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Welcome back to another season, RotoBallers! We're into December and starting to get the outline of what this fantasy basketball season holds. I'm here to help you stay up to date on injury news, and how it impacts your teams.
I'm writing this on Monday for release Tuesday morning, so any news that drops late Monday night won't be covered. I'll just cover what has changed since last week.
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Short-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball
Anthony Edwards, SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves - Hip
Edwards had to exit after only 4 minutes against Memphis last Friday due to what the team is calling a hip pointer. While this injury sounds mild enough, the fact he was ruled out well before tip-off of last night's game against the Pelicans is never good. Additionally, the T-Wolves sit on top of the West as we speak, so they may give Edwards extra games off to try and preserve him for more meaningful games later in the season.
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons - Ankle
Duren picked up some sort of minor ankle sprain during last Wednesday's win against Memphis and is scheduled to miss two weeks from then. The Pistons also scratched Marvin Bagley from Monday's game, making the Pistons' frontcourt a very appealing option to stream against, assuming those two continue to miss games.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat - Hip
Adebayo got hurt last Thursday against the Pacers, missed the rematch on Saturday, and most worryingly was ruled out days in advance of the Heat's next game on Wednesday. Except for the eight teams in the bracket stage of the In-Season Tournament, teams have a three-day rest period, so most teams have players listed day-to-day. Seeing Bam ruled out this far in advance of Wednesday is not a good sign. In the meantime, Thomas Bryant should continue seeing additional minutes for Miami.
Update 12/11: Adebayo traveled with the team but coach Eric Spoelstra instructed us to "not read too much into that". Based on local beat writers, it seems the sentiment is that he'll miss the rest of this week and return early next week.
Caris LeVert, SG/SF, Cleveland Cavaliers - Knee
A knee injury from earlier in the season has started bothering LeVert again, and he's another player that this mini-break isn't seeming to do much for. If you're a LeVert owner in fantasy, you've already dealt with this injury, and it unfortunately feels like something that will linger all season. As for a potential replacement, I think Isaac Okoro is an intriguing option.
Update 12/11: LeVert was ruled out well in advance of last night's game and it's highly unlikely he will suit up tonight. With no formal announcement on a return schedule, I'm not feeling optimistic he'll be back in time for next week.
Ben Simmons, PG/PF, Brooklyn Nets - Hip
Continuing to deal with his hip injury, the Nets announced Simmons received an injection on 12/2 and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Long-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball
Kyrie Irving, PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks - Heel
Irving suffered a heel contusion after a teammate landed on his right foot during last Friday's win over the Trailblazers. He still hasn't been given a timetable to return, so we'll err on the side of caution and put him in the long-term section.
Mitchell Robinson, C, New York Knicks - Ankle
Robinson is scheduled to be out until the All-Star Break after undergoing ankle surgery. In his absence, look for Isaiah Hartenstein to take over the starting role, and perhaps Jericho Sims will see more minutes as well.
Zach LaVine, SG/SF, Chicago Bulls - Foot
LaVine also got hurt Thursday, missed a game on Saturday, and was initially diagnosed to miss a week. He could return as early as Friday night, which would only result in that single game missed. However, LaVine has been a popular name in trade talks all year, and you can't trade an injured player, so the Bulls may very well exercise caution and not rush him back. With Alex Caruso also dealing with a potential injury, Ayo Dosunmu could be an excellent streaming option.
Update 12/7: LaVine had a PRP injection in his foot and will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
Jalen Johnson, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks - Wrist
Johnson fractured his wrist last Monday night, and the team's initial announcement was that he would be reevaluated in three to four weeks. That would put his reevaluation right around the holidays, so I would expect him back at the start of 2024. In the meantime, Saddiq Bey has rejoined the Hawks' starting five after losing that spot to Johnson earlier in the season.
Tyler Herro, PG/SG, Miami Heat - Ankle
Herro suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain last Wednesday night, and won't be reevaluated for "a few weeks". While that's not exactly a helpful timeline, I can't imagine we see Herro playing again for at least a month, given how the Heat typically handle injuries. With Caleb Martin continuing to miss time, Josh Richardson and Duncan Robinson are worthy candidates for a roster spot on your fantasy team.
Update 12/10: Herro still hasn't been cleared to return to contact drills, so it appears he's not quite ready to return just yet.
The Tank Corner
Closed until later in the season. We'll get here when teams start trotting out G-Leaguers none of us have ever heard of.
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