NBA Player News

After Jonathan Mogbo was allowed to start three games for the injured Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors moved Olynyk into the lineup on Thursday. The matchup likely factored into the reasoning, with the Grizzlies starting Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey. Olynyk has played 23 minutes or more in two of his last three outings, and he’ll have value if that continues. As for Mogbo, he played 17 minutes and finished with two points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and three blocks. While not much of a fantasy option currently, Mogbo will be a name to know in advance of the “silly season.”

Playing against the team that selected him in last summer’s draft (and dealt his rights to Oklahoma City), Mitchell played 13 minutes off the bench and finished with eight points (3-of-6 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs) and one rebound. Unfortunately, the rookie guard injured his toe late in the third quarter and did not return. Oklahoma City is already without Alex Caruso, so Mitchell joining him on the sideline could result in the rookie’s minutes being divided amongst Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe.

Bane was fairly efficient with 22 points on 14 shots despite uncharacteristically missing all four of his 3-point attempts. With Ja Morant still on the shelf, the 26-year-old shooting guard has more playmaking opportunities, which resulted in eight assists Friday. Bane also had five turnovers, though. He’s been a top-20 fantasy player on a per-game basis over the last two weeks.

Wells stepped into the starting lineup Friday and had his best game of the year as he dropped 30 points on 16 shots against the Kings. The 21-year-old small forward knocked down 8-of-9 attempts from behind the 3-point line. It was a huge game and Wells is fantasy-relevant when inserted into the starting lineup. Still, he’ll need to do more to separate himself from Memphis’ deep rotation when everyone is healthy.

Daniels has recorded five steals or more in nine games this season, the most recent being Friday’s outing. The Hawks wing has been a menace defensively, leading the NBA in total steals and steals per game. Daniels’ defensive production (3.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game) is a big reason he’s providing top-25 value in 9-cat formats, well above his Yahoo ADP (138). He’ll look to add to those defensive numbers on Saturday when the Hawks visit the Clippers.

After scoring 30 points or more in six of his first 27 games, Young has met or exceeded that number in three straight. The increased scoring is why he’s provided top-10 per-game value in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks. While his value takes a slight hit when turnovers are factored in, Young has still been a top-20 player in 9-cat formats. He’ll look to finish Week 10 on a high note when the Hawks visit the Clippers on Saturday.

Johnson was back in the Hawks’ starting lineup after sitting out Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets, and he had a good night in Los Angeles. Over the past two weeks, he has provided 1st-round per-game value in 9-cat formats. Garrison Mathews, who filled in for Johnson on Wednesday, was limited to 14 minutes off the bench against the Lakers. Missing all four of his attempts, Mathews went scoreless with one blocked shot. Unless Johnson is held out of Saturday’s game against the Clippers, there’s no reason to roster Mathews.

Reaves may have produced solid numbers in the points, rebounds, and assist categories, but this was not one of his better nights. In addition to shooting 33.3% from the field, he was responsible for six of the Lakers’ 18 turnovers. While averaging 2.6 turnovers per game for the season, Reaves has been accountable for 4.1 over the past two weeks. The good news for managers who have him rostered is that Reaves has remained a top-75 player in 9-cat formats during this stretch (top-40 in 8-cat), a sign that he’s making up for the turnovers with solid production in other categories.

DeRozan had at least 25 points with at least five assists for the second time in the last four games. The 35-year-old small forward hadn’t scored even 20 points in a game since December 12, but has taken his scoring up a notch recently. DeRozan still hasn’t lived up to preseason expectations that fantasy managers had for him, but Friday’s game was another step in the right direction.

One night after he moved into a tie with Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in NBA history, James claimed the record for himself on Friday. His 30-point effort against the Hawks was the 563rd of LeBron’s storied career, the latest in a long list of achievements. Of greater importance to fantasy managers is that he’s providing top 20 per-game value in 8-cat formats, exceeding his Yahoo ADP (24). LeBron and the Lakers end Week 10 with a game against the Rockets on Sunday.

Davis was back in the lineup after sitting out Thursday’s win over the Trail Blazers. While he didn’t shoot well on Friday, the Lakers center provided excellent value in rebounds, steals, and blocked shots. Davis continues to provide top-10 per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats, performing slightly better in the latter. The good news for fantasy managers is that they will likely get three games out of Davis as the Lakers visit the Rockets on Sunday.