Rayan

Rupert

Murray has missed Portland’s last two games with a bruised sternum, leaving the Blazers shorthanded within their bench rotation. While his absence hasn’t impacted fantasy basketball, Rayan Rupert played more rotation minutes on Wednesday against the Pacers. Rupert isn’t worth streaming.

Murray will miss a second straight game, freeing up minutes for Rayan Rupert. While Rupert played extended minutes in Monday’s blowout loss to the Grizzlies, it isn’t enough to make him relevant in most fantasy leagues.

Murray missed their last game, which opened the door for Rayan Rupert and Jabari Walker to play 20+ minutes off the bench in a blowout loss. If Murray remains out, both guys will see extra minutes if the score gets lopsided, though they likely won’t play enough to be worth consideration for a streaming spot, especially on day with 14 games.

If there was a positive for Portland to take from Friday’s game, which got out of hand during the third quarter, it was Rupert’s play. The second-year wing established new career-highs in points and 3-pointers while recording a steal and a blocked shot. Rupert isn’t at the point where fantasy managers can rely on his for consistent production, but he’s someone who may have added value during the silly season.

Rupert, who took on a limited role within the Blazers’ rotation late last season, shot the ball well in Saturday’s defeat. While he was also responsible for five turnovers, the second-year wing played with an aggressiveness rarely present during his rookie campaign. Rupert isn’t a lock to be in a position to offer consistent fantasy value in 2024-25, but he’s worth keeping an eye on for the remainder of the summer.

Thybulle was forced to exit Friday’s loss to the Heat after playing seven minutes, a sign he may have returned too early after missing five games. His absence frees up additional minutes for Rayan Rupert and Dalano Banton, with the latter offering a superior fantasy ceiling.

Thybulle had missed their last five games due to this same ankle injury, and he logged seven minutes in this game before exiting for the night. They are down more than 40 points, which could be a factor in ending his night early. Dalano Banton and Rayan Rupert should take on some extra minutes.

Grant has been sidelined since March 11 and appears likely to miss another game on Friday. Rookie Kris Murray has been a fixture in the starting lineup since the All-Star break and is worthy of consideration in deep leagues. Rayan Rupert has also started recently but is not worth the risk due to his limited offensive production.

All three players will remain sidelined once again, which will allow Portland to continue to roll out its starting unit of five rookies. Rupert is the only member of thise starting group that doesn’t rank inside the top-125 in 9-cat scoring over the past week, though Dalano Banton has met those qualifications as a reserve.

Thybulle will miss a fourth straight game, which will allow Rayan Rupert to remain in the starting unit. That also opens the door for Dalano Banton to continue to see extra minutes off the bench. In their last game, Banton logged 33 minutes, while Rupert only played 16, despite starting. Banton is the better fantasy option moving forward.