NBA Player News

After struggling during Utah’s summer league games in Salt Lake City, Filipowski looked more comfortable in Las Vegas. The role likely had something to do with that, as Walker Kessler’s absence led to the rookie being moved from power forward to center. While Filipowski did encounter some issues defensively, he has the offensive skill set needed to force mismatches on the other end. With Utah appearing to be all-in on the 2025 draft class, playing time may not be hard to come by for the rookie. And if the Jazz were to trade Lauri Markkanen, Filipowski’s fantasy ceiling would increase significantly.

Finney-Smith saw the most action of the four power forwards and centers who saw action on Wednesday (not counting LeBron James). While he did not provide any defensive stats, the points, rebounds, assists, and three-pointers were solid. Finney-Smith’s playing time is worth monitoring, as consistently getting into the high 20s in minutes would raise his value. Jaxson Hayes (eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals) played 18 minutes as the starting center, while reserves Jarred Vanderbilt (three points and four rebounds) and Alex Len (one rebound) logged 13 and 10, respectively. If this holds, Finney-Smith would surpass Hayes as the player deep-league managers should seek on waiver wires despite coming off the bench.

Hachimura led all Lakers with 39 minutes, and he may face another hefty workload on Thursday. Los Angeles visits Portland, and with Luka Doncic and LeBron James managing lower-body injuries, it would be unsurprising if one (or both) did not play. Rostered in 61 percent of Yahoo leagues, Hachimura has provided 11th-round value in eight-cat formats over the past month. That certainly isn’t elite value, but the lack of defensive stats has limited Rui’s fantasy ceiling; the offensive production has been fine on most nights.

After sitting out Sunday’s All-Star Game, James played 38 minutes on Wednesday and finished three rebounds shy of a triple-double. He had two opportunities to send the game into overtime in the final seconds, but both three-point attempts fell short. With the lingering ankle and foot issues, it would be unsurprising if James were to sit out Thursday’s game in Portland. If so, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves will figure more prominently in the offense, especially if Luka Doncic (calf) also sits for injury management reasons.

Wednesday’s game wasn’t the cleanest for Doncic, as he shot 1-of-9 from three and committed six turnovers. However, the 33 minutes are the most he’s played since returning from the strained calf that sidelined him for over a month. The rust has been apparent in Doncic’s first games as a Laker, but fantasy managers should remain patient. In the immediate future, don’t be surprised if he sits out Thursday’s game in Portland for injury management reasons.

Bridges was excellent on both ends of the floor for the Hornets, recording a robust stat line (outside of the lack of assists) for fantasy managers. The Hornets forward hasn’t been as valuable as many fantasy managers hoped (ADP: 60), but his production is just one round worse in 12-team leagues. He wasn’t victim to a shutdown until most fantasy leagues were already completed last season, and fantasy managers are hoping that will also be the case for Bridges this season. The Hornets play two more games during Week 16, starting with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Wednesday’s game was Williams’s first since February 5, one day before he was traded to the Lakers. Of course, that transaction was rescinded due to a failed physical. Williams played 29 minutes on Wednesday and finished one rebound shy of a double-double. The concerns moving forward are Williams’ health and overall availability, especially with the Hornets likely being a lottery team. Jusuf Nurkic (eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks) played 18 minutes as the backup center, while Moussa Diabate was a DNP-CD. If Williams does not play against the Hornets on Thursday, look for Diabate to see action.

Ball was best when the Hornets needed him most, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter. Included was a layup with 14 seconds remaining that extended Charlotte’s lead to four at the time, and he would hit two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining to provide the final margin. While Ball has provided top 20 per-game value in eight-cat formats this season, his availability down the stretch will concern fantasy managers since the Hornets are likely headed back to the draft lottery. In the short term, they should plan for LaMelo not playing in Thursday’s game against the Nuggets. If he sits, Elfrid Payton would be the next man up, with KJ Simpson entering the rotation after being inactive on Wednesday.

Reaves’ night came to a premature end with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter, as he picked up two technical fouls while arguing that he was fouled on a drive to the basket. In 27 minutes, he was responsible for eight points (3-of-9 FGs), two rebounds, one assist, two steals, one block, and two three-pointers. Reaves will look to redeem himself on Thursday when the Lakers visit Portland.

Ball and Williams are back in the starting lineup after missing time due to injury and conditioning, respectively. Their returns mean Elfrid Payton and Jusuf Nurkic will come off the bench, with the latter still having some value in deep leagues. Also worth tracking are Moussa Diabate’s minutes, as he could fall out of the rotation entirely with Williams back in the fold.

Kuminga, who has been sidelined since January 4 with a sprained right ankle, practiced with the team on Wednesday. The Warriors did not provide an update on when he’ll be available for games, but participating in team practice is a positive development. However, things have changed since Kuminga’s injury, as the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline. His fantasy ceiling will likely be limited early on once he’s cleared to return.