Category: NBA

In recent days and weeks, the rumblings surrounding Trae Young's future in Atlanta grew too loud to ignore. Having appeared in just ten games this season due to injury, the point guard's production slipped, and the Hawks failed to string together wins when Young was on the floor.

Add in the continued emergence of Jalen Johnson, and offseason addition Nickeil Alexander-Walker exceeding the expectations of many, and the writing was on the wall. On Wednesday night, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Young was traded to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

Atlanta receives some salary-cap relief, as McCollum will be an unrestricted free agent in June, and he and Kispert can provide shooting around Johnson, who appears to be the Hawks' new cornerstone. Let's look at this trade and how it affects the fantasy values of the players involved and their new teams.

Washington receives: Trae Young

When healthy and playing at his best, Young can be a highly valuable fantasy player, especially in eight-cat formats. However, in the short term, it's fair to question what the Wizards' plans are for the franchise's new point guard. Young has missed Atlanta's last five games with a quad injury. Was the injury the only reason why he sat? Or did the trade speculation and desire to avoid aggravating anything have a role? It would clearly be in Washington's best interest to exercise caution with Young, not only for his health but also for the potential impact on the 2026 NBA Draft.

Washington's first-round pick is top-8 protected; if it falls outside of that range, it will go to the Knicks. And at this stage in the franchise's rebuild, adding another elite talent in what is a loaded 2026 draft class would be good business. With that in mind, would the Wizards consider shutting Young down, as Toronto did with Brandon Ingram last season? We'll see.

Young's fantasy value, once he gets on the court, should be fine. How he and Alex Sarr mesh in the two-man game is something to watch, and Young's presence may also benefit wings Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson. That said, Bub Carrington may be in a challenging spot, even if he were (for some reason) to start alongside Young. Bub's value may receive a short-term boost if Young isn't immediately ready to play, but dynasty league managers who have him rostered can't be thrilled with Wednesday's development.

With McCollum and Kispert now out of the picture, the clock begins to tick on Khris Middleton. Like CJ, the experience and wisdom he brings to the locker room can't be overstated. But, if the Wizards can acquire future draft capital in exchange for Middleton at (or before) the February trade deadline, one has to assume that they'll make the move. He still isn't playing back-to-backs, and the time off may increase if he's in Washington after the deadline. One would hope that some of the availability concerns would subside if Middleton is moved to a team with playoff ambitions.

Atlanta receives: CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert

The Hawks' decision to move Young boosts the fantasy values of two players in the immediate aftermath of the move: Johnson and Alexander-Walker. Johnson has become a triple-double threat this season, offering first-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. Even with McCollum joining the fold, the ball is going to be in his hands plenty. As for Alexander-Walker, he should continue to serve as the starting point guard. Despite playing well enough to merit being rostered in most leagues, NAW is still available in more than half of Yahoo! leagues. Look for that to change, beginning Thursday morning.

Dyson Daniels may receive a slight boost to his fantasy value because of the additional playmaking opportunities, but he's unlikely to benefit at the level that Johnson and Alexander-Walker should. Post players Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porziņģis will be intriguing to watch, as both have been quality fantasy options (when healthy, in the case of the latter). No Young in the lineup did not result in a sharp decrease in their scoring opportunities, thanks mainly to Johnson's improved playmaking.

The players who may be at most significant risk of a drop in fantasy value may be those who are rostered in less than 20 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Zaccharie Risacher should remain a starter, but Atlanta's bench improved with the addition of McCollum. With Risacher already offering limited fantasy value, the second unit's increased strength may result in fewer minutes for him. Luke Kennard and Vit Krejčí are also in challenging spots, and they already brought limited fantasy value to the table.

It had become clear that Atlanta needed to make a change, having underwhelmed after entering the season with expectations of competing in the East. McCollum and Kispert may not move the needle immediately, but moving on from Young's contract should make for an interesting summer.

Washington has a young core with potential. Alex Sarr is starting to break out in his second season, plus Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and the two-way potential of Bilal Coulibaly. What the Wizards lacked was an elite offensive player to tie it all together.

Enter Trae Young.

