Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns
Spread: PHX -9
O/U: 213
Injuries
Lakers
LeBron James - OUT
Anthony Davis - OUT
Marc Gasol - QUEST
Jared Dudley - OUT
Suns
Torrey Craig - QUEST
MVP/CPT
The Lakers don’t have anyone to really slow Booker down here, so he should get where he wants on the floor offensively. Booker’s been up and down lately, but we’re talking about the team's leading member in USG and point per game, which sits at 25.1. Booker poured in 17 points and 34.8 DKP in just 23 minutes against the Lakers earlier in the year.
There are big shoes to fill with both LeBron James and Anthony Davis being out and Harrell is seemingly the team's go-to offensive weapon with them both out. Harrell leads in USG (28.1%) and FP/min (1.34). Harrell has scored 17+ actual and 34 DKP in five-of-six games. Harrell should be extended 30+ minutes per night while James/Davis are out.
Here’s my sneaky captain of the group. The Lakers have been struggling to defend big men without Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol around and now that they cut Damion Jones, Montrezl Harrell , Markieff Morris and Kyle Kuzma . Ayton has topped 30 DKP in six of his last 10 games and this one feels like a ceiling game.
Mid-Tier
It’s very hard not to love Kuzma for the duration of Davis and James’ absence and he’s expensive, but there’s enough value to make it work here. Kuzma has a 23% USG rate and averages .95 FP/min without them this year. Kuzma has scored in double-figures in six of his last seven games.
Sure Cam Johnson is back, but Bridges is playing some fantastic basketball right now, contributing across the board statistically too. He’s put up 36+ DKP in two straight and has given us a nice floor of 24+ in seven-of-10 games. Bridges is a great defender and is contributing a lot of steals lately, notching one of more in six straight and in nine-of-10.
Value Tier
How much, if any, will THT’s role change, is the question. He’s a very talented scorer, which we’ve gotten to see in three-of-four games scoring 12+ actual points. He has a robust 27.6% USG and averages 1.16 FP/min without James and Davis on the floor. He could start, but is in play either way.
Let’s face it, Morris should be thrusted into a big time role with James out of the lineup. After playing 20 or fewer minutes in three straight games, Morris played 27 in the game LeBron James left. He’s been a very productive player when given the opportunity and has put up 20+ DKP in three straight, even in two games of limited playing time.
It’s been up and down of late and I hate that Langston Galloway has reentered the equation, but Payne has GPP winning upside that we’ve seen on display multiple times recently. He can fill it up and FAST. In four of Payne's last six games, he’s put up 20+ DKP and twice has topped 30. He plays anywhere from 17-to-24 minutes and that’s all he needs to be productive.
Player News
Kevin Huerter recorded 10 points (3-of-7 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), one rebound, one assist, two steals, one block and one three-pointer in 32 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Heat.
“Red Velvet” provided limited production in Wednesday’s defeat, which included a 1-of-4 night from beyond the arc. The three “stocks” were solid, but Chicago needed more from Huerter on a night when the team scored a season-low 90 points. After being traded to the Bulls in early February, Huerter was a 10th-round player in nine-cat formats, spending considerable time in the starting lineup. However, those starts were made possible by injuries to Lonzo Ball and Tre Jones. Huerter has one season remaining on his contract and should be in the rotation. However, a healthy Ball likely pushes him to the bench, especially if the Bulls re-sign Josh Giddey.
Matas Buzelis tallied nine points (4-of-9 FGs), six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer in 34 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Heat.
On the fringes of the Bulls’ rotation for most of the first four-plus months of the season, Buzelis moved into the starting lineup after the Zach LaVine trade in February and retained that role. While the rookie’s fantasy value remained low, he had his moments in his first season with the Bulls. What Buzelis’ value will be next season depends on the moves made during the offseason, most notably Josh Giddey’s restricted free agency and who the Bulls select with their lottery pick. For now, Buzelis is worthy of a late-round flier at best.
Nikola Vucevic accumulated 16 points (6-of-13 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks and two three-pointers in 38 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Heat.
Vucevic’s 2024-25 season ended on Wednesday, with the Bulls center recording his 46th double-double. One of the most surprising players in fantasy basketball, Vooch was a top-20 player in nine-cat formats while sitting just outside the top-30 in eight-cat. Vucevic has been a relatively safe option for most of his time in Chicago, hovering around the top-50. As good as this season was for him fantasy-wise, managers should not go into drafts expecting Vucevic to offer value in 2025-26 on par with this season.
Coby White accounted for 17 points (5-of-20 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), two rebounds, five assists, two steals and three three-pointers in 42 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Heat.
One of the league’s hottest players since the All-Star break, White had a rough night in Chicago’s season finale. In addition to shooting 25 percent from the field, he was responsible for a team-worst seven turnovers. The Heat harassed White throughout, one reason why Chicago finished with a season-low point total. White exceeded his Yahoo! ADP (85) in eight- and nine-cat formats for the season, performing one round better in the former. He’ll remain an offensive focal point for the Bulls in 2025-26, which makes him worthy of a middle-round pick in most league formats.
Josh Giddey logged 40 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Heat, scoring 25 points (9-of-21 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs) with 10 rebounds, four assists, one block and two three-pointers.
Giddey’s first season in Chicago ended disappointingly, despite him recording a double-double. Unsurprisingly, being defended by Bam Adebayo to begin Wednesday’s game was problematic for the Bulls point guard, who was also dealing with a hand injury. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported before the game that Giddey has a torn muscle in his right (shooting) hand, something he’s dealt with for the past month. Losing on Wednesday means he can get that taken care of, and restricted free agency will be interesting. Giddey’s likely raised his value after this season; how much are the Bulls willing to play, especially after handing Lonzo Ball an extension a few months ago? Returning to Chicago would make Giddey a far more valuable player in fantasy basketball than he was with the Thunder.
Andrew Wiggins accumulated 20 points (8-of-20 FGs, 0-of-2 FTs), nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks and four three-pointers in 35 minutes in Wednesday’s win over the Bulls.
Wiggins was impactful on both ends of the floor, supplementing Tyler Herro’s 38-point effort with 20 of his own while recording a complete stat line. Since joining the Heat, Wiggins shot nearly 46 percent from the field on 14.8 attempts per game, averaging 19.0 points. While those numbers are solid, the Heat will need more from him to extend their season. Miami visits Atlanta on Friday, with the winner advancing to face one-seed Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs.