NBA Player News

When he was healthy last season, he still wasn’t a part of Milwaukee’s rotation. The 2020 Spanish ACB League Finals MVP will get a chance at a fresh start with a new team, but it’s unlikely that he makes any impact in fantasy hoops.

With starting center Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) out at least one week, the Kings needed another body in the frontcourt. Enter Labissiere, who was in training camp with the Kings and has been playing for their G League affiliate. He’s averaging 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in Stockton this season, but it will take a lot for Labissiere to achieve fantasy relevance with Sabonis sidelined.

Late Sunday evening, the Kings announced that Sabonis was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, which he suffered during Saturday’s win over the Rockets. An update will be provided in one week, meaning he’ll miss at least four games, starting with Monday’s matchup with the Mavericks. Jonas Valanciunas is the player to add if he’s available on your league’s waiver wire; he was productive in 30 minutes against the Rockets and has been solid all season.

Beal returned to the Suns lineup after missing two games with a sore calf. He shot the ball well, but the overall impact was muted in Sunday’s 18-point defeat. Beal had provided solid value recently, ranking within the top-50 in eight-cat formats since the All-Star break. However, availability remains a concern for the guard, who has already missed 19 games this season. Beal’s return pushed Tyus Jones to the bench, and he finished with 10 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and two three-pointers in 17 minutes. Jones is worth holding onto in deep leagues, but standard league managers may want to seek alternatives before the playoffs begin.

By his standards, Booker’s stat line on Sunday was relatively modest. However, fantasy managers haven’t had much to worry about recently, as he has provided top-15 value in eight-cat formats since the All-Star break. What is concerning is that Phoenix now trails Dallas by four games in the loss column for the final play-in spot in the West. Phoenix doesn’t own the rights to its 2025 first-round pick, so tanking is unlikely to be considered at any point. That said, fantasy managers need Booker and co. to turn things around promptly.

On a disappointing night for Durant and the Suns, he recorded his second double-double since the All-Star break. Over the past three weeks, he sits just outside the first round in 12-team leagues in eight- and nine-cat formats. As the Suns continue to trend in the wrong direction, they will need even more from their best players, including Durant. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Phoenix only plays three games during Week 18.

It’s one thing for a shooter like DiVincenzo to provide excellent value in the three-point category. Not only did he hit eight triples on Sunday, but the “Big Ragu” was credited with a career-high six steals. Dealing with a case of turf toe that sidelined him for one month, DiVincenzo has been used in a reserve role in his first three games back. Mike Conley (3/1/1/2 with one three-pointer) has remained in the starting lineup, but he only played 20 minutes on Sunday. DiVincenzo doesn’t need to start to provide reliable fantasy value, especially when he plays 27 minutes (as was the case on Sunday).

After serving a one-game suspension for picking up his 16th technical foul of the season, Edwards kept his emotions in check Sunday night. And that was terrible news for the Suns, as the Timberwolves guard went off for 44 points. Edwards produced an excellent overall stat line, committing just one turnover. Since the All-Star break, he has provided top-25 value in eight- and nine-cat formats. And Edwards should be aided moving forward by the recent returns of Julius Randle (Sunday) and Donte DiVincenzo, who combined to score 44 against the Suns.

Sunday’s game was Randle’s first since January 30, so the minutes tally (34) was surprising. However, he looked sharp on the court, shooting over 50 percent from the field and grabbing six rebounds. Jaylen Clark and Terrence Shannon Jr. combined to play 18 minutes on Sunday, with Randle and Anthony Edwards back in the lineup. Redraft league managers who held onto either Clark or Shannon can free up a roster spot with Randle playing starters’ minutes in his first game back.

With Austin Reaves (calf) out of the lineup, Vincent started alongside Luka Doncic on Sunday. He didn’t have the best night shooting the basketball, but Vincent did make three three-pointers and record a complete stat line. While Dalton Knecht offers a higher ceiling with Reaves sidelined, Vincent has the “security” of being a starter. That said, Sunday’s performance wasn’t good enough to make him a player worth adding.

Knecht reached double figures for the second time since his failed trade to the Hornets sent him back to the Lakers. The 19 points were the most he’s scored in a game since January 28 (24 vs. Philadelphia). While Knecht still hasn’t reached the point where he should be rostered in most fantasy leagues, there are opportunities to produce. The Lakers are without Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, so someone has to step up alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James.