As has been rumored for days, the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Young to Washington for CJ McCollum and wing Corey Kispert, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by others. It felt meaningful that McCollum and Kispert were held out of the Wizards game on Wednesday, but the trade happened mid-game with Young saying his goodbyes to teammates in the arena.

Now Young gets to go to his preferred destination in Washington, while Atlanta gets to move on.

Young exits Atlanta, where he has been the face of the franchise since they traded for him on draft night more than seven years ago. He has been an entertaining fan favorite who averaged 25.2 points and 9.8 assists a game for the team and was a three-time All-Star. Young led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, only the second time the franchise had made it that far.

The writing was on the wall for Young's exit last summer when Atlanta chose not to extend his contract, instead opting to see how he looked with a revamped, healthy roster built to maximize his skill set. The reality is the Hawks have been better without him — they are 2-8 in the 10 games he has played and 15-13 in the games he has missed. It became clear that the Hawks were ready to pivot to a roster built around length and athleticism, featuring Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and others.

The decision for Young to move on was mutual, and his agents at CAA were working with the Hawks to find a trade that worked for everyone. Washington was his preferred destination.

For the Hawks, they get a player who can still get a bucket in McCollum, who is averaging 18.8 points a game this season, but also has a $30.7 million expiring contract. McCollum can help in the short term, while Kispert — a sharpshooting 6'6" wing hitting 39.5% from 3 point range this season, averaging 9.2 points a game — who will blend right into the Hawks rotation.

For Washington, they get a box office draw and someone for fans to rally around, an All-Star level offensive player who can lead their team on the court — and they gave up almost nothing. How much we see of Young the rest of this season is up for debate, however, as Washington owes its pick to New York but it is top-eight protected. Washington doesn't want to start winning too much all of a sudden and lose their pick in a deep draft with some potential franchise cornerstones at the top. The Wizards would currently enter the lottery with the No. 4 pick and are not going to want that to change too much.

While it is still 29 days until the Feb. 5 NBA Trade deadline — and big trades tend to happen closer to that date — there is a lot of smoke and clearly some fire around a Trae Young trade to the Washington Wizards.

Washington is Young's preferred destination, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. That is new and it matters. Young is a fan favorite and has been the face of the franchise in Atlanta for more than seven years, the team will want to do right by him. The Hawks front office and Young’s agents have been collaborating to find Young a new team, and now the Wizards are the clear frontrunners. The fact that CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert — two players expected to be sent to Atlanta in a trade — are sitting out the Wizards game on Wednesday feels like a little more than a coincidence.

A trade of Young to Washington for McCollum and Kispert works under the cap.

What to watch is the draft picks attached to this trade. While the instinct for many would be to say Washington needs to add draft picks to this deal — they are getting a 27-year-old three-time All-Star in his prime, a guy who has averaged 25.2 points and 9.8 assists a game for his career — the opposite is true, league sources told NBC Sports. Washington can argue that they are sending out the expiring contract of McCollum to take on one more year of Young, who has a $48.9 million player option for next season, which he is expected to pick up. Washington will want to be compensated for taking on that extra salary, even though it has the cap space to do so, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic discussed on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast. There could be an exchange of draft picks, but don't expect the Wizards to send out better picks than they take back in the deal, which has been their modus operandi in the Jordan Poole trade and others.

The other thing to watch for is a contract extension. Young wants to be on a team where he has the ball in his hands and somewhere he could sign a longer-term extension (he's not a max player anymore, not in the world of NBA tax aprons, but he still would command considerably more than an average starter). Washington can put the ball in his hands, but it will want to wait to see how he meshes with the young players the franchise sees as part of the future — Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly — before it talks extension. Young would pick up his option and be playing for his next contract.

On offense, Young would be a natural fit. Sarr, who has taken a big step forward this season, averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, should thrive with Young as a pick-and-roll partner. Plus, Young's gravity and passing would get Johnson, George and others plenty of better, cleaner looks in the halfcourt. On top of all that, this is a team that wants to get out and run, and Young's passing and style of play fit well with that.

On the other end of the court, Washington has the 29th-ranked defense in the NBA right now and Young is not going to help that.

What Young gives the Wizards is someone fans will pay to see, someone who should make their offense entertaining and will win them some games (and maybe get them in the play-in a year from now) — all without giving up anyone they see as a core part of their future. It's low risk. And if Young clicks with the existing core, the Wizards can always extend him.

