NBA Player News

Kessler had 16 points (6-7 FG, 4-5 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist, five blocks and one steal over 30 minutes during Wednesday's 126-124 loss to the Grizzlies.

Kessler was extremely efficient Wednesday and delivered a strong effort on both ends of the court, though his 14 boards and five blocks certainly stood out. He looked dominant regardless of whether he was matched against Zach Edey or Jay Huff. Kessler should be a regular double-double threat as long as he remains the starting center for the Jazz. All signs point to that being the case.

Edey provided five points (2-4 FG, 1-5 FT) and five rebounds across 15 minutes before fouling out of Wednesday's 126-124 victory over the Jazz.

There's no question this is not the way Edey would've thought his NBA debut would end up, as the rookie looked outmatched on defense and was unable to use his size to his advantage. He should remain the starting center for the time being and will be given every opportunity to adjust to the pace of the league, so fantasy managers shouldn't be overly concerned about his forgettable rookie debut.

Missi provided 12 points (5-8 FG, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench during Wednesday's 123-111 victory over the Bulls.

The 21st overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft made an impact at the rim in his debut while providing good all-around production. The 20-year-old Baylor product might not see this kind of workload on a regular basis, however. Zion Williamson (illness) missed Wednesday's game, with Daniel Theis playing 19 minutes as the Pelicans' starting center in his place. Once Williamson is healthy, Missi and Theis may have to split backup minutes in the frontcourt.

Drummond closed Wednesday's 124-109 loss to the Bucks with 10 points (4-8 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and 13 rebounds in 25 minutes.

Drummond got the start at center with Joel Embiid (knee) out. With the latter being unavailable for the rest of the week, Drummond should make the most of that to pad stats on both ends of the court as the 76ers' starting center. Drummond might not get a lot of touches on offense regularly, but that won't matter much as long as he can rebound like he has done off the bench in previous seasons. An average scoring tally and his elite rebounding numbers would be enough to keep him relevant in most fantasy formats going forward.

Vucevic accumulated 21 points (8-12 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 11 rebounds and one assist across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 123-111 loss to the Pelicans.

The 34-year-old center got his 14th NBA campaign off to a strong start, taking advantage of the absence of Zion Williamson (illness) from the New Orleans lineup. Vucevic could be the next veteran out the door for the Bulls after DeMar DeRozan was sent to the Kings in the offseason to kick-start a rebuild. But as long as he remains in Chicago, Vucevic should anchor the team's frontcourt and provide his usual plus production on the glass. He's recorded more than 40 double-doubles in six straight seasons.

Duren finished with 13 points (4-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 13 rebounds and four assists across 30 minutes during Wednesday's 115-109 loss to the Pacers.

Duren didn't have too many touches on offense, which is understandable following the addition of Tobias Harris to the starting lineup. Still, the big man made the most of his chances and didn't miss a single attempt from the field while also making his presence felt on the defensive end. Expect Duren to be a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor in 2024-25.

Turner logged 20 points (7-14 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), nine rebounds, four assists and four blocks in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 115-109 victory over the Pistons.

Turner enjoyed a strong start to the season and finished just one board away from recording a double-double, a strong output for a big man who's always been criticized for being a below-average rebounder for his size. Turner figures to remain a key player for the Pacers on offense and seems to have picked things up right where he left them off in 2023-24, where he averaged 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers made across 77 regular-season appearances.

Richards registered six points (3-4 FG, 0-2 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 24 minutes during Wednesday's 110-105 win over the Rockets.

Richards remained in the starting lineup, filling in for the oft-injured Mark Williams who is sidelined due to a foot injury. Although his upside is limited, Richards has the ability to put up serviceable production as highlighted here. As long as he is starting and playing close to 25 minutes per night, he could flirt with a double-double while adding valuable contributions on the defensive end.

Okongwu produced 28 points (11-12 FG, 6-6 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and three blocks across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 120-116 victory over Brooklyn.

Okongwu came off the bench but outplayed Clint Capela, closing the game as the Hawks held off a tenacious Brooklyn team. Although fantasy managers would love to see Okongwu running with the starters, it appears as though he is going to remain the backup, at least for the time being. With that said, there is a decent chance he ends up playing starters' minutes, which should be more than enough for him to be a real difference-maker across all fantasy formats.

Ayton had 10 points (5-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt), 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals over 31 minutes during Wednesday's 139-104 loss to the Warriors.

Ayton wasn't able to replicate his former success with the Suns last season, but he's playing with an inferior roster and has to make the best of a bad situation. If the team can stay healthy, the Trail Blazers' fortunes will be a little brighter, and better stat lines for Ayton would follow. Centers are always in high demand in fantasy leagues, so Ayton will still be a valuable target to consider despite his less-than-ideal circumstances.