Powell (< 1%) moved into the backup role, with starter Daniel Gafford’s minutes increasing. Fantasy managers worldwide rejoiced when Gafford logged 34 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Nuggets, the first time he’s surpassed 25 minutes this season. Do not add Powell or Maxi Kleber, a DNP-CD despite being cleared to play on Sunday.
Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers
Due to their respective injuries, Nembhard (knee) and Nemsith (ankle) face extended absences. While the former will miss at least two weeks, the latter is expected to be sidelined until December, according to Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.
Aaron Nesmith will be out until at least December, Rick Carlisle says. Andrew Nembhard might be, too. At least 2 weeks for Nembhard. https://t.co/XaK3mtk4oc
— Tony East (@TonyREast) November 10, 2024
All aboard the Bennedict Mathurin (47%) bandwagon, as he’s provided 4th-round value over the last two weeks. Improved shot selection has been critical for Mathurin, who’s shooting 55.2% from the field during this stretch. The rebounding has also boosted his fantasy value, with Mathurin averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. He’s the first player fantasy managers should seek out, especially in shallow leagues. T.J. McConnell (8%) also has added fantasy value in his role, while Ben Sheppard (< 1%) has started with Nembhard and Nesmith sidelined. Fantasy managers can afford to watch list Sheppard; the same can be said for Jarace Walker (1%). Indiana plays three games in Week 4, beginning with the Magic on Wednesday.
Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
On Monday, ESPN reported that Thompson had been cleared by the NBA’s return to competition committee after blood clots ended his rookie season in early March. He’ll begin participating in full-contact practices, so Thompson’s status will unlikely impact the Pistons’ rotation or fantasy basketball in Week 4. However, like twin brother Amen, he can impact category leagues in multiple areas despite not offering much as a scorer. Last season, Ausar became the fourth rookie in Pistons franchise history to record 50 blocks and 50 steals, joining Andre Drummond, Grant Hill, and Terry Tyler.