The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away (Feb. 5), and with that the rumor mill is at full boil. Here is the latest on some of the biggest names.

Anthony Davis

The Dallas Mavericks do not feel they have to trade Anthony Davis before the deadline, but Davis' camp doesn't believe an extension with the Mavs is on the horizon, so they are looking for a new home.

That's the latest after Davis and the Mavericks held on for a win in Sacramento Tuesday night, via Christian Clark and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Mavericks are expected to continue to listen to offers on Davis in the coming weeks, but according to team sources, their front office doesn't feel like it must deal Davis before the deadline...

However, league sources say Davis' representatives do not believe there's an extension agreement to be had with the Mavericks in the upcoming offseason. As such, the sources say, there is a strong desire from Davis' camp to get him traded to a destination where they feel an extension would be more likely.

Where might that be? Three teams are mentioned most often, but there are issues with working out a trade with each.

The Warriors are the sexy name, but with Golden State saying it would not send out Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green in any deal, constructing a trade is basically impossible. Atlanta is the name most mentioned, but the Hawks are focused on trading Trae Young and the Mavericks have no interest in a Davis-for-Young swap. Plus, from the Hawks' perspective, part of the reason to bring in Davis was to pair with Young in pick-and-rolls, and that's now off the table. Toronto is interested, and with center Jakob Poeltl battling back issues, the Raptors could use a high-level big. Toronto would have to send back longer contracts to make this work, and Dallas is only interested if it gets a lot of draft picks in return.

Davis staying with the Mavericks past the deadline is on the table, even if that is not everyone's first option.

Trae Young

As we have written about recently, the Hawks and Young’s agents are working to find a new home for the All-Star point guard, with the Washington Wizards being the frontrunners (and not many great options beyond that).

What Young wants is "to be the lead guard of a franchise elsewhere" and is "seeking a team that could give him an extension," ESPN's Shams Charania said yesterday on NBA Today. That is a very small pool of teams, maybe just a one-team pool (Washington). Jake Fischer added to that reporting at the Stein Line Substack.

"I am told that Trae Young's camp has suggested Minnesota and Brooklyn, from their side, as two attractive potential destinations. Yet I'm also told that neither the Timberwolves nor the Nets are in pursuit."

Fischer also reports that Young's agents tried to float a Zach LaVine-for-Young trade last summer that would have sent Young to Sacramento, but the Kings shot it down. That sums up the reality about a Young trade, what league sources have been telling NBC Sports (and we have been reporting) all along — there isn't much of a market for Young at his current salary around the NBA.

Kuminga likely sits until trade

The Warriors will not be showcasing Jonathan Kuminga in the run-up to the NBA trade deadline — he is not likely to play for the team again, and this is a mutual understanding, reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. Kuminga has already sat out the Warriors' last nine games.

Kuminga is not eligible to be traded until Jan. 15, and while that hasn't stopped the Warriors from talking to teams, they have not made "substantial movement" toward a deal, reports Anthony Slater of ESPN. Slater adds to keep an eye on the Sacramento Kings, a team he has been linked to dating back to last summer, and the interest there remains strong. New Orleans also has had interest in the past, and there may be other teams. That said, don't expect Golden State to take on long-term negative contracts just to move Kuminga.

Quick hits

• Despite their struggles this season, the Cavaliers are shooting down calls about trades for key players such as Jarrett Allen or Darius Garland, Michael Scotto reports at Hoopshype. The Cavaliers are over the second tax apron, so other teams are watching to see if ownership forces a move to lower payroll, but that doesn't appear likely. Cleveland is still a team deep with talent, looking at the wide-open East and thinking it has a chance if it can just regain last season's form.

• Minnesota is open to trading second-year point guard Rob Dillingham in the right deal, reports Marc Stein. The No. 8 pick from a year ago is not the playmaker the Timberwolves need, but there might be a team willing to take a longer-term flier on him.

• The Clippers are not going to be sellers at the trade deadline. Not James Harden, and more importantly, not Ivica Zubac, who is the guy teams are calling about. The Clippers have won seven of eight and are righting the ship, it would take a godfather offer — starting with at least two first rounders — to get the team to even consider a trade, reports Scotto of Hoopshype.

