NBA Player News

Augustin has done nothing to deserve the playing time, unfortunately, and Frank Vogel is desperate to find a spark off the bench. It’s an interesting development but won’t have fantasy ramifications outside of the deepest leagues.

Spoelstra was also asked if Wiggins would be back by the end of the regular season and said, “I don’t have an update.” With Wiggins out indefinitely, Pelle Larsson and Haywood Highsmith should continue to see increased run.

Giddey will shake off his questionable tag and play through a sore right hip. Giddey will return to Paycom Center for the first time since he was traded for Alex Caruso last summer, so this could be an emotional matchup. Giddey has led the Bulls to the highest scoring average in the Association across the last five games.

Johnson’s absence frees up additional minutes for the likes of Ziaire Williams and Jalen Wilson. The Nets’ next game is Thursday against the Timberwolves, which will be Johnson’s next chance to take the court.

After sitting out Thursday’s win over the Jazz, Adams played 12 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s win over the Suns. The veteran center has not played both ends of a back-to-back since February 3-4, but the importance of Monday’s matchup likely factors into Udoka saying that Adams will play. Houston and the Lakers are two of the teams fighting for the two-seed in the West, with the Rockets leading third-place Denver by two games in the loss column and the Lakers by three.

Since Eason has not reached the point where he can play both games of back-to-backs, he sat out Sunday’s blowout win over Phoenix. Monday’s game is of far greater importance to the Rockets, who are looking to lock down the two-seed in the West, so saving Eason for that matchup is understandable. Unless Amen Thompson’s ankle keeps him out of Monday’s game, Eason will come off the bench, but he remains valuable in standard leagues.

Durant sprained his left ankle during the third quarter of Sunday’s blowout loss to the Rockets and did not return. He will undergo an MRI on Monday and will not travel with the team for the start of its three-game road trip. The Suns visit the Bucks on Tuesday, followed by games against the Celtics on Friday and the Knicks two days later. Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen are potential replacements in the starting lineup if Durant does not rejoin the Suns during Week 22.

Sunday’s game was Bassey’s first since February 23, so he clearly wasn’t going to be asked to log many minutes. He played 10 minutes, but his return meant no room in the rotation for Bismack Biyombo, who picked up a DNP-CD. Following the game, Bassey said that he still wasn’t feeling right. “I just want to play with these guys, man,” Bassey said. “My family, my friends, people in my circle, know who I am as a person. They know I want to get back and play, even though I’m not feeling right.” Fantasy managers should not expect much from Bassey the rest of the way, especially with San Antonio’s four-game Week 22 starting with a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back.

O’Neale’s stat line wasn’t much to brag about, as the veteran wing only logged 15 minutes in the 148-109 defeat. However, with Kevin Durant exiting during the third quarter with a sprained left ankle, the Suns may need more from Royce during Week 22. Phoenix plays three games during Week 22, starting with the Bucks on Tuesday. And if Durant cannot play, O’Neale is his likely replacement in the starting lineup.

Booker had a good night offensively. However, it did not mean much, as he and the Suns were run off the court. The good news for fantasy managers is that he got his numbers before Mike Budenholzer mercifully pulled the plug at the end of the third quarter. Sunday’s game was Booker’s first with 20 points or more since March 19; hopefully, it serves as a catalyst heading into Phoenix’s three-game road trip that begins Tuesday in Milwaukee.

After over three weeks on the sidelines with an avulsion fracture in his right thumb, Sheppard was cleared to return on Sunday. Houston winning by 39 points ensured there would be minutes available to the rookie, who finished one blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Sheppard will not help fantasy managers this season, but the opportunities he does receive the rest of the season will be of interest to those preparing for the 2025-26 campaign.