NBA Player News

Sabonis was initially expected to miss at least three more games with this ankle injury, but he was able to suit up after missing just three games. Of course, he got right back to work and recorded his 52nd double-double of the season. He achieved that mark before halftime, though it wasn’t enough for Sacramento to get the win. Sabonis has had one of the best seasons of his career, though his numbers have taken a hit in the second half of the season due to injury. Hopefully he can close out the season by continuing to dominate the glass like he did on Monday.

No specifics were provided regarding Payton’s injury or its severity, but that will change Thursday evening when the Warriors release their injury report for Friday’s game in New Orleans. He has averaged 21.7 minutes per game over the past two weeks, providing 10th-round value in nine-cat formats. Payton’s absence would be most impactful defensively, as he is one of the Warriors’ best defenders. Moses Moody, who’s in the starting lineup, will have added importance as the Warriors move onward without GPII.

Absent from Miami’s initial injury report, Love has been ruled out for personal reasons. Hopefully, this situation will not keep him away from the team for an extended period. Regarding fantasy basketball, Love’s absence will have minimal impact since he has not been in the rotation recently.

Still doubtful for Thursday’s game against the Mavericks, Anthony did not participate in shootaround with his teammates. However, the Magic guard did get in some individual work and shooting. Cory Joseph has been Anthony’s replacement in the starting lineup, but Anthony Black has offered a higher fantasy ceiling. Rostered in 10 percent of Yahoo! leagues, the latter has provided 10th-round value in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks.

Williams, who has missed Oklahoma City’s last seven games with a strained right hip, remains questionable for Thursday’s game against the Grizzlies. While head coach Mark Daigneault did not settle on one specific replacement in the starting lineup while J-Dub was out, Kenrich Williams was the most recent fill-in, playing 28 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Kings. He, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Joe would all be in the mix to start if Williams cannot play against Memphis.

While Goodwin has been part of the Lakers’ rotation this season, Reddish has not. And with it being reported Thursday afternoon that the former was being converted from a two-way to a standard contract, it makes sense that the latter would be waived to free up space. Reddish appeared in 33 games this season, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.8 minutes. It will be interesting to see if he can catch on with a non-contending team before the end of the season.

While this transaction does not impact fantasy basketball, as Goodwin was already in the Lakers’ rotation, it does affect the NBA Playoffs. Two-way contract players are not eligible for the postseason, so addressing Goodwin’s status means he will be available. However, with 15 players already under standard contracts, the Lakers must waive someone to free up a spot for Goodwin.

Wheeler is the latest G League alum to receive an opportunity to prove himself in the NBA. The 6-foot-8 forward most recently played for the Maine Celtics, averaging 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in six appearances after being acquired from the Texas Legends. Wheeler’s addition to the 76ers’ roster is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball.

Murphy injured his right shoulder during a March 17 game against the Pistons, and a labral tear was discovered in the ensuing MRI. A timeline for his return is unknown, but the Pelicans announced Wednesday that the procedure was successful. Murphy had a career year in 2024-25, averaging 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.7 blocks and 3.0 three-pointers per game. With Brandon Ingram traded to Toronto at the February deadline, the Pelicans clearly view Murphy as a critical piece in the team’s rebuild.

Irving tore the ACL in his left knee during a March 3 game against the Kings, ending his 2024-25 season. According to the team, the procedure to repair the torn ligament took place on Wednesday and was successful. A timeline for a return to basketball remains unknown, and complicating Irving’s situation is that he can be a free agent this summer. Fantasy managers should operate under the assumption that he will not be ready when the 2025-26 season begins in October.

Booker has hit double figures in assists in three straight and five of his last seven appearances. While he has only shot 43.9 percent from the field over the past two weeks, the improved assist production is why the Suns’ guard has offered top-50 value during this stretch. Of course, the Suns and fantasy managers want to see Booker shoot the ball better than he has. However, subpar shooting has not kept him from offering solid overall value. The Suns play two more games during Week 21, starting with the Timberwolves on Friday.