NAME | TEAM | INJURY | TIMETABLE TO RETURN | ANALYSIS |
| Kyle Lowry | TOR | Thigh | DAY TO DAY | Lowry may have to miss his third straight game on Wednesday w/ a Thigh injury. Delon Wright and Fred VanVleet will fill in. |
| Julius Randle | NO | Ankle | DAY TO DAY | Randle will likely have to sit for Wednesday's game and Darius Miller and Cheick Diallo will see more playing time until he returns. Nikola Mirotic is also banged up. |
| Kristaps Porzingis | NY | Knee | No Timetable | There is still no official timetable for Porzingis season debut. He could end up sitting out the full season. We'll know more information by early January. Noah Vonleh and Kevin Knox will fill in. |
| DeMarcus Cousins | GSW | Achilles | 3-4 Weeks | Cousins is pracicing with the Warriors G-League team. It's looking more and more like he'll return in early January. Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney will continue to fill-in. |
| Zach LaVine | CHI | Ankle | 1-2 Weeks | LaVine is looking like he'll have to sit out for the next week or two w/ an Ankle injury. Justin Holiday 's usage will go up a ton. |
| Kevin Love | CLE | Toe | 4-6 weeks | Love is looking at a mid-January return. Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman will continue to pick up more playing time and usage. |
| Nikola Mirotic | NO | Ankle | DAY TO DAY | Mirotic is dealing w/ Ankle soreness and he will miss his third straight game on Wednesday. Darius Miller and Solomon Hill will see more minutes w/ Julius Randle also hurting. |
| Serge Ibaka | TOR | Knee | DAY TO DAY | Ibaka is dealing w/ swelling in his Knee and Pascal Siakam will see more playing time and usage if Ibaka has to sit for Wednesday's game. |
| Caris LeVert | BKN | Foot | No Timetable | LeVert is starting to rehab and there is a chance he will return this season from a dislocated Foot. Allen Crabbe (when healthy) and Joe Harris will continue to see more minutes. |
| Mike Conley | MEM | Hamstring | DAY TO DAY | Conley has a sore Hamstring and he may need to sit for a second straight game on Wednesday which would give Shelvin Mack more minutes and usage. |
| Paul Millsap | DEN | Toe | 4-5 Weeks | Millsap will be on the shelf for the next month and change and Trey Lyles will see a major uptick in minutes. The Nuggets should give Mason Plumlee more time but he mainly back up Nikola Jokic . |
| Jeff Teague | MIN | Ankle | DAY TO DAY | Teague will miss his second straight game on Wednesday w/ an Ankle injury. Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones will see more minutes and usage. |
| Dwight Howard | WSH | Glute | 7-9 Weeks | Howard had a procedure and he will miss the next few months of action. He could barely sit without pain. Thomas Bryant , Ian Mahinmi and Markieff Morris will fill in. Morris usage should go way up. |
| Dejounte Murray | SAS | Torn ACL | OUT FOR THE SEASON | Murray is out for the 2018-2019 regular season. Patty Mills , Derrick White and Bryn Forbes will see a ton of minutes. |
| Tristan Thompson | CLE | Foot | 2-3 Weeks | Thompson could miss up to a month of action and while he's on the sidelines, Larry Nance Jr. and Ante Zizic will see more playing time. |
| Taurean Prince | ATL | Ankle | 2-3 Weeks | Prince is dealing w/ multiple injuries to his Ankle and it wouldn't be surprising to see him out until 2019. Kevin Huerter and DeAndre' Bembry will see more minutes. |
| Al Horford | BOS | Knee | DAY TO DAY | Horford will miss his sixth straight game on Wednesday w/ a sore Knee. Aron Baynes and Daniel Theis and Marcus Morris will fill in. |
| Will Barton | DEN | Hip | 1-3 Weeks | Barton is feeling better and it's possible that he can return in the next couple of weeks. Trey Lyles , Juancho Hernangomez and Torrey Craig will continue to see more minutes. |
| Rajon Rondo | LAL | Hand | DAY TO DAY | Rondo will go through practice and if he can get through w/ no pain or swelling, he could return by the end of the week. Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart will fill in until he is ready to return. |
| Otto Porter Jr. | WSH | Knee/Quad | 1-2 Weeks | Porter will be out for at least another week of action. New acquisition Trevor Ariza will fill in until Porter is ready to return. |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | NY | Heel | DAY TO DAY | Hardaway may have to miss his second straight game on Wednesday and this could open up more minutes and shots for Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina . |
| Pau Gasol | SAS | Foot | No Timetable | Gasol's injury is a stress fracture which is NOT IDEAL and it takes a while to heal. Jakob Poeltl and Davis Bertans will fill in w/ LaMarcus Aldridge 's usage remaining very high. |
