Ziaire

Williams

Williams - the 10th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft - failed to make a significant impact in three professional seasons. He’ll get a fresh start in Brooklyn with the chance to compete for meaningful minutes on a rebuilding team.

Both players have been sidelined since the beginning of March, and it will likely remain that way for the final two weeks of the season. This won’t have much of an impact on their recent rotation, though it should make guys like Scotty Pippen Jr., Jak LaRavia and Lamar Stevens more secure options for the rest of the year.

While the Grizzlies’ diagnosis and subsequent recovery time don’t automatically mean Williams is done for the season, the timeline means he’ll be off the board in most (if not all) fantasy leagues. Rostered in just five percent of Yahoo leagues, Ziaire was ranked outside the top 175 in 9-cat per-game value over the past three weeks. While moving into the starting lineup gave him a shot at achieving fantasy relevance, it never happened. Williams’ absence frees up additional minutes for John Konchar, who started Monday’s win over the Nets, and Jake LaRavia.

Williams was carried off the floor Saturday, so it’s no surprise he’ll sit out Monday. JJJ and Rose missed the last two for Memphis, and either Trey Jemison or Lamar Stevens will start in the frontcourt. John Konchar could fill in for Williams as the Grizzlies deal with yet another injury.

Not long after he appeared to hurt his back on a hard fall, Williams went down again while attempting to set a “ghost screen” on Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons. He could not walk off the court under his own power; instead, he needed to be carried back to the locker room. Williams finished with nine points, six rebounds, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes. Should Ziaire miss time, Luke Kennard could move back into the starting lineup, with John Konchar being another option.

Konchar has missed the team’s last three games, while Kennard has been sidelined for their last two. Ziaire Williams should remain in the starting unit if both are sidelined once again, with Lamar Stevens also playing a large role off the bench. However, it is difficult to trust anyone in Memphis to provide consistent value.

Kennard and Konchar remain sidelined for another game, with the absence of the former keeping Jordan Goodwin in the starting lineup. Also, these absences boost Ziaire Williams’ fantasy value, and he’s worth adding now ahead of the “silly season.” Williams has been a fixture in the starting lineup, surpassing 30 minutes consistently.

Kennard and Konchar missed Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota and appear likely to sit on Friday. If so, Jordan Goodwin will remain in the starting lineup, and Ziaire Williams’ fantasy value will also be boosted. Those two are worth streaming in that spot, with the latter offering a higher fantasy ceiling for the remainder of the season. Now would be an excellent time to add (and hold onto) Williams ahead of the silly season, as he’s a virtual lock to play at least 30 minutes a night.

Of the two Williamses in the Grizzlies starting lineup, Ziaire had the better night in Minnesota. He’s scored 16 points or more in three of his last four, providing 12th-round per-game value in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks. He’s rostered in eight percent of Yahoo leagues, and that should increase as the Grizzlies play out the string. As for Vince Jr., he shot 4-of-15 from the field and accounted for 11 points, six rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, and one 3-pointer in 31 minutes. Despite the poor shooting, Vince is one of the Grizzlies’ few safe fantasy options in a lost season.

Konchar picked up the injury Friday against the Clippers, and it will keep him sidelined for at least one game. Konchar’s absence could mean more minutes for Jake LaRavia or Ziaire Williams on the wing, but neither are appealing streamers.