New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and center Karl-Anthony Towns, joined by former Knick Allan Houston, won the 2026 NBA All-Star Shooting Stars event Saturday, outscoring Team Cameron in the final round. The Knicks trio closed with 47 points after posting 31 in the opener to advance. While the exhibition carries no fantasy weight, both stars enter the second half in strong form. Brunson is averaging 26.6 points, 3.0 threes, 4.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 36.6 minutes over his last five games, while Towns has posted 19.4 points and 12.4 rebounds in 28.8 minutes. Their usage keeps Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart in complementary roles.

Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson won the 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday, defeating Carter Bryant in the final round. The second-year forward advanced with 92.8 points in the opening round and sealed the title with 97.4 in the finale, edging Bryant despite a 50-point dunk from his opponent. The trophy boosts Johnson's profile, but his fantasy outlook remains unchanged. He is averaging 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 7.6 minutes across 21 games and is not a viable option outside deep formats, with Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins handling steady frontcourt roles.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) captured his third career 3-Point Contest crown Saturday, edging Devin Booker in the final round of the 2026 event. The 35-year-old posted 27 points in the opening round and 29 in the championship heat, drilling seven of his final 10 attempts, including a deep logo make. Lillard remains sidelined while rehabbing a torn left Achilles and is targeting a return for the 2026-27 season. His absence continues to stabilize usage for Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson, keeping both firmly rostered in standard leagues.

Phoenix Suns forward Haywood Highsmith agreed to a multiyear contract Saturday, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The 29-year-old wing is healthy after undergoing knee surgery in August and most recently averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 24.6 minutes in 74 games with Miami last season. Highsmith profiles as a defensive-minded depth option behind Royce O'Neale and Dillon Brooks. His arrival could trim a few bench minutes from Amir Coffey or Ryan Dunn, but he remains off the fantasy radar outside deep formats.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) will start Sunday's All-Star Game but is expected to play limited minutes in the opening matchup only. The 26-year-old missed the Lakers' final four games before the break with a mild left hamstring strain, though his participation signals progress ahead of Friday's meeting with the Clippers. Doncic averaged 26.0 points, 3.6 threes, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 28.4 minutes over his last five contests. Fantasy managers should anticipate a full workload next week, trimming short-term upside for Austin Reaves and LeBron James.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) stated he feels ready to play. "I feel good. I feel 100 percent," reported the two-time MVP while speaking to the media during All-Star festivities on Saturday. "I'm ready to go. I feel like I can play a game today." Antetokounmpo acknowledged that he still has some "boxes" to check as it relates to working his way back from multiple right calf injuries. However, once players return from vacation, he'll be able to ramp up his activity level. The 31-year-old continues to put up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 boards, 5.6 assists, and a career-high 39.5% shooting from downtown in 30 appearances this season. At this rate, it's realistic to assume he'll be back on the floor before the end of February, barring a setback. In the meantime, Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins are expected to do most of the heavy lifting offensively. Ousmane Dieng, producing a double-double with six assists and four blocks in Thursday's win over OKC, also figures to remain in line for more action.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Riley Minix to a two-way contract on Friday, according to Michael Scotto. Minix began the season on a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs. He made three appearances with the team before being waived in December. The Cavs have decided to give the 25-year-old a chance after he posted impressive numbers in the G-League. Minix averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 32.3 minutes in the G-League. He probably won't see much time in Cleveland, but is depth in case injuries start to pile up. For now, Minix isn't someone to bother rostering in fantasy formats.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) is on track to play during Sunday's All-Star Game, according to Marc Stein. He's expected to play a short stint in the game after missing the final four games ahead of the break due to a lingering hamstring injury. Doncic reportedly looked good during a recent workout and should be available for his exhibition, barring any setbacks. His role is unlikely to be significant, but basketball fans will be happy to see Doncic involved in any capacity. The fact that he's almost certainly going to play on Sunday should mean that Doncic will play during the first game after the break.

According to Chris Haynes, Toronto Raptors guard Chris Paul has announced his retirement from the NBA after 21 seasons. Paul was waived by the organization after being acquired during the trade deadline. The veteran guard already announced that he's retiring after the season, but he has decided to step away now after being released. Paul was hopeful to retire as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, but that didn't work out as planned. He'll finish his career as a 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA point guard, and with nine All-NBA defensive team honors. He'll certainly be a Hall of Famer and will be missed from the game of basketball.

