NBA Player News

Wells struggled in 25 minutes in his first Summer League game, but he took on a larger role in his second appearance with Zach Edey, GG Jackson, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jake LaRavia all sitting out. He led the team with 27 points and gave them the win by knocking down a floater off of an offensive rebound at the buzzer. Wells likely won’t make much of a fantasy impact on a stacked Memphis team this season, but it is encouraging to see him play well this summer.

Joe did not play in either of Oklahoma City’s two games in Week 5, with Cason Wallace replacing him in the starting lineup. If Joe plays, Wallace’s minutes should not decrease too much, as the Thunder will be without Alex Caruso (hip). Ajay Mitchell may take a slight hit, but at best, he’s a deep-league option.

Caruso aggravated a prior hip injury during Wednesday’s win over Portland. Oklahoma City hasn’t played since, but the time off hasn’t been enough to get Caruso back to full strength (or close enough to play). Isaiah Joe (calf) is questionable for Monday’s game and can absorb some of the minutes if made available.

Herro’s usage hasn’t been impacted by Jimmy Butler’s return, though that’s also because Terry Rozier has missed both games since Butler returned. Herro had a double-double with 11 rebounds, but only managed 18 points on 25 shots. He made only 1-of-10 attempts from behind the 3-point line. Herro was -1 in 42 minutes in the overtime win. Miami has four games in Week 6, starting with the Bucks on Tuesday.

Butler’s dunk with four second left in the fourth quarter tied the game and the Heat were able to force overtime. It was a vintage Jimmy Buckets performance. Butler had 33 points on 17 shots, didn’t attempt a 3-pointer and made 11-of-16 free throws. He’s now had two games with at least 30 points since returning after a four-game absence due to an ankle injury. Miami has four games in Week 6, starting on Tuesday with the Bucks.

Maxey heading into Week 6 as a 4th-round player in 9-cat formats isn’t the worst thing in fantasy basketball. The absences of Paul George and Joel Embiid have meant more responsibility for the 76ers point guard, negatively impacting his efficiency. The good news for fantasy managers is that they’ve only taken a hit in field-goal percentage, as Maxey is averaging just 1.6 turnovers per game. The 76ers only play twice in Week 6, beginning with the Rockets on Wednesday.

It’s a good thing plus/minus isn’t a scoring category in fantasy basketball because Oubre tossed up a minus 40 on Sunday. The blame does fall solely at his feet, but Sunday’s performance was a microcosm of Philadelphia’s season thus far. With Paul George (knee) sidelined, Oubre should remain in the starting lineup until that changes. Unfortunately, he hasn’t proven to be the most valuable fantasy option, whether starting or coming off the bench.

McCain’s streak of consecutive games with 20 points or more ended on Sunday, with the rookie scoring 18. While the point total was respectable, fantasy managers looking for solid field-goal percentage numbers took a hit in this one. The absences of Paul George and Joel Embiid make McCain a must-roster player, even if there’s a chance he’ll have the occasional bad night.

Zubac has been one of the most reliable rebounders in fantasy basketball, reaching double figures in that category in six straight and nine of his last 10 games. The most significant concern for fantasy managers has been the foul line, with the 7-footer making just 56.9% of his attempts. However, this isn’t an issue in free-throw punt builds. Zubac and the Clippers will be tested on Monday when they visit the reigning champion Celtics.

Make it two consecutive solid offensive performances for Jones, who scored 17 in Friday’s win over Sacramento. With Norman Powell (hamstring) out, there’s room for others to step up behind James Harden and Ivica Zubac. Jones’ season-long production makes it understandable that he remains rostered in just 11% of Yahoo leagues. But the Clippers’ four-game Week 6 would be a good time to roll the dice, especially for managers needing steals production.

While many of the 76ers fans in attendance booed Harden every time he touched the ball, they eventually directed their ire toward the home team in the 125-99 defeat. With the game effectively over by the end of the third quarter, Harden missed out on some production, but the points and assists were solid. The Clippers begin a four-game Week 6 schedule in Boston on Monday.