RADIO
RotoBaller has assembled NBA injury updates and advice on various injury situations throughout the NBA to prepare for your daily lineups on February 5, 2016. Understanding the injury landscape, and who plans to benefit instead, is critical for setting your fantasy basketball lineups daily.
Here we will focus on the important questions: Who is injured? When are they coming back? Should you stash an injured player on your roster? Who is getting an opportunity in the mean time?
This injury analysis should assist in setting your daily lineups for both DFS formats and seasonal leagues. Consider this your one-stop overview of fantasy-relevant injuries in the NBA.
NBA Injury News for Fantasy Lineups (2/5)
Returning from Injury
Kemba Walker (PG, CHA): Kemba looks like he will be ready to take the court on Friday against the Miami Heat. He sat out the previous game with a sore knee, but practiced Thursday. An MRI revealed no damage, although Walker did have some fluid drained before sitting out Tuesday and Wednesday. Walker attributes the soreness to lots of minutes and close games. Walker says his knee feels good, and should play Friday if he gets through shootaround without any setbacks.
Deron Williams (PG, DAL): Williams told reporters after Thursday's practice that he was going to play on Friday. D-Will has been dealing with a hip injury that forced him out of Wednesday's action. He seemed confident that he would be able to go against the Spurs. Not exactly a great matchup so benching him until his next game might not be a bad idea.
Questionable to Play
Matt Barnes (SG/SF, MEM): Barnes missed Monday's game with a hamstring injury, and is questionable for tonight's game. If he were to miss more time, his minutes on the wing would be divvied up by Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, and Tony Allen.
Jimmy Butler (SG/SF, CHI): Butler missed Wednesday's game because of a knee injury that flared up on Monday. Fred Hoiberg sounded confident that Butler would play Friday, but keep tabs on his pregame status. Butler is a gamer so he will try to play through the pain.
DeMarcus Cousins (PF/C, SAC): Cousins is probable for tonight's game with an ankle injury. He played through it on Wednesday, but often looked hobbled. If he sits, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos would take on his minutes, with Rudy Gay taking on his role as primary scorer. Even if Cousins does end up starting as expected, he is a moderately risky play in daily lineups due to the chance for aggravation.
Jae Crowder (SF/PF, BOS): Crowder rolled his ankle and suffered a bruised shin and missed Wednesday's game. He will be a game time decision Friday, but he was optimistic he would play. He did have noticeable swelling and discomfort in the ankle though so he's not a sure thing.
Pau Gasol (PF/C, CHI): Gasol is questionable for Friday with a left hand sprain. If he can't go, Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson will see extra action.
Terrence Jones (SF/PF, HOU): After being in a car accident, Jones missed Thursday's game and his status for Friday is up in the air as well. Josh Smith would see additional minutes should Jones be out again despite (thankfully) not suffering any injuries in the crash.
Rajon Rondo (PG, SAC): Rondo has turf toe, and is probable to play tonight. Rondo looked shaky playing through it on Wednesday, and is a downside play in daily lineups. If he were out, Darren Collison would see huge minutes, while Seth Curry could see some rare time off the bench.
Out Short Term
Matthew Dellavedova (PG, CLE): Delly has a strained left hamstring and has been ruled out for Friday's game. Mo Williams will be seeing more minutes in his absence.
Ian Mahinmi (C, IND): Mahinmi has been having back trouble, and is out for Friday's game. Myles Turner will continue to be fantasy gold, with Jordan Hill and Lavoy Allen also getting more run.
No Timetable to Return
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG, DET): The Pistons guard has a core muscle strain. He'll be re-evaluated after the All-Star Break, though players with similar injuries have been out six to eight weeks. Rookie Stanley Johnson will start in his place, with the Pistons now becoming massive trade deadline buyers for a wing.
Tim Duncan (PF/C, SA): The veteran for the Spurs has been out for over a week with a sore knee. There's no timetable for his return, which might not come until after the All-Star Break. David West, Boris Diaw, and Boban Marjanovic will see more minutes in the interim.