• If you're looking for a big man to get traded, keep an eye on Dallas' Daniel Gafford, he may be the most likely center to be traded at the deadline (and may be more likely to be sent to a new team than Davis).

• Speaking of Dallas, they would love to find a trade and get off the contracts of Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin and D'Angelo Russell, but in a tax apron world, there are no serious suitors. At least not yet.

Another week, and another loaded injury report. However, in the case of one play, trade rumors that have grown louder by the day may complicate his availability until a decision is made. That's not a good thing for fantasy managers, who can definitely use some clarity as they look to adjust their rosters. However, there was some good news on the injury front: Victor Wembanyama returned after a two-game absence, and the 76ers are getting healthier. Here's a look at some of the impactful injury situations during Week 12 in fantasy basketball.

G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Young, who has missed Atlanta's last five games with a quad contusion, was listed as questionable on the injury report for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans. However, while fantasy managers know that Nickeil Alexander-Walker (49 percent rostered, Yahoo!) will be the starting point guard when Young is out, they've got another variable to consider. Young has been the subject of trade rumors recently, with ESPN's Shams Charania reporting on Tuesday that the player and his agent are working with the franchise to make a deal happen.

If that's indeed the case, why would the Hawks put Young back on the court if there is any question about his quad injury? For fantasy managers relying on the point guard for high-level value, this season has been a disappointment. Now, they may not get any value from Young until he's traded. And it's impossible to gauge how a trade will affect his fantasy value without knowing the destination.

F/C Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls

Wednesday's game between the Bulls and Pistons will be the second that Smith has missed since entering the league's concussion protocol. With Zach Collins already sidelined with a toe injury, the Bulls are light on options behind starting center Nikola Vučević. For Monday's loss to the Celtics, Lachlan Olbrich (less than one percent) played 12 minutes off the bench. There's no need to consider adding him.

Fantasy managers looking at the Bulls roster for low-rostered options are best served focusing on the backcourt, even with Coby White returning from a calf injury on Monday. Josh Giddey is still out, which benefits Ayo Dosunmu (22 percent) the most. Tre Jones (24 percent) took a hit to his fantasy value when White returned, as he only played 20 minutes on Monday.

G/F Max Strus, Cleveland Cavaliers

We got a Strus update on Tuesday, as it was reported that he will be re-evaluated in four weeks as the wing continues to work his way back from offseason foot surgery. The fifth starter role has rotated among multiple Cavaliers thus far, with Dean Wade (one percent) receiving the nod for Tuesday's win over the Pacers.

However, Wade did not return after halftime due to a left knee injury, with Jaylon Tyson (23 percent) filling the void. The second-year wing out of Cal has been the most productive of Cleveland's supporting cast, playing well enough to merit being rostered even when he comes off the bench. Sam Merrill (11 percent) can provide three-point production, and he started on Tuesday since Donovan Mitchell was out for rest.

F P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks

Washington sprained his right ankle during Saturday's win over the Rockets and did not play against the Kings on Tuesday. Naji Marshall (17 percent) was the replacement in the starting lineup, and he would be worth rostering in deep leagues if Washington misses more time. There was another lineup change for the Mavericks over the past week that was not injury-related, with Daniel Gafford (15 percent) moving into the starting lineup and Ryan Nembhard (three percent) being bumped to the bench. Gafford's starting means Anthony Davis can play at the four, his preferred position.

If Gafford can get to where he's playing at least 25 minutes per night, he can be a valuable option for fantasy managers. As for Nembhard, his production has tailed off, resulting in Brandon Williams (11 percent) playing more. However, with both coming off the bench, Cooper Flagg is the primary playmaker for the starters. Given his experience at the position to begin this season, that may raise his fantasy ceiling for as long as Jason Kidd sticks with this lineup.

Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: VJ Edgecombe on a roll

The 2025 third-overall pick has been among the best-performing rookies all season.

• Cole Huff,

C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Nothing has changed regarding Jokić's timeline as he recovers from a left knee injury; he'll be re-evaluated in a little over three weeks. However, he has progressed to doing some spot shooting while he continues to rehab the injured knee.

The Nuggets did get Christian Braun (73 percent) and Aaron Gordon (52 percent) back from their injuries on Sunday, and they played 24 and 21 minutes, respectively, in a loss to the Nets. Neither played on Monday in Philadelphia, and Jamal Murray also sat, but the Nuggets found a way to win thanks to Jalen Pickett (one percent), Peyton Watson (30 percent) and Zeke Nnaji (three percent). Of the three, Watson is the one to trust, especially with Cameron Johnson still out.

Nnaji, the 22nd pick in the 2020 draft, has been a disappointment, but Jokić's injury means there will be opportunities for him and DaRon Holmes II (six percent) to step up. With Holmes missing all of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, he isn't going to take on a full starter's workload. For this reason, Nnaji is worth a roll of the dice.

C Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

Şengün exited Saturday's loss to the Mavericks just over a minute into the game with a sprained right ankle. On Monday, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said that his starting center will be re-evaluated at the end of the week but is expected to miss 10-14 days. When available, Steven Adams (nine percent) has been the replacement in the starting lineup. Most recently, he played 31 minutes in Monday's win over the Suns, grabbing 11 rebounds. The veteran center is worth streaming in deep leagues if there's a need for rebounds. Clint Capela (six percent), who started when the Rockets were without Şengün and Adams, only played nine minutes on Monday. He's only worth a look if Adams can't play, and Houston doesn't have another back-to-back until Thursday/Friday of Week 13.

F/C Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers

Jackson has been in the league's concussion protocol since suffering a head injury during a December 22 game against the Celtics. He had fallen off the fantasy radar well before that injury. And with the Pacers waiving Tony Bradley on January 5, they're relying on Jay Huff (16 percent) and Micah Potter (10 percent) to handle the center position. Before Tuesday's loss to the Cavaliers, in which he played 17 minutes off the bench, Potter made two starts and exceeded 25 minutes in each of the three games prior. Huff was productive as a scorer on Tuesday, scoring 20 points, but he only grabbed two rebounds. Can either player be trusted in standard leagues? Probably not, but they'll both have opportunities to prove otherwise.

G James Harden, LA Clippers

Harden did not play in Monday's win over the Warriors due to a sore right shoulder and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Knicks. Rookie Kobe Sanders (less than one percent) replaced Harden in the starting lineup on Monday and had a breakthrough performance, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds in 36 minutes. The Clippers only went eight deep on Monday, and they could be forced to take a similar approach against the Knicks if Harden remains out.

G Ja Morant and G/F Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

Unfortunately, Morant can't seem to stay healthy. Tuesday's win over the Spurs was the second game that he's missed due to a right calf contusion, and at the time of publishing, Morant's status for Wednesday's game against the Suns had yet to be determined. Cam Spencer (18 percent) has started in Morant's place. While he struggled with his shot in Sunday's loss to the Lakers, the second-year guard rebounded nicely, tallying 21 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, one steal and three three-pointers in Tuesday's win over the Spurs, even hitting the game-winning shot.

Also of note from Tuesday's game was the return of Vince Williams Jr. (two percent), who had been Morant's replacement in the starting lineup in the past. He came off the bench against the Spurs, playing 22 minutes and finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and four three-pointers. Williams shot 5-of-7 from the field, an impressive showing considering that he's a 35.3 percent shooter for the season. Spencer remains the priority add if Morant misses more time, but Williams is worth watching for those targeting assists.

Coward joined Morant on the injury report after spraining his left ankle during Sunday's loss to the Lakers. Before Tuesday's game, Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo said that the rookie's injury was not as severe as the team initially feared, which is good news. Coward's absence opened up a spot in the starting lineup for GG Jackson (three percent), who struggled offensively. Shooting 1-of-6 from the field, he accounted for two points, seven rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes. Jackson isn't worth streaming right now, but he's worth keeping an eye on just in case Coward sits for an extended period.

