NBA Player News

Birch has yet to make his debut for San Antonio, but even once he’s cleared to re-take the court, he’s not likely to see much playing time.

With Jordan Poole (hip) and Malcolm Brogdon (foot) both out and Butler having scored at least 14 points in his last two games, the 24-year-old point guard was in line for additional minutes Wednesday. Butler had more of an impact than anyone probably expected in his 20 minutes. He dropped 26 points on 19 shots and dished out seven assists with only one turnover. It’s still difficult to roster Butler going forward given the lack of regular minutes, but he’s certainly one to watch on the waiver wire.

Yabusele established Monday that he’s worth rostering in deeper formats as long as the Sixers are without Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond. Embiid continues to sit out games regularly with a foot injury while Drummond’s toe injury also continues to linger. Yabusele had an even better game Wednesday than he did Monday as he had a 21/8/3 line with five 3-pointers, one steal and two blocks. The 29-year-old power forward did a little bit of everything, but his value going forward still depends on the availability of the other Philly bigs.

Maxey had a downtick in scoring earlier this season, but it’s no surprise he’s been able to get his shots over the last two games without Joel Embiid available. The 24-year-old point guard had 31 points on 25 shots Monday and followed it up with 29 points on 27 shots Wednesday. He also dished out six assists against the Wizards. Maxey’s production in the assist category is what has him closing on first round fantasy value this year.

LaVine continues to go off for the Bulls. He’s had at least 30 points in four straight games and five of his last six. He’s playing like a first round pick in fantasy over the last two weeks. LaVine might also be playing like someone who wants to be traded as his name has been in trade rumors since last season. This recent showcase would only motivate another team to be even more interest in the 29-year-old shooting guard.

Haliburton, who played through an ankle injury after he was listed as questionable, only had 16 points on 13 shots, but was a masterful playmaker for Indiana Wednesday. He had 13 assists and just one turnover. Haliburton was a team-leading +25 in 30 minutes in the 16-point victory. Backup point guard T.J. McConnell played just 16 minutes off the bench and wasn’t a factor.

Jones injured his shoulder during the third quarter of Wednesday’s game, cutting his night short after 18 minutes of action. New Orleans visits Philadelphia on Friday, and Zion Williamson (hamstring) should return after sitting out Wednesday’s game. He can slide into Jones’ spot in the lineup if the Pelicans are forced to play without their best defender.

Bryant stepped into the starting lineup with Myles Turner out with an illness. It was a successful spot start for the 27-year-old center. He had a significant impact in his 28 minutes scoring 22 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Bryant even made two 3-pointers. Bryant hadn’t scored 20 points or even played 20 minutes in a game yet this season so he’s strictly usable only when inserted into the starting lineup.

Not considered much of an asset for fantasy managers needing points production, Wallace has reached double figures in consecutive games for the first time since December 1-3. Two games don’t make the second-year guard an elite scorer by any means, but the potential to supplement Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Wallace is there. However, until Wallace makes good on that potential, he’ll remain a better option for managers willing to punt points.

Despite having his hands full with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Hartenstein recorded another double-double and finished two assists shy of a triple-double. His presence in the lineup has been immense for Oklahoma City, which still awaits Chet Holmgren’s return from a hip injury. Providing top-50 value in 9-cat formats, Hartenstein heads back to New York for the first time since leaving in free agency, as Oklahoma City visits the Knicks on Friday.

For those concerned about Williams’ recent struggles, especially as a shooter, his performance in Cleveland should help. The 25 points are the most he’s scored in a game since December 20, when JDub dropped 33 on the Heat. While Williams has only been a top-100 player over the past two weeks, he has provided top-25 value for the season and is exceeding his Yahoo ADP (34). Simply put, he’ll be fine. There’s no need to panic.