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The injury bug has been real this season, and it's like a plague that continues to spread across the league. Understanding the injury landscape is key in all forms of fantasy basketball.
Unfortunately, injuries will happen more often than not. It is just the nature of the game. However, in order to stay ahead of your opponents, you need to stay a top of these injury-related news. One significant add to the waiver wire could potentially make or break your season.
Consider this your one-stop overview of fantasy-relevant injuries around the NBA. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @RotoBaller @RotoBallerNBA and @fungo24!
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Notable Injury Updates Around The NBA
Dallas Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) will be out "indefinitely" as the Mavericks will want him to come back "100 percent healthy." They honestly have no incentive to rush them back, and it's disappointing for owners because DSJ was starting to come around a little bit. There's no word on how severe the injury is, but given that he was ruled out ahead of the Mavs' upcoming two-game road trip at Golden State and San Antonio is a bit worrisome. I'd advise owners to hold firm or place him on the Injured-Roster (IR) for now until we hear more. He could certainly feel better in the upcoming days and be active as early as next week. Yogi Ferrell and JJ Barea both deserves a long look while DSJ is on the sidelines.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyreke Evans (hip) was held out against the Wizards on Wednesday after experiencing right hip soreness during his pregame warm-up. This isn't what owners want to hear, as Evans tends to be a slower healer than others. The good news is that it isn't knee related, and it could be precautionary due to the extra minutes he had to play lately with all the injuries happening around the team. There's no real winner except Marc Gasol, who will have to carry the Grizzlies with Mike Conley (Achilles) still out. Andrew Harrison has been playing well and deserve a look in most leagues should Evans miss more time. Harrison is more suited for deep-leagues for consistency issues. Mike Conley still doesn't have a timetable to return, but reports say he has responded well to treatment. He is still expected to return around Christmas, but could potentially return by the end of next week.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (concussion) will miss Friday's contest against the Wizards and may miss additional time. Rivers will have to go through the NBA concussion protocol after getting elbowed in the head by Magic forward Jonathan Simmons. There's no real winner here for the Clippers, as Milos Teodosic and Lou Williams should both be owned and will see more touches. This is a great time to sell high on Lou Williams by the way.
Los Angeles Clippers forwad Danilo Gallinari (glute) came back for two games, only to re-injure the opposite leg this time. This is obviously very frustrating for his owners, as he had just returned and showed some upside scoring 25 points against the Wizards last Saturday. Doc Rivers said he expects Gallinari to miss multiple games, so this would make his earliest return to be next Monday. It's starting to look like a lost season for Gallinari owners, and deep league owners can target the likes of Wesley Johnson or Montrezl Harrell to pick up some additional minutes.
Orlando Magic forward Evan Fournier (ankle) has missed three games now with an ankle injury and is considered doubtful for the weekend. The Magic plays Friday and Sunday, so we shouldn't expect to see him back until next week. Rookie Jonathan Isaac (ankle) is still recovering from an ankle injury from nearly a month ago. There are no real winners from a fantasy perspective, as the rest of the Magic wings just isn't very good. Aaron Gordon (concussion) has missed two games but is in the final stages of passing the concussion protocol. He is listed as a game-time decision and expected back by Friday.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (back) has missed two games due to a lower back contusion. He was a game-time decision into heading Tuesday, so it's not considered serious. There was extra minutes in the rotation and it went to Richaun Holmes, who has been playing well of late. There's a hint of upside for Holmes in deeper leagues, but he's not much more than a handcuff to Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (shoulder) did not go through practice on Wednesday and is considered doubtful Thursday against the Mavericks. Given the state of the Warriors they're in, there's very little reason to play Green against a Mavericks team when the Warriors don't play against until Monday. That would give Green at least a full week of rest to recover from his shoulder soreness. Jordan Bell is a very good streaming option, although it comes as an expensive waiver add if your league settings has a limit to weekly acquisitions. The Warriors don't play again until Monday.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (ankle) will miss another week or so with an ankle sprain, but I wouldn't expect him back until Christmas. Patrick McCaw returned from a concussion but held scoreless against the Blazers on Tuesday. However, he could still have nice short-term value when the Warriors play four times next week. Obviously, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will post monster lines with Curry and Green sidelined.
Chicago Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen (back) was originally going to suit up Wednesday but ultimately got held out due to back spasms. There's no rush to get him back, as the Bulls are better off losing games than they should win if they are to tank correctly. However, Nikola Mirotic has been on fire starting for the injured Markkanen. He has scored 6, 19, 24 and 29 points since his debut, leading to a 4-0 record. Mirotic has to be owned right now given his upside, and it's worth monitoring what the rotation will look like when Markkanen is able to suit up. Coach Fred Hoiberg did mention that Markkanen's role with the starting lineup is safe, but it's unclear if he will have a change of heart, given how well Mirotic has been playing.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dwayne Wade (knee) is considered questionable Thursday against the Lakers, as he has already missed Tuesday's contest with soreness in his left knee. Here we go again, as it was predictable that Wade would start sitting games despite how hot he's been. I warned you guys to sell high as he strung along top-50 value a couple weeks back, but it may be too late now. I would not expect Wade to be playing until he is 100 percent healthy again, and even if he does I have my doubts he could produce value. He's a drop candidate, and I wouldn't want to miss out on hot free agents holding onto Wade, who will obviously be monitored closely by the Cleveland coaching and medical staff going forward. Guys like Kyle Korver, Jeff Green and J.R. Smith will see additional minutes, and I think Korver should be owned for his consistent 3-point shooting without hurting you in a single category.
Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum (elbow) was able to play on Wednesday, and finished with nine points, nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes. This was nice for owners to see, but they should be very worried about his rest-of-the-season outlook. He has said his elbow is still bothering him, which caused him to miss Monday's contest and also only allowed him to play 19 minutes against the Lakers last weekend. I would look to sell everywhere If I own him, and if Jeremy Lamb is available in any leagues, he's probably as close to must-own going forward. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is not going to be very good on most nights, but he'll have a few games every once a while that makes you consider he's worth owning.
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (knee) is getting close to a return, although the team hasn't announced a set return date. If anyone follows him on Snapchat, he has said to his fans he's progressing well in his recovery. He's already lifting weights and working on conditioning. He has said to the media he will not return unless he feels 100 percent right, so he could be held just a bit longer. Goran Dragic will continue to do the heavy lifting on offense. Josh Richardson has picked up his play lately and deserves a look in all leagues if he was dropped. Kelly Olynyk is a handcuff to Whiteside, and he can be dropped for a hot free agent now that Whiteside may be close.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (ankle) was active on Wednesday but got held out by his coach Mike Malone. Classic. He said Jokic wasn't mentally ready to play despite of what the doctors and trainers said, so there's that. The good news is Jokic is progressing and he could return as early as Friday. However, Jokic will have a hard time dealing with the Pelican's front line of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. I'd understand if you decide to sit him one more game. Mason Plumlee has started for Jokic and had a couple of nice games. Trey Lyles might of earned more minutes with his stellar play of late, and he could have sneaky deep-league value even when the Joker returns.
Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton (back) was probable heading into Wednesday's contest against the Celtics, but was also ruled out shortly before tip-off. He is considered day-to-day. Gary Harris, Wilson Chandler, and Jamal Murray will handle most of the offensive responsibilities.
Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) missed his third straight game with an ankle sprain, and he should be considered questionable for Friday. Reports stated he did go through some pregame warmups with the team, but was ultimately held out to be cautious. The Blazers started rookie Zach Collins at center and while he wasn't terrible, he's not good enough to be added anyway. Ed Davis could have some deep-league value, but it looks like Nurkic could be back as early as Friday.
Atlanta Hawks center John Collins (shoulder) is close to a return and is listed as "probable" on Thursday. I'd activate him. The Hawks are still depleted in the front court, so Ersan Ilyasova could sustain value for the foreseeable future.
Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker (groin strain) will miss the next 2-3 weeks to recover from his groin injury. The Suns will let his heal 100 percent before they think about bringing him back, as they want more lottery balls anyways. TJ Warren will continue bombing away as long as Booker is out. Josh Jackson does have some upside, but his confidence is as low as Lonzo Ball's right now in terms of shooting the basketball. Point guard Tyler Ulis is still capable of putting up decent fantasy numbers, as he put up 16 points and dished out eight assists on Wednesday. I'm not fully sold on anyone other than Warren on the Suns though. They're a complete mess.
New York Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (lower leg stress injury) his still a couple weeks away. He continues to be a cheer leader for the Knicks during games so it's at least a positive sign he's with the team. Frank Ntilikina has played well lately and deserves a look again. I'd pick him up now before he blows up. Coach Jeff Hornacek did say he wants the rookie to be more selfish on offense, and he responded nicely with a 13-point, five-rebound, five-dime outing against Lonzo Ball and the Lakers Tuesday. He's a very intriguing assists and steals guy, with the upside to average a 3-pointer per game. If the Knicks were to unleash him for 30 minutes per night, look out. He could be a sneaky difference maker towards the second-half of the season.
Chicago Bulls guard Zachary LaVine (knee) continues to progress well and but reports states he will not return January instead of December. There are rumors saying the Bulls will not rush him back and risk winning more games, since they're in full tank mode already. His return will likely send either Justin Holiday or Denzel Valentine to the bench. I suspect the Bulls to roll out a lineup of Robin Lopez, Lauri Markkanen, Justin Holiday , Zach LaVine, and Kris Dunn in 2018. Holiday will not be this good with LaVine back in the lineup. If you want to sell high on Justin Holiday, go for it. Forward Nikola Mirotic should be back sometime this weekend, if not next week for the Bulls. With Markkanen and Portis playing well, it's probably wise to monitor the minutes rotation when he's back before making a move.
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas (hip) has progressed to on court drills, where his next step will be taking contact in practices. He will be brought along slowly to ensure his hip doesn't flare up. However, he seems to be ahead of schedule for a mid-to-late December return and all signs points to him being the player he was. If you are sitting comfortably on top of your standings in your league and have an IR spot, it wouldn't hurt to send an offer out to see if you can get him now.
Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (knee) continues to be sidelined after an arthroscopic surgery last month to remove loose bodies. There is still currently no timetable for his return, but Spencer Dinwiddie continues to fill the void nicely as he's become an early-round player on the year. Guys like Allen Crabbe, Rondae Hollis Jefferson will continue to have increased usage. Trevor Booker deserves a look in most leagues, but I don't fully trust him.
Sacramento Kings forward Harry Giles (knee) is not expected to play for the Kings until January 2018 at the earliest, but he has tremendous upside in fantasy. The Kings are going to be super careful with him, as he's recovering from surgically repaired knees that caused teams to pass on him during draft night. He's not likely to be much of a factor for standard league owners once he returns, but the Kings are an absolute mess and it wouldn't be surprising if they chose to use the second-half of the season developing their young core. The Kings has not updated his recovery status, but he was last seen warming up and taking shots with the team prior to a game on Dec. 10th. If you're in a deep league and is comfortable stashing a player, it wouldn't be a terrible idea especially if you have an IR spot. He's a low-risk, high reward stash. Just my opinion.
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