NBA Player News

Kabengele had an impressive Summer League and managed a 18/4/1/1/4 line in his final SL appearance tonight, so we don’t blame the Celtics for liking what they’ve seen. He was the No. 27 overall pick in the 2019 draft and most recently played for the Cavaliers, but he isn’t going to be playing a ton with Robert Williams locked in to start at center. Maybe he’ll play some backup minutes, but there’s no need to consider drafting him in fantasy leagues as of now.

Washington will likely miss a third consecutive game and does not have a concrete timeline for return. Naji Marshall should continue to fill the void in the starting lineup and is worth streaming in deep leagues.

Lively has missed Dallas’ last three games, which, unfortunately, is likely to extend to four. If so, Dwight Powell will continue to serve as the backup center. While Powell isn’t worth streaming in most leagues, he played two more minutes than starter Daniel Gafford (23 minutes) in Friday’s loss to the Suns.

Kleber is on track to miss another game, but his absence will not significantly impact fantasy basketball. Dwight Powell has served as Daniel Gafford’s backup and will continue to do so until Dereck Lively II returns from his injury.

Doncic suffered the injury during Friday’s loss to the Suns but still played 42 minutes. If he does not play against the Nuggets, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy’s minutes will increase. Of the two, Dinwiddie may have a greater chance of sliding into the starting lineup.

Per Charania, Williamson will be re-evaluated “in the coming weeks.” The Pelicans forward suffered the injury during Wednesday’s loss to the Cavaliers and did not play in Friday’s loss to the Magic. While Trey Murphy (hamstring) could debut on Monday, the Pelicans are still down multiple starters. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl may remain in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future, making him worth a look in extremely deep leagues.

Lundy’s continued absence will not impact fantasy basketball, as he’s rarely in the rotation when healthy.

Saturday makes nine straight games on the sideline for Hunter, who, according to the Hawks, is simply managing a knee injury. Regardless of the merits of the injury description, his absence has opened the door for Zaccharie Risacher to move into the starting lineup. The rookie has improved by the game and should be rostered wherever he’s available.

Injured during the preseason, Murphy has yet to play a game for the shorthanded Pelicans this season. His return would give them a much-needed offensive boost. In time, role players like Jose Alvarado and Brandon Boston Jr. will take hits to their fantasy values, but managers should not expect Murphy to play heavy minutes immediately.

Highsmith didn’t record any defensive stats on Friday, but the points and 3-pointers were solid. More noteworthy than the stats were him playing 35 minutes and starting the third quarter, as did rookie Pelle Larsson (five points, two rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer in 14 minutes). Highsmith and Larsson stepped in for Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic, with the former suffering a sprained ankle during the first quarter. If Butler can’t play against the Timberwolves on Sunday, Highsmith will have added fantasy value, potentially as a starter.

Drummond is a great example of how a player can be more valuable in fantasy than in real-life. While Drummond had a double-double for his fantasy managers, he was -19 in 22 minutes in a 10-point loss. He’ll continue to carry value as long as he’s starting while Joel Embiid is out. Drummond has another chance to start Sunday against the Hornets before Embiid is set to return next week.