F Jaime Jaquez Jr. and G Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

Jaquez sprained his right ankle during the first half of Miami's January 3 loss to the Timberwolves and has missed the last two games. Under normal circumstances, his absence would raise the ceilings of Nikola Jović (26 percent) and Pelle Larsson (four percent). However, Tyler Herro returned from a toe injury on Tuesday and played 29 minutes off the bench, finishing with 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer. The good news for those holding onto Jović is that the Heat essentially went with an eight-man rotation on Tuesday until the final five minutes, when the outcome was no longer in doubt. But his fantasy ceiling is limited, even if Jaquez misses more games.

Herro's return impacts the entire rotation, especially with it being clear that someone will be bounced from the starting lineup once he's moved back into his usual role. Kel'el Ware (68 percent) was the player bumped to the bench when Herro returned from offseason surgery, and that may be the case here as well. Fantasy managers should not drop Ware in that scenario, as he has provided solid fantasy value when used in a reserve role.

F Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans

Bey had been on a roll for just over a month, locking down a spot in the Pelicans' starting lineup as the team was without multiple starters due to injury. Unfortunately, he hasn't appeared in a game since New Year's Eve due to a right hip flexor strain. Herb Jones (20 percent) made his return from a sprained right ankle on Tuesday and struggled with his shot, going 1-of-9 from the field in a loss to the Lakers.

While his ability to play 35 minutes despite not playing in a game since December 22 was a positive, Jones's offensive struggles severely limit his fantasy impact. And with the Pelicans visiting the Hawks on Wednesday, he may be in line for an injury management day. And the Pelicans' roster is short on available fantasy alternatives, with Jeremiah Fears (21 percent) being the only player worth the risk.

G/F Josh Hart, New York Knicks

On January 2, the Knicks announced that Hart would be re-evaluated in one week. That would coincide with the first game of New York's four-game road trip in Phoenix. Hart's impact is missed, with the Knicks going 2-4 in his absence and dropping the last four. Miles McBride (13 percent) has played in five of those six games and has been nearly a top-50 player despite coming off the bench in four of those appearances. He's worth the risk as long as Hart is out. While Mitchell Robinson (seven percent) has gained attention for his rebounding prowess, the overall fantasy value isn't there, especially as the team has to manage his playing time due to the lingering ankle issue.

C Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder

For just the second time this season, the Thunder have lost consecutive games. However, more concerning than that is Hartenstein's health, who has been out since December 28 with a right soleus strain. Wednesday's game against the Jazz will be the sixth that he's missed, and the Thunder have not provided a return timeline. While Cason Wallace (20 percent) filled the resulting void in the starting lineup in the past, Aaron Wiggins (four percent) received the nod for Monday's blowout loss to the Hornets.

Both logged 25 minutes, with Wiggins (11 points, two rebounds, two steals and two three-pointers) being more productive than Wallace (two points, two rebounds, one assist and two steals). However, Wallace's season-long fantasy value makes him the more trustworthy option of the two. Ajay Mitchell (28 percent) should be targeted before either Wallace or Wiggins, as he continues to provide top-100 fantasy value after barely being on the fantasy radar during the preseason. All three players also receive a slight boost due to Alex Caruso missing the last two games (including Wednesday) with a sore lower back.

G Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic

After missing seven games with a hip injury, Suggs played in two games before being sidelined by a Grade 1 MCL contusion. Counting Wednesday's matchup with the Nets, he has missed the last three games. And based on Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley's words ahead of Tuesday's loss to the Wizards, this may be an injury that keeps Suggs out for an extended period. The point guard still has not resumed on-court activities, which is obviously an issue.

Tristan da Silva (two percent) has moved into the starting lineup, but the production has not been good enough to justify streaming him. Anthony Black (46 percent), who has been highly productive since the Magic lost Franz Wagner to a high ankle sprain, is still available in more than half of Yahoo! leagues. If he isn't sitting on your league's waiver wire, accounting for Suggs' absence may require looking at other teams for potential alternatives.

C Joel Embiid, F Kelly Oubre Jr. and F Trendon Watford, Philadelphia 76ers

Embiid is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Wizards, but this stretch of games has been nothing but positive for him. He's played at least 33 minutes in each of the last four games, including a season-high 40 in Monday's loss to the Nuggets. With Embiid available for six of Philadelphia's last seven games, the availability and production have been positive for fantasy managers. If he doesn't play on Wednesday, Adem Bona (one percent) may receive the starting nod after Andre Drummond (seven percent) was a DNP-CD against Denver.

