NBA Player News

The 28th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Labissiere is returning to the city where he began his NBA career (Sacramento acquired his draft rights from the Suns). The former Kentucky big man was unable to establish himself in the NBA, and he has spent his last two professional seasons in the G League. Labissiere is unlikely to be a fantasy asset next season, regardless of league size.

With Jalen Johnson (shoulder) sitting out the second game of Atlanta’s back-to-back, Krejci received the starting nod against the Clippers. He hit a few 3-pointers, but that was about it regarding value. Garrison Mathews was more productive off the bench, hitting four triples and finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 25 minutes. With Johnson likely returning for Tuesday’s game against the Jazz, there’s no need to add Krejci or Mathews. The latter offers greater streaming value when the Hawks are shorthanded.

Hunter began Saturday’s game in his usual reserve role, but the need for more offense led to him moving into the lineup to start the third quarter. Making that move permanent would likely require Jalen Johnson to be sidelined for an extended period, as he was unavailable for Saturday’s game. Johnson should be back for Tuesday’s game in Utah, so look for Hunter to retain his usual role.

Young recorded his 24th double-double of the season on Saturday, and he did so while committing just three turnovers. The Hawks point guard has been responsible for three turnovers or less in four of his last six games, representing a step in the right direction. Averaging 4.4 turnovers per game for the season, Young has been responsible for 3.6 over the past two weeks, so he’s provided top-20 value in 9-cat formats during this stretch. The Hawks play three games during Week 11, beginning with the Jazz on Tuesday.

Before Saturday’s game, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. will rotate starts now that Kawhi Leonard is back, with the matchup dictating the decision. Due to a need to account for Atlanta’s on-ball pressure, Dunn received the nod on Saturday, but early foul trouble led to Jones’ number being called earlier than expected. Jones (12 points, three rebounds, and three steals in 22 minutes) was more productive, but he and Dunn stand to take hits to their already-low fantasy values with Leonard in the lineup.

Powell and Kawhi Leonard shared the court for the first time this season, as the latter was making his long-awaited return from offseason knee surgery. Powell still got his scoring opportunities and points, with the 16 field goal attempts being one less than his average for the season. If anything, scoring may become more manageable for Powell, with teams having to devote their defensive attention to Leonard and James Harden. With Leonard due to be under a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future, Powell’s fantasy value should hold steady. The Clippers play three games during Week 11.

Zubac recorded his 23rd double-double of the season on Saturday, matching his total from the 2023-24 campaign. Kawhi Leonard making his season debut helped the other Clippers on the floor, as his “gravity” makes it easier for players to get into spots where they can be successful. Zubac shot over 80% from the field and grabbed 18 rebounds, two shy of his season-high. Fantasy managers with Zubac rostered should not be concerned about his value with Leonard in the lineup.

Harden didn’t score much on Saturday, but he didn’t need to. Seven other Clippers reached double figures, and The Beard racked up 15 assists on the night, 13 during the first half. Getting Kawhi Leonard back should help Harden moving forward, as his presence frees up the other players on the court. He’s averaging 4.8 turnovers per game and finished Saturday’s win with four. Harden and the Clippers play three games during Week 11.

Leonard made his long-awaited season debut on Saturday and was under a minutes restriction. The limit was 20 minutes, and Kawhi hit that number by the third quarter. His return means one of Kris Dunn or Derrick Jones Jr. will come off the bench, depending on that night’s matchup. Jones drew the “short stick” on Saturday but still played 22 minutes off the bench, while Dunn logged 13. The Clippers play three games in Week 11 without a back-to-back; hopefully, the schedule increases the likelihood of Leonard playing all three.

LaRavia made the most of his opportunity with Luke Kennard out Saturday. The 23-year-old small forward played 32 minutes off the bench, had 17 points on eight shots and dished out 10 assists while only recording three turnovers. He’d be very relevant in fantasy if he consistently played 30 minutes per game, but he’ll have to battle it out for minutes with Kennard and others in the Grizzlies deep rotation going forward.

Bane’s shooting struggles continued while he played through an ankle injury. He scored 22 points and made two 3-pointers, but he needed 20 shots to get there. Bane also continued to see more playmaking opportunities with Ja Morant and dished out 10 assists, earning a double-double. The 26-year-old shooting guard also turned the ball over eight times, which has been an issue. He -10 in 35 minutes in the eight-point loss. Hopefully, Bane eventually will get healthy and be over his shooting struggles, though the additional assist he’s getting somewhat make up for it.