Dorian

Finney-Smith

James and Hachimura have been cleared to play, and the latter will be in the starting lineup. Hachimura is still under a minutes restriction, so fantasy managers should not expect too much from him regarding playing time. Dorian Finney-Smith heads to the bench, where his already low fantasy value takes a hit.

LeBron and Hachimura are back on the Lakers’ injury report, both listed due to injuries they have been dealing with in recent weeks. In James’ case, sitting out Wednesday’s game would likely push Jordan Goodwin into the lineup, giving him some streaming value in deep leagues. As for Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith has retained his place in the starting lineup, and his minutes will likely increase if Rui cannot play.

Finney-Smith has made at least three three-pointers in three of his last four outings, with Saturday’s loss to the Bulls being the exception. Being a starter raises his fantasy ceiling, especially with Rui Hachimura still under a minutes restriction. Hachimura played 24 minutes on Monday, finishing with five points, three rebounds and one steal. Whether or not JJ Redick sticks with this lineup for the rest of the fantasy season remains to be seen, but deep-league managers who have Finney-Smith rostered should hold onto him for now.

James and Hachimura have been upgraded from probable to available, meaning the Lakers will have their full rotation in Orlando. The latter will likely be under a minutes restriction, meaning he would come off the bench. Dorian Finney-Smith would remain in the starting lineup in that scenario.

Hachimura returned to the Lakers’ rotation on Saturday after missing nearly one month with left knee tendinopathy. He logged 18 minutes, two fewer than the limit Lakers coach JJ Redick stated before the team lost to the Bulls. Hachimura will likely take on a similar workload if he’s allowed to play against the Magic, and he’s likely to come off the bench again.

Appearing in a game for the first time since February 27, Hachimura was said to be on a limit of 20-24 minutes on Saturday. He only played 18, due partially to things getting out of hand in the Lakers’ 146-115 defeat. Hachimura did not provide much value in his time on the court, and his fantasy prospects aren’t as promising when used in a reserve role. Dorian Finney-Smith (2/2/1/1/1 in 21 minutes) has been the starter since Hachimura’s injury; while his fantasy ceiling is lower, DFS’s defensive ability makes him a solid fit in the Lakers’ starting lineup. Whether or not that remains the case once Rui’s restriction is lifted may be another matter, as he played well before the knee injury.

After sitting out Thursday’s loss to the Bucks, Finney-Smith and Vanderbilt will return to the Lakers’ rotation. Their returns mean Markieff Morris will likely fall out of the rotation entirely, which does not impact fantasy basketball.

Both forwards are expected to be back after missing Thursday’s game against Milwaukee. The Lakers were without six key rotation pieces for that game on the second night of a back-to-back. Markieff Morris should be bumped back out of the rotation with DFS and Vanderbilt expected back.

While Lakers head coach JJ Redick has said he’s hopeful that James and Hachimura will suit up and play Saturday, both are listed as questionable, which gives them a legitimate chance of missing the matchup with the Bulls. LeBron is dealing with a left groin strain that has kept him out for seven games. Hachimura has missed the last 12 games with left patellar tendinopathy. Dorian Finney-Smith and Jordan Goodwin could continue to start in their absences.

Both forwards were initially doubtful, so it isn’t surprising that they’ve been ruled out. Markieff Morris will get the start in place of DFS, but Cam Reddish should also make a return to the rotation for the shorthanded Lakers.