38 mins agoThe Chicago Bulls could be prone to a roster blow-up as we approach February's trade deadline. Forward
DeMar DeRozan (ankle), center
Nikola Vucevic, and guards
Zach LaVine (foot) and
Alex Caruso are all likely to draw interest and potentially be shipped out some time this year, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. HoopsWire.com's Sam Amico doubles down on this sentiment, hearing that Chicago is prioritizing a LaVine trade. DeRozan already publicly voiced his frustration with how things have unfolded this year last Friday. It's getting ugly early in the Windy City, where a tumultuous season sees the Bulls' record sit at a miserable 3-12 in November and an underwhelming 5-14 overall as we near the campaign's quarter mark. With Chicago perhaps already hitting rock bottom with their largest loss of the year during Tuesday's 124-97 defeat to the Boston Celtics, the trade rumblings only figure to grow louder for as long as the struggles rage on.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto - HoopsHype
49 mins agoHouston Rockets guard
Fred VanVleet (thumb) is out for Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. VanVleet is dealing with a sprained left thumb that will cost him his first game of the season on the second night of a back-to-back for Houston, who fell to the Dallas Mavericks 121-115 on Tuesday. VanVleet matched a season-high 41 minutes in the defeat, so the Rockets will allow him to catch a breather against Denver. The 29-year-old All-Star is racking up 16.1 points and 3.0 threes in 37.6 minutes over 15 games, ranking third in the Association in assists per game (9.2). Look for
Aaron Holiday to see an uptick in playing time on Wednesday, while
Jalen Green is a candidate to shift to the one for some minutes in VanVleet's stead.
Alperen Sengun should garner heavier DFS rostership without VanVleet, but Wednesday's tilt features the lowest implied point total (214.5) of the seven-game slate.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
58 mins agoCharlotte Hornets forward
Gordon Hayward's strong play in the early portion of the 2023-24 campaign has resulted in "multiple playoff-caliber teams [calling] Charlotte" to inquire on his availability, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. Hayward is in the final year of the lucrative four-year, $120-million contract he signed during the offseason leading in 2020-21. With franchise centerpiece
LaMelo Ball (ankle) now facing a lengthy absence with a severe sprain in his right ankle, the 5-11 Hornets could start experiencing a further drop in the standings and enter sell mode as we approach February's trade deadline. After Hayward notched double figures in scoring in each of his first eight games to kick off the year, he's cooled off with single-digit scoring in five out of his last seven appearances. Overall, the 33-year-old former All-Star is averaging 13.3 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game and is staring at a big opportunity to enhance those figures in the absence of Ball.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto - HoopsHype
1 hour agoBrooklyn Nets center
Nicolas Claxton is "viewed as a core member of the Nets moving forward, barring a trade offer that blows the team away," per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The same can't exactly be said for
Spencer Dinwiddie,
Dorian Finney-Smith, and Royce O'Neale, who Scotto reports could be on the move out of Brooklyn come time for February's trade deadline. After being stuck playing behind various castoff big men during the team's title-contention window from 2019-2022, Claxton finally broke free last season to lead the Association in field-goal percentage (70.5%) and trailed only
Jaren Jackson Jr. in blocks per game (2.5). Though free-throw shooting (55.0%) remains a bugaboo, the 24-year-old interior presence is picking up where he left off a year ago with third-round fantasy figures in 12-team category leagues. Claxton is averaging 12.6 points on 67.2% shooting, 8.3 boards, and 2.9 swats in 27.3 minutes over eight games.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto - HoopsHype
1 hour agoThe Atlanta Hawks continue to monitor the availability of Toronto Raptors forward
Pascal Siakam as a potential trade target after attempting to acquire him during the offseason, league sources tell USA Today's Michael Scotto. The 8-9 Hawks may find themselves at a crossroads
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2 hours agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard
CJ McCollum (lung), who has been upgraded to probable for Wednesday's game versus the Philadelphia 76ers, said on his podcast that he will play in the contest. McCollum has missed 12 games with a small pneumothorax in his right
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6 hours agoDenver Nuggets point guard
Jamal Murray (hamstring) is on the injury report as questionable ahead of Wednesday's matchup against Houston. He's missed nine games with a hamstring strain, but it looks like Murray could be back on the court Wednesday night. His return is set to spell the end of
Reggie Jackson's life as a starter. The veteran should still play a big part in the rotation, but his numbers will take a significant hit. Managers should keep their expectations low for Murray if he returns on Wednesday, as the Rockets have been a tough team to play against this season, with only three sides in the league owning a better defensive efficiency.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
7 hours agoUtah Jazz forward/center
Kelly Olynyk (shoulder) is carrying a questionable tag ahead of Wednesday's clash with the Grizzlies. The veteran has strained his right shoulder and could be unavailable for the first time this season. Olynyk's fantasy stock has taken a major hit this season, as he's been demoted to a bench role, but he could currently play a bigger part in the proceedings, with
Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) landing on the shelf. Meanwhile,
Omer Yurtseven looks set to benefit from Olynyk's absence in Wednesday's favorable matchup if the 32-year-old can't shake off his shoulder problem.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
7 hours agoUtah Jazz guard
Jordan Clarkson (thigh) is in danger of missing a second game in three matches on Wednesday against Memphis, with the team having listed him as questionable. He couldn't play on Saturday against New Orleans due to an illness and is now on the injury report with a thigh problem. His absence would be awful news for the Jazz, as
Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) is already out, and the team would be without its two top scorers if Clarkson also can't play. Clarkson has averaged just over 18 points per game and recently had a very impressive scoring run with three 30-point efforts across a five-game stretch.