| Elfrid Payton | NO | Pinky | 2-4 Weeks | Payton had surgery on his fractured Pinky and will miss more time. Tim Frazier and Jrue Holiday will fill in until he returns. |
| Lou Williams | LAC | Hamstring | 1-2 Weeks | Williams will be sidelined for at least another week of action. Avery Bradley and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will see more minutes. |
| Isaiah Thomas | DEN | Hip | No Timetable | Thomas' return to the court is getting closer. Reports (Not the Nuggets) say that December is a possibility. Jamal Murray 's minutes are safe and secure. Monte Morris will continue to see more back up minutes. |
| Malcolm Brogdon | MIL | Hamstring | DAY TO DAY | Brogdon could miss his third straight game on Wednesday w/ a Hamstring injry. If he misses more time it will open up more minutes for Tony Snell . |
| Gary Harris | DEN | Hip | 1-3 Weeks | Harris is able to run, but he'll still need a couple of more weeks to recover. Torrey Craig and Juancho Hernangomez will get more playing time. |
| Dennis Smith Jr. | DAL | Wrist | DAY TO DAY | Smith returned for a game, but then his Wrist started hurting again and he's now missed his last two contests. Luka Doncic will benefit most and J.J. Barea should get more run. |
| Brandon Ingram | LAL | Ankle | DAY TO DAY | Ingram could make his return to the court on Friday if he can practice without any pain. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Lance Stephenson should see more playing time. |
| JaVale McGee | LAL | Illness | DAY TO DAY | McGee has missed his last two games because he's sick and if he needs to miss more time, Tyson Chandler will fill-in. |
| Jonas Valanciunas | TOR | Thumb | 3-4 Weeks | Valanciunas will need to miss the next few weeks after having surgery on his Thumb. Pascal Siakam and Greg Monroe will fill in until he returns. |
| Dion Waiters | MIA | Ankle | No Timetable | Waiters is coming back from surgery and he's just starting to practice again. Wayne Ellington , Dwayne Wade, Derrick Jones Jr. , and Rodney McGruder will see more minutes. |
| Andre Roberson | OKC | Knee | No Timetable | Roberson is not recovering and we don't know when we'll see him on the court again. Dennis Schroder , Alex Abrines and Terrance Ferguson will pick up playing time. |
| Goran Dragic | MIA | Knee | DAY TO DAY | The Knee pain just won't go away for Dragic as he could be looking at even more time on the shelf. He's missed his last three games and Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson will pick up minutes if he doesn't heal. |
| Denzel Valentine | CHI | Ankle | OUT FOR THE SEASON | Valentine had season-ending Ankle surgery. Justin Holiday will benefit w/ more playing time and Zach LaVine will also pick up a few more minutes. |
| Bogdan Bogdanovic | SAC | Foot | DAY TO DAY | Bogdanovic might have to miss Thursday's game because he's dealing w/ soreness in his Foot. Buddy Hield and Justin Jackson will see more minutes and usage if he can't go. |
| Marvin Bagley III | SAC | Knee | 1-2 Weeks | Bagley is dealing w/ a bone bruise in his Knee and he may have to miss the next two weeks of action. Nemanja Bjelica and Harry Giles will see more minutes until he is ready to return. |
| Damyean Dotson | NY | Shoulder | DAY TO DAY | Dotson will likely have to miss his fourth straight game on Wednesday w/ a Shoulder injury. Courtney Lee and Frank Ntilikina will piack up more minutes until he's ready to return. |
| Allonzo Trier | NY | Hamstring | 1-2 Weeks | Trier will miss his sixth straight game on Wednesday. Courtney Lee and Frank Ntilikina will pick up playing time. |
| Ish Smith | DET | Adductor | 3-5 Weeks | Smith will miss the next month and change w/ essentially a tear in a muscle in his Groin. Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway will fill in while he's out. |
| Omari Spellman | ATL | Hip | 1-2 Weeks | Spellman will need to miss more time and we may not see him for a few weeks. John Collins and DeAndre' Bembry will see more minutes and usage. |
| Markelle Fultz | PHI | Neck/Shoulder | No Timetable | Fultz is suffering from Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and it's impacting his shooting ability. He'll be out until earliest late January. T.J. McConnell will continue to see more playing time. |
| Iman Shumpert | SAC | Hip | DAY TO DAY | Shumpert will likely have to sit for the third straight time on Wednesday because he's dealing w/ a Hip injury. Justin Jackson will pick up more playing time if he can't go. |
| James Ennis III | HOU | Hamstring | 1-2 Weeks | Ennis will miss the next few games for the Rockets after suffering a strained Hamstring. Gerald Green and Eric Gordon will see more playing time. |
| Jaylen Brown | BOS | Hand | DAY TO DAY | Brown could miss Wednesday's game because he's dealing w/ a bruised hand. Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart will pick up more minutes and usage if Brown can't go. |
