NBA Player News

Vasquez made no secret about his interest in playing overseas, and his agent has already placed one client (D.J. Strawberry) with Jerusalem. As an under-contract NBA player, Vasquez will need to have an opt-out clause.

Due to illness and the postponement of the Grizzlies’ game against Milwaukee (scheduled for Wednesday), Williamson has not appeared in a game since January 17. However, according to the Pelicans’ broadcast team of Joel Meyers and Antonio Daniels, that will change on Saturday when New Orleans visits Charlotte. Williamson will be in the lineup, which means Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will head to the bench. JRE played 19 minutes in Friday’s loss to Memphis, finishing with five points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer.

Kennard has started two of Memphis’ last four games, filling in for Ja Morant on both occasions. He was outstanding on Friday, shooting 7-of-9 from three, recording a season-high in points, and matching his previous high in 3-pointers. Over the past two weeks, Kennard has provided 6th-round value in 8-cat formats, and he scored 23 points in the last game that Morant played (January 22 vs. Charlotte). Rostered in 21% of Yahoo leagues, Kennard is worth taking a flier on due to his last two performances.

Edey finished Friday’s victory with his fifth double-double and a complete stat line, the first time he’s been able to make both claims in the same game since December 23 against the Clippers. While Edey’s fantasy value hasn’t been great this season, he’s proven to be valuable in the Grizzlies’ rotation, especially when on the court with Jaren Jackson Jr. Also, Memphis’ overall depth limits Edey’s fantasy ceiling; his floor should increase in time.

Jackson’s 29 points are the most he’s scored in a game since January 11, when he dropped 33 on the Timberwolves. The Grizzlies’ power forward has scored 22 or more in three straight, but decreased production on the rebounding and defensive categories has resulted in Jackson being a 6th-round player over the past two weeks. However, fantasy managers don’t have much to worry about, as minimal defensive production has not been the norm for Jackson.

The Grizzlies were without Ja Morant for Friday’s game, which meant Bane had more time on the ball. He dished out 14 assists in a win for the second time in one week. Bane scored 20 points and only committed two turnovers, making for an excellent night at the office for the Grizzles guard. Over the past two weeks, he has provided top-15 per-game value in 8-cat formats. Memphis hosts Utah on Saturday, which could be another big night for Bane if Morant can’t play.

McCollum followed up his 45-point performance in Monday’s win over Utah with another solid performance on Friday. He’s scored 22 points or more in three straight, and McCollum has been a top-75 player over the last two weeks in 8-cat formats. That’s one round higher than his season-long value. As long as he isn’t shut down, McCollum should remain a reliable option in fantasy leagues, even if his ceiling is limited.

Murphy has scored 22 points or more in six of his last seven outings, and he’s been the Pelicans’ most valuable option in fantasy leagues. Over the past two weeks, Murphy has been a top-15 player in 8-cat formats. Brandon Ingram (ankle) still doesn’t have a concrete timeline for return, and Murphy has played so well that it may not matter when BI is cleared to return.

Missi was back in the Pelicans’ lineup after missing two games. And with Zion Williamson out, the rookie center could stay on the floor longer than he had been when the Pelicans star was active. Missi provided solid value on Friday, but the question is how he and Williamson will be able to mesh moving forward. With Zion expected to play in Saturday’s game against the Hornets, don’t be surprised if Daniel Theis plays as much as Missi, if not more, for spacing reasons.

Dejounte Murray has scored 26 points or more in two straight and three of his last four outings. However, Friday’s game was the first in which he shot 50% or better from the field since January 8 against Portland. Efficiency has been an issue for Murray, especially since his right elbow began giving him trouble earlier in January. However, he has been a top-30 player in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks despite shooting 40.4% from the field.

After coming off the bench for Tuesday’s loss in Denver, Yabusele started on Friday due to Andre Drummond joining Joel Embiid on the sideline. And the third-year power forward/center held his own against Jarrett Allen, recording his third double-double of the season. Rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues, Yabusele has provided 10th-round value in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks. His value depends on the availability of Embiid and Drummond, but Yabusele should be rostered in deep leagues.