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Welcome to RotoBaller's weekly injury room report. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, but we have you covered when the injury bug bites.
We'll discuss who is on the mend and who will benefit from the player's absence. The next up-and-coming gem could be waiting on the waiver wire ready for your claim.
Let's look at some of the important injuries around the league right now as we head into Week 13 of the fantasy basketball season.
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Short-Term NBA Injuries
Paul George, SF, Los Angeles Clippers - left hamstring strain
PG13 aggravated his hamstring in practice Wednesday, and he has been out since. Expect them to proceed very carefully with George. Forward Montrezl Harrell stepped up with 25 points and eight boards Sunday. He and guard Lou Williams will be the second and third options behind forward Kawhi Leonard. Guard Landry Shamet went scoreless in 25 minutes Sunday, and he's not much of a filler right now.
Paul Millsap, PF, Denver Nuggets - left knee contusion
Millsap missed his third straight game Sunday night. The soon-to-be 35-year-old has been limited to 32 games and 24.9 minutes per game. Forward Jerami Grant is picking up the slack with 13 points, 3.3 boards and 1.7 blocks per game in Millsap's absence. Millsap figures to be day to day, but neither are rock-solid options right now. Grant is serviceable depth, and he should remain in the fold as the team could restrict the aging Millsap's minutes.
Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks - sore left hamstring
Young was held out Sunday and could miss more time this week. Forward Cam Reddish led the team with 20 points in Young's absence. Guard Brandon Goodwin filled in for Young specifically, and he struggled shooting 3-for-12. He had eight points, four boards and three dimes. The output wasn't great, but his 12 shots taken is a good sign. Pick him up as a possible streaming option in case Young misses an extended window.
Mid-Term NBA Injuries
Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Dallas Mavericks - sore right knee
Porzingis had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his sore right knee last week. He hasn't practiced, and it's a good bet that he'll be out this week and possibly more to give the injection time to alleviate the inflammation and soreness. Center Dwight Powell delivered 19 points and 12 boards Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He'll experience some peaks and valleys, but he'll be a solid streamer for the next week or two.
Fred Vanvleet, PG, Toronto Raptors - strained right hamstring
The fourth-year man has been out since Jan. 4 with a hamstring injury. Guard Norman Powell returned from a shoulder injury Sunday to drop 20 points, three boards and four assists. He should be picked up in most formats and could be worth using after VanVleet returns.
Long-Term NBA Injuries
Wendell Carter Jr., C, Chicago Bulls - sprained right ankle
Carter went down for four to six weeks with a severely sprained right ankle last week. Rookie Daniel Gafford posted 14 points and seven boards in 23 minutes Saturday in his place. He's a must-own in deeper leagues and could be worth grabbing in other formats if you're thin at the position. His minutes will need to increase for usage in traditional leagues.
Richaun Holmes, C, Sacramento Kings - right shoulder injury
The first-half success story went down with an injury to his right shoulder joint that will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks. Center Harry Giles could be an option to replace Holmes. He has been limited to about 15 minutes per game, but he posted 10 points and five boards Friday. With that kind of efficiency, he's bound to see an uptick in minutes. Pick him up now in speculation that occurs.
