With Week 11 of the Fantasy Basketball season upon us, we have a lot of things we need to keep in our minds each and every day and week of the season. We're fast approaching the NBA trade deadline and trades are already going down as Dorian Finney Smith was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers while D'Angelo Russell is headed back to the Brooklyn Nets. We have seismic injury news as Luka Doncic and Ja Morant recently went down and Kawhi Leonard and Zion Williamson are both nearing returns. Lets dive into the fantasy basketball waiver wire and injury report column!

 

Fantasy Basketball Week 11 Injury Report

Luka Doncic Injury Update - Calf

We’ve seen this out of Luka Doncic before. Doncic suffered a calf strain on Christmas Day and will miss at least the next month. Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall, and Spencer Dinwiddie are the three guys poised to take on bigger roles.

Ja Morant Injury Update - Shoulder

Head coach Taylor Jenkins spoke with the media on Sunday and said it’s an AC Joint sprain for Ja Morant and is still being evaluated. This could mean an extended absence but if it’s mild, Morant could be back rather quickly. Either way, Scotty Pippen Jr. is a priority waiver wire add for the chance that Morant will miss an extended period of time.

Devin Booker Injury Update - Groin

Phoenix only has a two-game week here and if we get word that Devin Booker is going to miss any time, he’s an easy player to bench. I mentioned this when Booker first hurt his groin, but he missed a month with this injury in 2022. 

Zion Williamson Injury Update - Hamstring

We’re closing in on a return as Zion Williamson was able to do a portion of practice on Sunday and has done contact drills, but hasn’t practiced in full yet.

Kawhi Leonard Injury Update - Knee

Kawhi Leonard is targeting a January 4th return, which is a home game against the Atlanta Hawks. We know Leonard will be limited upon returning, but he should be able to ramp up rather quickly because he took his time to make sure his knee is 100% before returning.

Kristaps Porzingis Injury Update - Ankle

Head coach Joe Mazzulla ruled Kristaps Porzingis out for a second consecutive game but said he’s doing better every day. He should be back early in the week and when he returns, he’ll be at full capacity.

Aaron Gordon Injury Update - Calf

Aaron Gordon has already been ruled out for Monday’s game and that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering it’s a re-aggravated calf injury he suffered earlier this year.

Kyle Kuzma Injury Update - Ribs

To all those streaming Wizards’ players, it might be coming to an end here. Kyle Kuzma is off the injury report for Monday’s game and will return to action. Now, to get some of these Wizards (Kuzma) traded..

 


Fantasy Basketball Week 11 Waiver Wire

Scotty Pippen Jr., Memphis Grizzlies - 33% rostered on Yahoo! Fantasy

There has been no official word about how long Ja Morant is going to sidelined for after Sunday, but we do know Marcus Smart is out for at least two weeks and taking a shot on Scotty Pippen on the waiver wire is a good idea. Every single time this guy is extended he puts up a monster fantasy day and if Morant’s injury ends up leaving him sidelined for weeks and not days, we’ll you struck gold for that timeframe.

Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers - 28% rostered on Yahoo! Fantasy

With each passing game, Andrew Nembhard looks more and more like the player that excelled all 2024 postseason for the Pacers, which also got him PAID this past offseason. He’s starting, playing 30+ minutes, and contributing across the board. He has scored in double-figures in seven consecutive games and has three or more assists in all seven as well. Nembhard being available in over 70% of Yahoo! Fantasy basketball leagues is criminal and his stock is rising every day.

Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers - 27% rostered on Yahoo! Fantasy

Injuries are a primary reason as to why Scoot Henderson’s playing time has been on the rise, but man he’s looked good. He’s a very high usage player and has a very high ceiling. He’s scored 19 and 18 points the last two games and has averaged eight assists and over 40 FP/game to boot. The playing time should continue to be there, especially with how much buzz there is with Portland’s roster and the trade deadline.

Quentin Grimes, Dallas Mavericks - 19% rostered on Yahoo! Fantasy

With Luka Doncic slated to be sidelined for a long while, Quentin Grimes is one of the primary Mavericks’ to step up and take on a major role. Over the last two weeks, Grimes has averaged over 25 FP/game and many of those contests came when Luka Doncic was out. He’s a very solid streaming option as well considering Dallas will be without P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall who are out a couple of games due to suspension.

Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets - 17% rostered on Yahoo! Fantasy

The trade of Dorian-Finney Smith by the Brooklyn Nets will pave the way for Noah Clowney’s minutes for the remainder of the year. The Nets likely aren’t done dealing either, which again, only helps Clowney. He entered the starting lineup on Sunday and over the last few games in which he’s been extended, he’s been a bucket. He’s a good floor spacer and has scored in double-figures in each game he’s been given at least 29 minutes in. He has shown the ability to crash the glass as well, which gives him room as a multi-category contributor for the remainder of the year.


Editor's note - Make sure you're checking your waiver wire for D'Angelo Russell before doing anything after he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. He's highly rostered on Yahoo! Fantasy, so he wasn't written up, but it's important to note.