NBA Player News

Bitadze recorded 10 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt), 12 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal across 30 minutes during Wednesday's 118-111 loss to Indiana.

Bitadze took care of business on the boards in Wednesday's loss, leading all players in the contest in rebounds while ending as one of six Magic players in double figures in scoring in a double-double performance. Bitadze set a new season high in rebounds en route to his first double-double of the campaign. He has now tallied a double-digit point total in two straight outings.

Kornet has been ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday's game against the Warriors due to left hamstring tightness, Marc D'Amico of the Celtics' official site reports.

Kornet tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday's matchup and will not return. He finishes with two points (0-1 FG, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists across 14 minutes. Jordan Walsh and Xavier Tillman could see an extra minute or two down the stretch. Kornet's next chance to play will come Friday against Brooklyn.

Duren has been ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday's game versus Charlotte with a left ankle injury.

Duren suffered the injury after landing on a teammate's foot while skying for a rebound. He exited in the first quarter and was deemed unable to return after being evaluated at halftime, finishing the night with zero points (0-1 FG), three rebounds and one assist in eight minutes. His next opportunity to take the court comes Friday versus Atlanta, but given that the 20-year-old has dealt with ankle injuries in the past, it wouldn't be surprising if the Pistons held him out of that contest. Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed would likely cover most of the minutes at center if Duren can't play Friday.

Duren (left ankle) went back to the locker room during the first half of Wednesday's game against the Hornets and will be re-evaluated at halftime, Johnny Kane of FanDuel Sports Network Detroit reports.

Duren rolled his ankle during the first quarter of Wednesday's game and stayed on the floor temporarily before exiting and going to the locker room. He'll undergo further evaluation during halftime before being given an official designation.

Hayes is in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.

Hayes will get the nod at center with Anthony Davis (ankle) sidelined. However, head coach JJ Redick stated prior to Wednesday's contest that he'll look to give Christian Koloko some minutes, so Hayes is not expected to absorb all of Davis' minutes. His fantasy upside should remain relatively low even in a starting role.

Embiid (knee/suspension) is set to make his season debut Tuesday versus the Knicks following the conclusion of his three-game suspension, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Embiid has resumed full practices to begin November, so the ramp-up from his left knee recovery program seemingly continues to go well. Embiid will begin a three-game suspension Wednesday, but his return to action will fittingly come at home against a Knicks squad that bounced Philadelphia from the playoffs last year.

Lively (shoulder) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Bulls.

Lively was initially listed as questionable but got downgraded to doubtful Wednesday morning, so this doesn't come as a surprise. It'll mark Lively's second straight absence due to a right shoulder sprain, and his next chance to suit up will come Friday versus the Suns. With P.J. Washington (knee) also unavailable, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford and Dwight Powell are all candidates for increased playing time, while Olivier-Maxence Prosper or Kessler Edwards could enter the rotation.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Koloko (illness) will be available for Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies and will be part of the rotation at center, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.

Assuming Redick sticks to his word, Koloko will be seeing his first NBA action since April 9, 2023, when he made the 58th and final appearance of his rookie season with Toronto. The 24-year-old missed the entire 2023-24 season while recovering from blood clots, and after getting clearance from the NBA's Fitness-to-Play Panel, Koloko is finally ready to resume his career. Koloko's return coincides with Anthony Davis (ankle) being ruled out for Wednesday's contest, though the Lakers are unlikely to ask Koloko to play significant minutes, as Jaxson Hayes is the likelier candidate to start and take on the brunt of the playing time at center. Koloko flashed shot-blocking prowess as a rookie, and now that he's healthy again, he'll have the opportunity to stake a claim to a more permanent spot in the rotation.

Davis (heel) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against Memphis, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Davis and Rui Hachimura (illness) have both been ruled out for Wednesday's contest, marking the first absences from any Lakers starters yet this season. The Lakers rank 21st in defensive rating even with Davis thus far, so subtracting him will be a sizable loss on both ends. Jaxson Hayes is a top candidate to slide into the starting lineup.

Coach Charles Lee said Wednesday that Williams (foot) is still limited to individual drills, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Williams' continued activity is a good sign, but he's still a few hurdles away from being cleared for game action. With Nick Richards (ribs) sidelined indefinitely, the Hornets need all the help they can get, though Williams will presumably be limited upon his return. He's yet to play this season, played only 19 regular-season games last year and made 43 regular-season appearances as a rookie in 2022-23.