Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Bench role in the cards for Klay Thompson?
    Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned the possibility of Klay Thompson coming off the bench should he remain with the team during his end-of-season press conference.

    Advice: Thompson’s 2023-24 season came to a brutal end, as he missed all ten field goal attempts and went scoreless in Tuesday’s Play-In tournament loss to the Kings. The veteran guard, one of the all-time great shooters in NBA history, will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. And a return to the Warriors could depend on how amenable he is to coming off the bench, which is what happened this season. “I thought Klay really showed that he was agreeable to the sixth-man role the second half of the year, even though eventually we put him back in the starting lineup,” Kerr, who noted that the team needs to add more shooting to the roster this offseason, said. “I think that’s got to be an option going forward. I would prefer not to play him 35 minutes.” Thompson’s future in the Bay Area, beginning with whether or not he’ll re-sign with the team, impacts multiple Warriors, including Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. Rotoworld Yesterday, 5:04 pm
     
  • Considered questionable for Game 1
    Leonard (knee) is questionable for Sunday's Game 1 against the Mavericks, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: The Clippers announced Thursday that Leonard received an injection in his left knee, and there's "cautious optimism" that he'll be ready for Sunday's matchup, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. While Leonard returned to practice Monday, he hasn't yet been cleared for 5-on-5 drills. Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Thursday that he isn't sure whether Leonard will need to participate in full-contact work before he's cleared to return to game action but said that the inflammation needs to continue to reduce. Lawrence said that he's hopeful the issue is trending in the right direction and that Leonard will play but also indicated that the 32-year-old's status remains up in the air. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 2:51 pm
     
  • Probable for Friday
    Robinson (back) is probable for Friday's Play-In Game against the Bulls, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

    Advice: Robinson missed the final four games of the regular season due to his back injury, and although he was available for Wednesday's Play-In Tournament matchup against the 76ers, he didn't see any playing time. It appears likely that he'll be able to suit up again Friday, and he could see some minutes since Jimmy Butler (knee) has been ruled out. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 1:55 pm
     
  • Duncan Robinson (back) probable to play vs. Bulls
    Duncan Robinson (left facet syndrome) is considered probable to play against Chicago on Friday in the Play-In Tournament.

    Advice: Robinson was cleared to play after being listed as probable for Wednesday’s game against the 76ers, but he didn’t end up being part of the team’s rotation. With Jimmy Butler sidelined, Robinson should see some minutes off the bench, though there is certainly a chance that Erik Spoelstra continues to roll with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Delon Wright. Rotoworld Yesterday, 1:54 pm
     
  • Officially has sprained MCL
    The Heat announced Thursday that Butler has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL and will miss several weeks, Tim Reynolds of Associated Press reports.

    Advice: Butler suffered his right knee injury late in the first quarter of Wednesday's Play-In Game loss to the 76ers, but he remained in the game down the stretch despite a limp. However, the injury is significant enough to sideline him for multiple weeks, so even if the Heat take down the Bulls on Friday, it seems unlikely that Butler will be in the mix to return during a first-round series against Boston. Jaime Jaquez will likely take on a starting role in Butler's absence, while Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin could also see additional playing time. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 1:52 pm
     
  • Leads bench in scoring
    Mathews chipped in eight points (2-4 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-3 FT) over 13 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to Chicago.

    Advice: Since the All-Star break, the 27-year-old averaged 6.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists on 45.8 percent from the field, playing valuable minutes during Trae Young's (finger) absence. With the Hawks looking to test the trade market around Young and possibly Dejounte Murray after a disappointing year, the Hawks will have until June 29 to decide whether they want Mathews back next season, which would fully guarantee his contract. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 12:50 pm
     
  • Unable to find shot
    Hunter posted eight points (3-16 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four assists and two rebounds over 42 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to the Bulls.

    Advice: Despite struggling with his shot in April, when Hunter averaged 37.0 percent from the field and an abysmal 24.1 percent from deep, this season was fairly successful for the 26-year-old. Hunter was a consistent part of Atlanta's rotation, starting in 38 of his 57 appearances and averaging 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting a career-high 38.5 percent from deep. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 12:49 pm
     
  • Continues to struggle from deep
    Hield notched seven points (3-8 FG, 1-5 3Pt), six assists and one rebound in 18 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game win over the Heat.

    Advice: Since Philadelphia acquired Hield on Feb. 8, the sharpshooter has averaged 12.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 0.8 steals in 25.5 minutes on 38.4 percent from deep. Hield has struggled to live up to his usual standards in April, as he's averaged 9.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 19.8 minutes, shooting just 35.2 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 12:48 pm
     
  • Struggles from three in win
    Harris registered nine points (4-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds and four assists over 33 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.

    Advice: Harris struggled to get his shot going Wednesday and was outperformed by Nicolas Batum, who came off the bench and added 20 points and five rebounds on 6-for-10 shooting from the perimeter. Harris' inefficiency from deep has been a constant problem this season, as his 35.8 percent three-point percentage has been his worst mark since 2016-17. Since the All-Star break, the 31-year-old has averaged 15.7 points and 7.6 rebounds on 35.4 percent from three, which could be a consequence of an uptick in playing time from Joel Embiid's (knee) absence. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 12:48 pm