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Welcome back RotoBallers. We're finally into December and the NBA landscape is starting to take shape. As always, injuries are a big factor. I'm here to help you stay up to date on injury news, and how it impacts your teams.
I'm doing this midday on Monday for release Tuesday morning, so any news that drops on 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
Devin Booker, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns - Hamstring
Booker pulled his hamstring in the first of the Suns' back-to-back games in the Big Easy. The Suns' backcourt has been a streaming gold mine this year with Chris Paul missing 14 games, and now Booker going down with an injury. If you still have Cam Payne on your roster as a result of the CP3 injury, don't drop him! If you're looking for other streaming options on the Suns; Torrey Craig and Damion Lee are both widely available and will be called upon to fill in for the All-NBA Booker.
Khris Middleton, SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks - Ankle
I try to not include any injuries that have happened so recently there's no official information available to avoid potential wild goose chases. However, seeing Middleton re-enter the game after already exiting with an injury and being unable to play makes me want to get in front of this one just to be safe. If Middleton does miss any sort of meaningful time, Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton both become viable streaming options.
Dejounte Murray, PG/SG, Atlanta Hawks - Ankle
Murray is slated to miss another week and a half with this ankle injury. AJ Griffin will likely take his place in the starting lineup, and De'Andre Hunter should see expanded opportunity as well.
Andrew Wiggins, SF/PF, Golden State Warriors - Groin
The Warriors announced today that Wiggins will be held out of their Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back with the Bucks & Pacers. With their only other game this week being on Friday, I think there's a good chance they give Wiggins the whole week to recover, and there's a possibility he's rested the last 4 games of this road trip as well, which would leave him out through next week. The fallout has put more burden on the rest of the Warriors' key contributors, but it's worth noting Jonathan Kuminga played the most bench minutes in the two games sans Wiggins.
Obi Toppin, SF/PF, New York Knicks - Knee
Look it's a slow week, okay? Toppin only plays 17 minutes per game, and he's not much of a fantasy contributor in standard leagues. Much like the Warriors, the Knicks have just put more on their starter's plates. However, it seems like Isaiah Hartenstein has been allocated the remaining big man minutes and makes for a passable streaming option with a nice upside for rebounds.
Jalen Suggs, PG/SG, Orlando Magic - Ankle
Suggs has struggled with injuries at various points in the year, but thankfully for Magic fans, this isn't part of a widespread epidemic among the roster this time. If you're looking for streaming options at guard, Markelle Fultz is available in 60% of leagues still (if you play dynasty this might not apply to you).
Week 2: The Magic haven't provided an update other than "remains out" about Suggs, which is never good. The Magic are notoriously one of the more frustrating teams to deal with on the injury front, so I'll leave this here for another week just to be safe.
Long-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball
Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, Minnesota Timberwolves - Calf
KAT strained his calf last Monday night, and his timetable for return is 4-6 weeks. Based on usage since the injury, it looks like the Wolves starters will just take on more of the load. If you're looking for streaming options both Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson are worth evaluating.
Gordon Hayward, SF/PF, Charlotte Hornets - Shoulder
No stranger to the injury list, Hayward is now slated to be out "indefinitely" after fracturing his left shoulder. I'll provide an update whenever one comes available, but based on the language, I wouldn't expect to see Hayward until 2023. Jalen McDaniels has picked up most of Hayward's minutes traditionally when the latter has been injured. If you're in a deeper league, Kai Jones is worth a potential dart throw.
Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers - Foot
Maxey and Embiid getting hurt on the same night is an absolutely brutal break. I already gave streaming advice when James Harden went down, so once again look at Shake Milton, and if you need to go deeper Danuel House Jr.
Update 12/11: Maxey appeared to be a partial participant at a Sixers' practice held last Wednesday, but coach Doc Rivers remained committed to the notion that Maxey still has no timetable to return to meaningful action.
Desmond Bane, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies - Toe
Update 12/7: The Grizzlies maintain that Bane's rehab is going well, but they have updated his timetable to tack on another 3-4 weeks of rehab and recovery. This would put his timetable to return into January 2023.
Cade Cunningham, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons - Shin
Cunningham is our second convert from short-term to long-term. In the last 7 days, Cunningham's injury has gone from an innocuous discomfort to full-blown panic mode. Whenever the next update arrives, I'll be sure to write about it below. Killian Hayes and Cory Joseph should continue to replace him as the Pistons' PG.
Update 12/12: As I'm sitting here Monday night I get this notification: Cunningham will undergo season-ending surgery on his shin. There goes my 2nd round pick this year.
Cameron Johnson, SF/PF, Phoenix Suns - Knee
Johnson tore his right meniscus in last Friday's game against the Trailblazers. Johnson is getting surgery done this week, and recovery time is typically four weeks minimum. I wouldn't expect to see Johnson until about mid-December.
Robert Williams III, C, Boston Celtics - Knee
Williams' surgery caused the biggest pre-season shakeup from a fantasy impact. Currently scheduled out until January, Williams has already faced complications in rehab and it's always possible he's shut down for the year. For now, Grant Williams is a solid option from the Celtics frontcourt, and if the C's sign any more size that might be fantasy relevant I'll be sure to update that here.
Update 12/12: Williams has resumed on-court activities and seems to be primed to make his season debut before next Monday. If you see this, consider this your sign to double-check someone already owns him in your league.
Lonzo Ball, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls - Knee
Until Ball returns (which doesn't seem like it will be in 2022) Ayo Dosunmu is the starting PG for the Bulls. Dosunmu is off to a hot start, and he's definitely worth looking to acquire if you can find a good deal.
Update 12/3: Coach Billy Donovan said in a press conference that "it's been really slow" regarding Ball's rehabilitation, and he remains without a timetable to return. I think there is a very real chance Ball doesn't suit up this year.
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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