Kris Dunn stepped into the starting unit when Clarkson couldn't play on Saturday, while
Collin Sexton and
Ochai Agbaji also logged some extra minutes. Wednesday's outing against a struggling team is a very good matchup for the Jazz backcourt.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
7 hours agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward
Trey Murphy III (knee) is listed as doubtful for Wednesday's meeting with Philadelphia. He's unlikely to play, but this should be seen as very good news, as it appears as though the 23-year-old isn't far away from his season debut anymore. Murphy III was expected to miss 10-12 weeks following a knee procedure in early September. After having a breakthrough campaign in 2023-24, Murphy III should play a significant role for New Orleans, although he might be eased into action at first.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
7 hours agoOrlando Magic forward
Jonathan Isaac (ankle) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's encounter with the Wizards. He missed Sunday's clash with Charlotte due to ankle soreness and could be unavailable again, as the team will likely want to be extra careful with the injury-prone big man. Isaac has averaged less than 40 games per season for his four-year NBA career. Fortunately, the 26-year-old has missed just three games so far this season. He's primarily used as a defensive presence, and Isaac has registered 1.3 blocks per game in 13.9 minutes while also managing 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Caleb Houstan has received a bump in playing time without Isaac, but he's not someone fantasy managers should target.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
7 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers guard/forward
Cam Reddish (groin) appears ready to rejoin the lineup on Wednesday versus the Pistons, as the team has listed him as probable for the contest. The 24-year-old has been unavailable for the last three games due to a groin strain. Reddish's numbers don't really stand out, but he's found his way into the starting unit and has impressed with his defensive displays. Reddish's return is poised to push
Max Christie back to the bench, although he could still get a healthy dose of minutes on Wednesday, as the Lakers are expected to dominate the game, and it could turn into a blowout.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
7 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center
Anthony Davis (groin/hip) is considered probable for Wednesday's game against Detroit. The Lakers big man is currently battling with multiple health issues, but he's been available for all but one game in 2023-24 and is expected to play on Wednesday. Davis is tied for the league lead with 2.8 blocks and has registered six consecutive double-doubles, but he continues to be quite inconsistent. On paper, he should dominate against the league's worst team on Wednesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James (calf) is currently listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons. The superstar forward is back on the injury report due to a left calf contusion. The expectation is that he'll play through the issue. However, it's worth noting that this game is the front end of a back-to-back set. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Lakers rest James on Wednesday against the weaker opponent in the Pistons. The absence of James would mean more minutes for
Christian Wood and
Jaxson Hayes in the rotation. Between the two, Wood is the better streaming option for Wednesday's slate. Fantasy managers will have to check back for another update on James' status.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoGolden State Warriors forward
Draymond Green will return to the starting five on Tuesday following his five-game suspension. The Warriors are glad to have Green back for this tough matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Head coach Steve Kerr experimented with multiple players in the starting five while Green was suspended. Most recently,
Moses Moody who will head back to the second unit now. Fantasy managers who have Green rostered can get him back in their lineups on Tuesday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Golden State Warriors
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