| Miles Plumlee | ATL | Knee | 1-2 Weeks | Plumlee went through a minor Knee procedure and he'll likely miss the next couple of weeks. He's on the outside looking into the Hawks rotation. |
| Damian Jones | GSW | Shoulder | No Timetable | There's a good chance Jones will have to miss the rest of the season after having surgery on a torn Pectoral Muscle. Kevon Looney , Jordan Bell and Jonas Jerebko will see more minutes. |
| Luc Mbah a Moute | LAC | Knee | No Timetable | It's become very unclear when we'll see Mbah a Moute return to the floor. Montrezl Harrell and Danilo Gallinari will see more minutes. |
| Jerryd Bayless | MIN | Knee | 1-2 Weeks | Bayless is getting closer to returning but it'll be hard for him to work his way into the 'Wolves rotation. Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones will continue to see more minutes while Bayless is out. |
| Ersan Ilyasova | MIL | Face | DAY TO DAY | Ilyasova is dealing w/ facial injuries and he'll miss his second straight game on Wednesday which will open up more usage for Brook Lopez and D.J. Wilson should be able to pick up playing time. |
| Dillon Brooks | MEM | Knee | 2-4 Weeks | Brooks is dealing w/ a bad MCL sprain and we will not likely see him again until January. Kyle Anderson will pick up more minutes. Wayne Selden could get more involved. |
| Allen Crabbe | BKN | Knee | DAY TO DAY | Crabbe has missed his last three games w/ a Knee injury and DeMarre Carroll and even Rodions Kurucs should see more minutes and usage. The Nets play Wednesday and it's not looking good for Crabbe. |
| Chandler Parsons | MEM | Knee | 2-4 Weeks | Parsons is ALWAYS HURT! Kyle Anderson should see extended minutes. Once Parsons returns, he'll be on the shelf again soon enough. Wayne Selden and JaMychal Green will see more minutes. |
| Zhaire Smith | PHI | Foot | 4-6 Weeks | Smith is dealing with a fractured foot. T.J. McConnell will pick up more playing time. |
| Justin Patton | PHI | Foot | No Timetable | Patton had surgery on his foot and it is undetermined when he'll be back with his new team. Amir Johnson and Wilson Chandler will see more playing time. |
| Maxi Kleber | DAL | Toe | DAY TO DAY | Kleber missed his previous game w/ a Toe injury. If he needs to sit out for more games, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwight Powell will pick up minutes. |
| Mitchell Robinson | NY | Ankle | DAY TO DAY | Robinson will miss his third game in a row on Wednesday leaving more playing time for Enes Kanter , Noah Vonleh and Luke Kornet . |
| Henry Ellenson | DET | Ankle | 1-2 Weeks | Ellenson will miss at least another week of action and Blake Griffin will continue to play heavy minutes. Reggie Bullock will also see more minutes and usage. |
| Timofey Mozgov | ORL | Knee | No Timetable | Mozgov hasn't played all year and it's uncertain whether or not he'll even be in the rotation this season. Khem Birch will play more minutes than him. |
| Treveon Graham | BKN | Hamstring | No Timetable | Graham is practicing w/ the Nets G-League team but there still isn't a timetable in regards to when we'll see him back w/ the Nets. Allen Crabbe and Joe Harris will see more minutes |
| John Henson | CLE | Wrist | 10-14 Weeks | Henson had Wrist surgery and will be on the shelf for the next few months. He was also traded to the Cavs and Cedi Osman and Larry Nance Jr. will see more playing time until he returns to action. |
| Joakim Noah | MEM | Heel | DAY TO DAY | Noah may need to miss Wednesday's game because he's dealing w/ soreness in his Heel. JaMychal Green will pick up more minutes if he can't go. |
| Jerome Robinson | LAC | Foot | DAY TO DAY | Robinson is on the outside looking in to the Clippers rotation even when fully healthy. |
| Ian Clark | NO | Ankle | DAY TO DAY | It's looking like Clark will sit for the third straight time on Wednesday. He's on the outside looking into the Pelicans rotation so it doesn't make too much of an impact. |
| Alex Poythress | ATL | Ankle | 1-2 Weeks | Poythress is practicing w/ the Hawks G-League team, but he could miss another week or two of action. John Collins and DeAndre' Bembry will see more playing time. |
| Glenn Robinson III | DET | Ankle | 1-2 Weeks | Robinson will miss the next week or two of action and that should leave even more playing time for Luke Kennard , Stanley Johnson and Reggie Bullock . |
| Guerschon Yabusele | BOS | Ankle | 2-4 Weeks | Yabusele will be sidelined for at least the next few weeks and Marcus Morris and Daniel Theis should pick up more playing time. |
Player News
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Fred VanVleet (knee) suffered a torn ACL.
