NBA Player News

This is a brutal turn of events for the Suns, who, at 8-1, are off to the best start in franchise history. Durant was injured during Friday’s win over the Mavericks, a game in which he played 37 minutes. Ryan Dunn, who’s on track to play in Sunday’s game against the Kings, and Royce O’Neale are two possibilities to fill the void in the starting lineup. O’Neale offers a higher fantasy ceiling and is worth adding where available.

Finney-Smith will not be available for Thursday’s game after injuring his shoulder during Tuesday’s loss to Philadelphia. Dalton Knecht should figure more prominently in the rotation, especially with Anthony Davis also out. The rookie wing is worth streaming in deep leagues, even though he’ll come off the bench.

Exum could potentially make his season debut on Friday, giving Jason Kidd another option on the perimeter as the Mavericks continue to play without Luka Doncic. However, Exum is unlikely to play the minutes needed to impact fantasy basketball in his first few games.

Christie will miss a fourth straight game with a sprained left ankle. His continued absence does not impact fantasy basketball, as the rookie has not been a consistent member of the Clippers’ rotation when healthy.

The initial injury report had Young listed as questionable, so the status upgrade was expected. Keaton Wallace will continue to come off the bench, considerably limiting his already low fantasy value. Wallace is only worth the risk on nights when Young is not available.

Williams will miss a second straight game because the Hornets want to manage his right foot injury. Taj Gibson should remain in the starting lineup, where he can provide rebounds. However, Moussa Diabate will likely play more minutes, making him the superior streaming option.

Green is on track to return Friday after he missed Wednesday’s loss to the Nets with a sore right foot. While he would likely return to the starting lineup, pushing Josh Okogie to the bench, Green hasn’t done enough this season to merit being rostered in most fantasy leagues.

Shead played 21 minutes off the bench in Wednesday’s win over Washington. The impact of his potential absence on Friday depends on the availability of Immanuel Quickley (hip, groin), who is also questionable. If Quickley returns, the Raptors would have ample coverage if their second-round pick cannot play.

Dick did not play in Wednesday’s win over Washington, which led to Ochai Agbaji replacing him in the starting lineup. Agbaji was productive enough to reward those who streamed him, tallying 12 points and a complete stat line that included three steals and three 3-pointers.

Olynyk has missed Toronto’s last three games, most recently sitting out Wednesday’s win over the Wizards. Chris Boucher and Orlando Robinson have played more minutes off the bench, with the former offering a higher fantasy ceiling. However, neither has done enough to become a must-stream player.

Quickley has not appeared in a game since January 11, missing the last eight with a strained left groin and hip. However, the questionable tag hasn’t been used often since Quickley’s injury, so he appears to be trending in the right direction. Davion Mitchell will remain the starting point guard until Quickley is cleared to return.