According to Chris Haynes, Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (hand) will undergo season-ending surgery on his finger. LaVine missed the last three games before the All-Star break due to this issue. It appears to be more serious than they expected, and now LaVine won't suit up during the second half of the season. In 39 games, LaVine averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 31.4 minutes per game. He has a player option worth nearly $50 million for the 2026-2027 campaign. It's almost guaranteed that LaVine will accept that option, but the Kings might attempt to trade him in the off-season. In the meantime, Nique Clifford should remain in the starting five for the rest of the season. The rookie guard has been inconsistent as a scoring option, but is worth rostering in certain formats with LaVine no longer in the picture.

Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against Dallas and is considered day to day after imaging showed no structural damage. He has now missed two straight contests. In his absence on Thursday, Jaxson Hayes started and delivered 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block in 34 minutes, making him the clear streaming option if Ayton remains sidelined. Jarred Vanderbilt can chip in rebounds and defensive stats, but he is a fringe add. Ayton remains a hold in all formats.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James delivered 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in 35 minutes in Thursday's 124-104 win over Dallas, becoming the oldest player to record a triple-double. With Luka Doncic (hamstring) sidelined and Austin Reaves still ramping up, James has steadied the offense and kept the Lakers' role players slotted cleanly. Doncic's eventual return could trim James' usage slightly, but the 41-year-old remains a must-start given his current playmaking spike. Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, and Luke Kennard are the most likely to lose touches.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) is expected to return Feb. 20 against the Clippers. Coach JJ Redick indicated Thursday that Doncic is trending in the right direction, with the team taking a cautious approach given the soft-tissue nature of the injury. Doncic has missed the last four games. His return would reclaim a 37.7 percent usage role, trimming minutes for Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart, and Luke Kennard. LeBron James and Austin Reaves could see slight usage dips, though both remain strong fantasy plays once Doncic is active.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (elbow) is ramping up, but the team still is not sure he will be ready to play coming out of the All-Star break, general manager Zach Kleiman said Friday. Morant has been sidelined since Jan. 21 with a UCL sprain and is due for a recheck soon. In the meantime, Ty Jerome is the best streamer after logging 19 points and seven assists in 21 minutes Tuesday. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cam Spencer round out the minutes, with steals and assists as their main appeal.

Utah Jazz forward/center Oscar Tshiebwe (concussion) will not return to Thursday's loss to Portland after entering the league's concussion protocol. The two-way big logged five minutes before exiting and has appeared in just three games this season. With Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) out for the year and Jusuf Nurkic (rest) questionable, Utah's frontcourt is thin. Kyle Filipowski stepped up with 15 points, nine rebounds, and six steals in 29 minutes and profiles as the primary beneficiary. Kevin Love could reenter the rotation if Tshiebwe misses time, but Filipowski is the clear fantasy add.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Naji Marshall (foot) has been ruled out for the remainder of Thursday's game against the Lakers. Marshall produced 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting with two rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 29 minutes before exiting. He was already dealing with the foot issue entering the game, which raises concern about a potential aggravation. If he misses time, P.J. Washington should absorb more frontcourt responsibility, while Caleb Martin (ankle) could see an expanded role if cleared.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) will not return to Thursday's game against the Lakers. He finished with two points, six rebounds, and one block in 28 minutes before being ruled out late in a 124-104 loss. Dallas is already thin in the frontcourt, so any missed time would tighten the rotation. Marvin Bagley III logged 20 minutes and has produced 16 points and 12 rebounds in one of his last three games, giving him short-term streaming appeal. P.J. Washington could also absorb more small-ball center minutes if needed.

Lakers' F LeBron James recorded a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 124-104 win over the Mavericks on Thursday, Feb. 12.

Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (knee) has been downgraded to out for Thursday's game against the Jazz. Williams logged five points, five rebounds, and two blocks in 12 minutes Wednesday and remains on a light workload when active. His absence solidifies Donovan Clingan's role as the primary center and could open a few backup minutes for Yang Hansen. Hansen has totaled six points and five rebounds across his last five appearances, limiting him to emergency depth in deep leagues.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (back) has been downgraded to out for Thursday's game against the Jazz. Avdija logged 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists in 27 minutes Wednesday but struggled to 21 percent shooting on 14 attempts. His absence opens usage on the wing, with Vit Krejci a clear beneficiary after posting 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 20 minutes. Sidy Cissoko could also see an expanded run. Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant should shoulder more offensive responsibility, while Avdija remains a hold if this proves short-term.