Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

Player Notes

  • Zach Collins (right shoulder) to undergo surgery
    Zach Collins will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder but should be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season.

    Advice: Collins injured his shoulder early in the third quarter of Sunday’s win over the Pistons and will need his fifth surgery since entering the NBA. One of the previous four was to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder back in 2019, with the other three being on his left ankle. The expectation is that Collins will be healthy for the start of next season, which is unlikely to impact his fantasy value. With Victor Wembanayma firmly entrenched as the starting center, Collins was most valuable on nights when the French phenom did not play due to injury. Rotoworld Today, 4:04 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 Today, 2:51 pm
    Kawhi LeonardLAC - SG,SF,PF
    New Player Note
    INJ
  • 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 Today, 1:52 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 Today, 12:49 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 Today, 12:48 pm
  • Does it all in loss
    Highsmith posted nine points (4-8 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block across 28 minutes in Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers.

    Advice: Highsmith has seen an increase in both playing time and production in April, when he averaged 7.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.7 minutes. This is a significant improvement from March, where the 27-year-old averaged 5.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.3 steals in 16.7 minutes. With Jimmy Butler (knee) out for Friday's matchup against the Bulls, Highsmith is expected to garner an uptick in playing time behind Jaime Jaquez. Rotowire.com Today, 12:46 pm
  • Shines off bench Wednesday
    Batum provided 20 points (7-12 FG, 6-10 3Pt), five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.

    Advice: It was widely known that Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were going to carry the 76ers in this matchup against the Heat, but Philadelphia likely wouldn't have gotten the win without Batum's impressive effort off the bench. The 20-point output was a season-high mark for the veteran, and even though his role is not going to change drastically in the first-round matchup against New York, he should continue to see decent minutes on a regular basis. He went scoreless in four appearances against the Knicks during the regular season. Rotowire.com Today, 7:28 am
  • Posts 21 points in final game
    Bogdanovic ended with 21 points (8-18 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in 37 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to the Bulls.

    Advice: Bogdanovic jumped in and out of the starting lineup this season but still managed an average of 30.4 minutes per game, a career-best mark for the veteran. The sharpshooter saw a modest decline in his three-point percentage this season, averaging only 37.4 percent from beyond the arc. He ended the season ranked fifth in the league with 651 three-pointers. Bogdanovic is in the midst of a four-year deal with the Hawks, and he's expected to remain with the team. Rotowire.com Today, 4:08 am
  • Flirts with double-double in win
    DeRozan ended with 22 points (10-19 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT), six rebounds, nine assists, one block and one steal over 44 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game victory over the Hawks.

    Advice: DeRozan put together another successful year during his third season with the Bulls. Perhaps the biggest feather in DeRozan's cap is his attendance record, as he's played at least 74 games per season over three years in Chicago. The veteran will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and the Bulls will likely make a competitive offer unless another team presents an irresistible package. For the time being, DeRozan's focus will be on advancing with a win against Miami. Rotowire.com Today, 3:46 am