With the offseason acquisition of Kevin Durant, there has been plenty of optimism surrounding the Houston Rockets. Their hopes of winning the loaded Western Conference took a significant hit with Monday’s news regarding VanVleet. While the veteran point guard shot just 37.8 percent from the field, the lowest mark for VanVleet since his rookie season, he remained a key figure for a team that finished with the second-best record in the West. Also, the low field goal percentage did not prevent VanVleet from offering close to top-50 value in fantasy basketball. His absence means Houston will need second-year guard Reed Sheppard to hit the ground running, with Aaron Holiday providing additional depth at the point. Sheppard is well worth the risk in standard leagues, while Holiday is someone to target in deeper formats. However, Amen Thompson’s fantasy value may receive the most significant boost, especially after he filled in well as Houston’s primary playmaker when VanVleet missed time last season.
Agent Aaron Turner told ESPN last week that restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga is prepared to sign his qualifying offer to play for the Warriors this season.
Contract negotiations between Kuminga and the Warriors have been contentious, with the potential option being the most significant sticking point. While the team wants to include a team option, granting them considerable leverage, Kuminga wants a player option included, giving him the power to determine his next stop if the Warriors were to try to trade him. According to Turner, his client is open to playing the upcoming season on his qualifying offer, making Kuminga an unrestricted free agent next summer. The contract negotiations have held up Golden State’s other dealings in free agency, with the team expected to add Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton in free agency and re-sign Gary Payton II. There’s also the possibility of Seth Curry being signed, but nothing can happen until Kuminga’s situation is resolved. Unless the Warriors change their approach and move Kuminga to a team that envisions a prominent role for him, such as Sacramento, his fantasy value will be low in 2025-26.
Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Monday that Dejounte Murray’s (Achilles) return timeline is not known.
Murray suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during a late-January game against the Celtics. While other Pelicans who suffered season-ending injuries, most notably Trey Murphy and Herb Jones, have been cleared to resume basketball activities and have scrimmaged, Murray has not. And with the guard lacking a timeline to return, his value in fantasy drafts will take a significant hit. In addition to acquiring Jordan Poole from the Wizards this offseason, the Pelicans still have Jose Alvarado, and first-round pick Jeremiah Fears may have the opportunity to earn rotation minutes while Murray continues his rehab.
Pelicans team president Joe Dumars said Monday that Trey Murphy (shoulder) has been scrimmaging for a few weeks.
Murphy underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in late March, a disappointing conclusion to what was the best season of his NBA career, number-wise. According to Dumars, the Pelicans forward has been scrimmaging for a few weeks and will not be restricted when the team opens training camp. With Dejounte Murray (Achilles) lacking a timeline for return, this is a massive season for Murphy, who will be New Orleans’ top offensive option on the wing. He can provide top-50 value, especially if Zion Williamson’s availability remains an issue.
Pelicans team president Joe Dumars said Monday that Herb Jones (shoulder) has been fully cleared after undergoing season-ending surgery in February.
Jones suffered a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, causing a premature end to his 2024-25 season. Not only has the elite defender been cleared to return, but according to Dumars, he’s been scrimmaging for a few weeks. A healthy Jones on the court will be critical for New Orleans due to his defensive ability, especially with the Pelicans adding Jordan Poole via offseason trade. From a fantasy standpoint, managers will hope Jones can hit three-pointers at the rate he did in 2023-24, when he made 41.8 percent of his 3.6 attempts per game. Last season, Jones shot just under 31 percent from three on 3.6 attempts per game.
Nets Daily reports the Nets will not be signing Ricky Council IV.
Council will not join the Nets despite reportedly agreeing to a one-year, partially guaranteed deal in August. Why the change was made is unknown at this time. Given Brooklyn’s youth, especially on the wings, Council appeared to have a chance to earn consistent rotation minutes after taking advantage of limited starting opportunities in Philadelphia last season.