Jared

McCain

Caruso will be back after sitting out on Wednesday, which was the second night of a back-to-back. He played well in his last appearance, but he hasn’t been a consistent producer for fantasy managers this season. Jared McCain will lose out on some minutes with Caruso back.

Mitchell has not appeared in a game since January 21 as he deals with an abdominal strain and a sprained left ankle. His continued absence means additional minutes for Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain. However, since they’ll be coming off the bench, Joe and McCain offer limited upside in most fantasy leagues.

After playing 16 and 10 minutes in Oklahoma City’s prior two games, McCain logged 29 minutes in Detroit. Isaiah Joe’s leaving during the first half with a glute contusion was a factor, but McCain earned his minutes by dropping his second 20-point game since being traded. Whether McCain is worth the risk in most fantasy leagues will depend on the availability of Joe, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell.

Joe suffered a left glute contusion during the first half of Wednesday’s game, and he has been ruled out for the rest of the night. Jared McCain entered the lineup to begin the third quarter, and he’ll have added value if Joe misses time. Joe finished with three points, two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer in 14 minutes.

Caruso will sit out Wednesday’s game, which is the second in as many nights for the Thunder. His absence should result in more minutes for Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain, with both having the potential to be valuable streamers in deeper leagues.

Caruso returned from a one-game absence on Tuesday, but the ankle injury will likely keep him sidelined for the second leg of OKC’s back-to-back. Jared McCain and Aaron Wiggins should take on extra minutes off the bench.

Caruso sprained his left ankle during Friday’s win over the Nets and did not return. His absence makes Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain players of greater importance among the Thunder reserves, especially with Ajay Mitchell also out.

Just five games into his tenure with the Thunder, McCain logged one of his most productive performances of the season. Off the bench, he shot well inside and outside the arc before finishing as OKC’s top scorer on the evening. McCain’s production was fairly limited elsewhere, aside from less than a handful of rebounds. His role with a fully healthy Thunder roster remains unclear. Nonetheless, he’s made good on his early opportunities after being acquired via trade.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed Oklahoma City’s final five games before the All-Star break with an abdominal strain. Thursday’s update means the reigning league MVP will miss at least four more games before he’s re-evaluated. Cason Wallace has taken on a more prominent role in the Thunder rotation, and minutes have also been available for Jared McCain. Wallace is the superior fantasy option and should be rostered in 12-team leagues.

SGA was able to play in OKC’s win over the Magic on Tuesday, but he’ll now miss at least five more games entering the break. OKC has the best record in the league, but they’ve faced a ton of injuries already this season. The added rest will be good for SGA in the long run. Ajay Mitchell (abdominal) should start when he returns, but there will be plenty of minutes and usage for everyone available, including the recently-acquired Jared McCain.