Also questionable for Wednesday are Oubre and Watford, who have not played since November due to knee and adductor injuries, respectively. Oubre's imminent return stands to be more impactful on the 76ers' rotation. Dominick Barlow (three percent) may not make waves in fantasy basketball, but he has been an effective contributor as the starting power forward. That said, he's still on a two-way contract and has been active for 24 games (two-way players cannot be active for more than 50 games).

The 76ers have yet to have Oubre and Paul George available for the same game this season; will they be the starting forwards? Or does Oubre come off the bench even after any potential restrictions are removed? Philadelphia's depth will receive a welcome boost soon, but that may complicate things for fantasy managers.

F Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings

Murray sprained his left ankle during a January 4 loss to the Bucks, which was also Zach LaVine's first game back from a sprained ankle. Murray is expected to be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, opening up a spot in the starting lineup for LaVine. This also meant that Precious Achiuwa (two percent) remained in the starting five for Tuesday's loss to the Mavericks. Despite starting Sacramento's last 11 games, he hasn't done enough to move the needle in fantasy, averaging 5.8 points and 5.2 rebounds on 35.3 percent shooting. And there isn't much to gain from trusting Keon Ellis (three percent) or Malik Monk (14 percent) either, with the latter currently out of the Kings' rotation entirely.

C Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

After missing two games with a left knee injury, Wembanyama returned to action Tuesday night in Memphis. As was the case in his first games back from a calf injury that sidelined him for 12 games, the Spurs brought the 7-foot-4 phenom off the bench. Despite playing 21 minutes, Wembanyama racked up 30 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and three three-pointers. As we've seen in the past, he does not need to play starters' minutes to make a significant impact.

Luke Kornet (18 percent) played 27 minutes as the starter, but his impact was limited with Wemby in the rotation, and Kelly Olynyk (less than one percent) played nine minutes off the bench. Kornet is worth holding onto in deep leagues as long as he's starting, and that could be for a few more games if the Spurs' handling of Wembanyama's return from the calf strain is an indication of how they'll handle his latest return from injury.

C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors

While Poeltl has missed Toronto's seven (and nine of the last ten) games with a persistent lower back injury that first became an issue during the preseason, there was some good news on Monday. The 7-footer has been cleared for contact, a step in the right direction despite Poeltl being ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Hornets. Sandro Mamukelashvili (22 percent) was the replacement in the starting lineup for three of the first four games that Poeltl missed, but rookie Collin Murray-Boyles (five percent) assumed that role for the last two.

In Monday's win over the Hawks, CMB was responsible for 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocked shots in 31 minutes. His game is well-suited for category leagues, and the upside makes Murray-Boyles worth the risk. And he may be worth holding onto even after Poeltl is cleared to play.

Missing just two games following a hyperextension of his knee, Victor Wembanyama was back on the court Tuesday night and dropped 30, but had to miss the end of a loss to Memphis because of his minutes limit.

Spurs fans — and hoops fans everywhere — held their breath after Wembanyama hyperextended his knee, something that usually results in missing considerable time with bone bruises or ligament damage, such as with Nikola Jokic. But two games later, there was Wemby on the court pregame doing things that have you shaking your head, even in warm-ups.

Wembanyama started the game on the bench but entered the game midway through the first quarter, and from there on put up 30 points with five boards in just 21 minutes of playing time.

That minutes limit came into play in the fourth quarter, when Wembanyama was subbed out with 3:45 remaining and the Spurs up by one. After some back and forth and a couple of buckets from De'Aaron Fox (who was ice cold most of the night), the Grizzlies Cam Spencer scored the final five points of the game to give Memphis the 106-105 victory. Spencer finished the night with 21 points.

Before the game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson essentially said part of the Spurs' job was to protect the competitive Wembanyama from himself — he wanted to come back earlier, but the team is thinking long term.

"I do know his long-term health and making sure we keep that kid from himself in terms of his competitiveness [is a priority]," Johnson said. "We want him to be healthy for years, not for just trying to win the next couple of games."

Santi Aldama's block of a Fox 15-footer sealed the win, and that snapped the Grizzlies' four-game losing streak.