Tyreke Evans (PG/SG, NO): Evans is dealing with pain in his surgically repaired right knee, and has missed the past three games. He's doubtful tonight against the Spurs. The surging Norris Cole will continue to start in his place, with Jrue Holiday and Bryce Dejean-Jones also seeing a bump in time.
John Henson (PF/C, MIL): Henson has been out since the 26th with a bad back. Miles Plumlee and Greg Monroe have picked up the slack in his absence.
Brandon Knight (PG/SG, PHO): Knight has been out since January 19th with a groin injury and still has no timetable to return. The hopeless Suns may shut him down and tank for a higher draft pick. Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker will shoulder the load until Knight is ready to go.
Rodney Stuckey (PG/SG, IND): Stuckey is recovering from an ankle sprain and won't return until at least the All-Star break. Monta Ellis and George Hill will handle most of the backcourt duties in the meantime.
On the Mend
Alec Burks (PG/SG, UTA): Burks has shed his walking boot, and could return shortly after the All-Star Break. His return could cut into the minutes of Trey Burke, Rodney Hood, and Raul Neto.
Mike Dunleavy (SG/SF, CHI): Dunleavy has begun a rehab assignment in the D-League. He could return to the Bulls soon with a chance to start, given the lack of talent at SF for Chicago.
Al Jefferson (PF/C, CHA): Jefferson underwent knee surgery for a torn meniscus at the end of December and was given a timetable to return of six weeks. He was cleared for non-contact and conditioning drills last week, and the team is targeting a return after the All-Star Break. Cody Zeller, Frank Kaminsky, and Spencer Hawes will continue to pick up the slack for the big man.
Nikola Mirotic (SF/PF, CHI): Mirotic has been released from the hospital after an appendectomy and a "hematoma removal." He is once again targeting a return shortly after the All-Star break, though that may be optimistic. Bobby Portis will continue to pick up more minutes off the bench behind starters Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson.
Out Long Term
DeMarre Carroll (PF, TOR): Carroll had knee surgery in December, and is reportedly ahead of schedule with his recovery. There's a long-shot chance he comes back for the end of the year, so if you have an unused IR spot, stashing him there is better than nothing. In the mean time, Terrence Ross and Patrick Patterson will continue to see a boost production from Carroll's absence. The Raptors are likely looking for trade help on the wing, especially now that James Johnson is also out with a bad ankle sprain.
Manu Ginobili (SG/SF, SA): Cringe warning: the Argentine had to have testicular surgery after taking a knee to the crotch from Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson. He'll be out until at least early March. Danny Green might find his way back to last season's fantasy value if he ends up taking on a bunch of Ginobili's minutes. Jonathan Simmons and Patty Mills could also see more run off the bench.
Eric Gordon (SG, NO): The shooting guard for the Pelicans underwent successful surgery on his finger and will be out until late February or early March. In the meantime, Bryce Dejean-Jones will remain starter at SG, with PGs Norris Cole and Jrue Holiday continuing to seeing increased minutes and usage.
Blake Griffin (PF/C, LAC): Griffin, who had been hoping to return soon from a quadriceps injury, has broken his hand in a fight with a team employee in a Toronto restaurant. Wonderful. It will reportedly keep him out for "a matter of weeks, not days." The Clippers have been managing without Griffin and Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, and DeAndre Jordan have stepped up in his absence, and they should continue to have increased value without him.
Jameer Nelson (PG, DEN): Nelson returned from a wrist sprain only to suffer a setback, and he looks to be out for a some time. Emmanuel Mudiay will continue to see significant minutes, with Randy Foye seeing added action from the bench.
T.J. Warren (SF, PHO): Warren suffered a fractured foot, and will miss the remainder of the season. P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris will continue to see massive minutes at forward until one or both of them gets traded, with Mirza Teletovic and Sonny Weems lurking on the bench.
