NBA Player News

Bagley (illness) is available for Friday's game against the Grizzlies.

Bagley is set to return following a one-game absence due to a non-COVID illness. His return shouldn't affect many fantasy decisions, though, as the big man has averaged a mere 6.8 minutes per game off the bench in his previous five contests.

Kleber (hamstring) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Suns.

Kleber will miss his seventh consecutive game due to a right hamstring strain. The big man was deemed doubtful before being ruled out, and his next chance to suit up will come Sunday versus Denver. With P.J. Washington also ruled out, Naji Marshall and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are both candidates for an uptick in playing time.

Kornet (hamstring) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Nets, Taylor Snow of the Celtics' official site reports.

Kornet tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday's loss to Golden State and was deemed doubtful before being downgraded to out. The big man's absence could open up an increased role for Jordan Walsh with Neemias Queta starting in the frontcourt while Jaylen Brown (hip) is out. Kornet has averaged 4.9 points and 4.2 rebounds across 18.1 minutes through nine regular-season appearances. His next chance to suit up will come Sunday against Milwaukee.

Duren (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's game versus the Hawks.

Duren sustained a left ankle sprain during Wednesday's loss to the Hornets and was absent from Friday's shootaround before being ruled out. The recency of the injury could mean the big man misses additional time moving forward. If that ends up being the case, Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed are candidates to receive increased playing time. Duren's next chance to feature will come Sunday against the Rockets.

Ayton ended Thursday's 118-105 loss to the Spurs with 21 points (10-15 FG, 1-2 3Pt), 10 rebounds, two steals and one block over 31 minutes.

Despite the loss, the big man put up monster numbers while tying Jerami Grant for the game high in points. Ayton has posted a double-double in all but one game thus far and is also shooting an efficient 52.5 percent from the field. The 26-year-old center has averaged 15.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks across 31.4 minutes per game through nine regular-season outings.

Collins chipped in 14 points (6-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt), three assists and two rebounds over 15 minutes during Thursday's 118-105 victory over the Trail Blazers.

Collins set a season-high mark in points during an extremely efficient outing Thursday. The 26-year-old center has averaged 6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals across 13.9 minutes per game through nine regular-season games. With Jeremy Sochan (thumb) out for a significant amount of time, Collins will likely handle a more significant role.

Duren (ankle), who is doubtful for Friday's game versus the Hawks, was absent for the Pistons' morning shootaround, Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News reports.

Duren is not likely to suit up Friday due to a left ankle sprain, and his absence from shootaround does not bode well for his chance of playing. The big man sustained the injury during Wednesday's loss to the Hornets, and if he is unable to go Friday, Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed are candidates to receive increased playing time.

Wembanyama contributed 12 points (4-13 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-3 FT), eight rebounds, four steals, three blocks and two assists in 32 minutes during Thursday's 118-105 victory over the Trail Blazers.

The 20-year-old big man posted a game high in steals and blocks while racking up the second-highest mark in rebounds on the Spurs behind Keldon Johnson (11). Wembanyama has been a force on the defensive end this year, and he has accumulated eight outings with three or more combined steals-plus-blocks. However, the 2024 Rookie of the Year has struggled offensively thus far, during which he has averaged 17.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 30.8 minutes per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor in nine regular-season appearances.

Filipowski played four minutes in Thursday's 123-100 loss to the Bucks, scoring zero points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt) and recording no other statistics during his time on the court.

Filipowski had started each of the last three games while averaging 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 18.3 minutes, but he fell out of the Utah rotation Thursday while Lauri Markkanen (back) made his return to the lineup. The rookie second-round pick didn't check into the game until 4:13 remained in the fourth quarter, when the game was effectively over while the Bucks sat on a 20-point lead. Jazz head coach Will Hardy went with John Collins and Drew Eubanks as the primary backups in the frontcourt behind starters Markkanen and Walker Kessler, so it may take another injury to one of the quartet before Filipowski slots back into the rotation.

Vucevic racked up 25 points (11-15 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 0-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one block across 30 minutes during Thursday's 135-119 loss to the Timberwolves.

Vucevic embraced a bigger role on offense with Zach LaVine (thigh) sidelined, and the big man responded with an excellent performance. This was Vucevic's third game with 20-plus points across his last four outings, and the sixth time he's achieved that feat in his nine contests. Vucevic also has seven double-doubles in that span, and despite his age, he's been one of the most consistent big men in the league over the first two weeks of the regular season.