Wed Feb 19 12:36am ET
Field Level Media
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is serving as his own agent after parting ways with Thad Foucher of Wasserman, NBA insider Chris Haynes and ESPN reported Tuesday night.
A big payday could be on the horizon for Gilgeous-Alexander, who is eligible for a super-max extension with the Thunder in the offseason. That deal would be worth roughly $300 million.
Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, is in the thick of the MVP conversation this season and leads the league in points per game (32.5). He is also averaging 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second in MVP voting last season, has guided the Thunder to the best record in the Western Conference at the All-Star break, 44-10.
According to Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, guard Tyrese Maxey (knee) was a full participant in Tuesday's practice. The 24-year-old had five points, five boards, and four turnovers in the loss to the Raptors before the All-Star break. However, he was ruled out the following night against Brooklyn because of a knee issue. With that in mind, fantasy managers should expect to see Maxey back on the floor when the Sixers play the Celtics on Thursday evening. But if he can't suit up, Quentin Grimes, coming off a 30-point effort versus the Nets, should continue to benefit.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) practiced in full on Tuesday. "Good Today," said head coach Nick Nurse regarding Embiid's participation. "He seemed like he was moving good and practiced very hard today." The 30-year-old logged 38 minutes in the 76ers loss to the Raptors before the All-Star break, totaling 27 points, 12 rebounds, one steal, and one block. However, he wasn't available versus the Brooklyn Nets the following night. While that has been the norm for Embiid regarding his participation in back-to-back contests, fantasy managers will still need to wait for the official word regarding his availability heading into Thursday's game against the Celtics. If he's not out there, Guerschon Yabusele will take his spot in the rotation. Yabusele is coming off a rough showing, amassing five points, two boards, and one assist in the loss to Brooklyn. Yet, he's capable of playing better, so fantasy managers can give him another chance if Embiid can't suit up.
According to Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, guard Luka Doncic will remain on a minutes restriction on Wednesday against the Hornets. However, Redick added that he's "hopeful" that won't be the case moving forward. The 2018 No. 3 overall pick injured his calf during the Christmas meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves and didn't get back on the court until he made his Lakers debut on February 10 versus the Jazz. Since his arrival in Los Angeles, Doncic has averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting a miserable 26.7% from behind the arc. The 25-year-old should see around 25 minutes of work on Wednesday night, capping his DFS potential. Yet, Doncic should remain starting in season-long formats, and he'll likely turn up the volume from a statistical standpoint once he gets acclimated with his new squad.
The Philadelphia 76ers have signed guard Lonnie Walker IV to a deal on Tuesday. The two sides have agreed on a two-year, $3 million contract. Walker was waived by the Boston Celtics in October and has been playing overseas since then. He has bounced around in the league quite a bit, but most recently played with the Brooklyn Nets in 2023. Walker is averaging 9.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists during his career in the league. He'll now compete for rotational minutes for Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler. This is a low-risk move for the Sixers that could end up paying off nicely for both sides.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish (personal) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Wednesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Reddish appears set to return to the court after missing each of the last eight games due to personal reasons. The 25-year-old was part of the trade that fell through with the Lakers before the All-Star break. Before that, Reddish was barely in the rotation anyway, so it's likely going to stay that way going forward. Reddish is averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds across 18 minutes per game this season. Fantasy managers can continue to avoid him for now.
The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Elfrid Payton to a second 10-day contract. Previously, Payton had a stint with the New Orleans Pelicans before landing with the Hornets shortly before the All-Star break. Payton started for the Hornets during their final game before the break with LaMelo Ball (ankle) being sidelined. The 30-year-old finished with four points, four rebounds, and seven assists in 30 minutes of action. It appears that was enough for the Hornets to give Payton another look through the rest of the month. He figures to play a role behind Ball in the rotation, but it probably won't be enough to warrant rostering him in most fantasy formats.
Charlotte Hornets center Moussa Diabate (eye) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Diabate is set to return to the court after missing the final game before the All-Star break due to an eye issue. His role in the rotation is a bit unclear right now due to the status of Mark Williams. Diabate finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds during his final game before the break. It seems likely that Diabate will have an increased role in the rotation during the second half of the season. His rebounding ability alone makes him worth looking at in fantasy formats.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot, ankle) is currently considered questionable for Wednesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. The superstar forward sat out of the All-Star game due to a lingering foot and ankle issue. James has been dealing with this issue for quite some time and has continued to play through it most nights. It's worth noting that Wednesday is the front end of a back-to-back set. That being said, the Lakers might be more cautious and rest James in a favorable matchup against the Hornets. Head coach JJ Redick said James was able to get through most of Tuesday's practice, so that does bode well for him suiting up on Wednesday. If he sits, Dorian Finney-Smith and possibly Dalton Knecht would see more action.
Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (conditioning) is expected to suit up for Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The big man missed the final four games before the All-Star break after the trade with the Lakers fell apart due to a failed physical. This is an awkward situation, but it seems like the Hornets are still going to use Williams in their rotation. The 23-year-old has a ton of potential and the only way for him to continue building trade value would be to keep playing. Moussa Diabate has been removed from the injury report and could see a larger role in the rotation down the stretch.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) is listed as probable ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ball appears to be good to go after sitting out the final game before the All-Star break due to an ankle injury. It seems that the rest has helped Ball, so fantasy managers should expect Ball back out there, barring any setbacks. He has been one of the best fantasy assets in the league with 27.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game across 32 minutes this season.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry played a big part in leading Team Shaq to the All-Star Game Championship in the new format that debuted this year. In the semifinal matchup against the Rising Stars, coached by Candace Parker, Curry dropped eight points in a game to 40. Then, in the final matchup against Team Chuck, he contributed 12 points, four rebounds, one assist, and two steals in the 41-25 victory. The Warriors' first game back from the All-Star Break will be Friday against the Sacramento Kings as they try to make a playoff push with new addition Jimmy Butler.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and center Evan Mobley won Saturday's Skills Challenge during All-Star weekend. There was some controversy when San Antonio Spurs players Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama were disqualified from the contest. Regardless, Mitchell and Mobley dominated, so they didn't need much help. Both players have been a key reason why the Cavs had so much success in the first half of the season. They both should remain top tier fantasy options for the rest of the season as long as the Cavs don't start resting players down the stretch.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro came ready to play during Saturday's Three-Point contest. Herro started slow out of the gate, but snagged the final qualifying spot out of the first round. After that, Herro turned it on and scored 24 points to beat Warriors guard Buddy Hield in the final round. Herro is now the fifth Heat player to win the three-point contest. He's a first-time All-Star and is well deserving of this trip to San Francisco. Herro has been fantastic through the first half and it might only get better with Jimmy Butler out of the picture in Miami.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle, foot) won't suit up for Sunday's All-Star Game. The superstar forward has been on the injury report almost daily this season. James continues to deal with lingering foot and ankle soreness. That being said, James will take the cautious approach and sit out of this exhibition contest. The Lakers resume the regular season against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. James should be ready to go for that game, but fantasy managers will need to check back later in the week for another update.
Orlando Magic guard Mac McClung keeps his streak alive after winning Saturday's Slam Dunk contest. McClung is the first competitor to win the contest three years in a row. He scored a perfect 50 on all four dunks, outscoring Stephon Castle in the final round. McClung is currently on a two-way contract with the Magic. He hasn't spent much time in the league during his career despite winning the G-League MVP last season. Hopefully at some point he'll get a chance to shine at the NBA level, but for now he'll remain irrelevant in fantasy leagues.
Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Knox II is expected to sign a 10-day contract with the team following the All-Star break. Knox is currently playing with the Warriors G-League affiliate. He's averaging 19.3 points and 7.8 rebounds, which has opened up some eyes lately. Knox was in training camp with the Warriors, but he wasn't able to make the final roster. Now with the team having vacant roster spots they're considering bringing Knox onto their roster. He probably wouldn't play enough to warrant a look in fantasy leagues, but we'll wait and see what happens.
Charlotte Hornets guard Damion Baugh has signed a two-year, two-way contract with the team. The 24-year-old impressed the team with a 16-point performance during Wednesday's game. He added five rebounds and three assists along the way across 27 minutes of action. The Hornets are fairly banged up at the guard spot, so Baugh might be able to contribute during the second half of the season. Fantasy managers should wait and see what happens, but Baugh should be on the radar in deep leagues.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared Butler is getting his contract converted from a two-way to a standard, two-year NBA contract. The former second-round pick in 2021 joined the Sixers at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Reggie Jackson and a 2026 first-round pick to Washington in exchange for Butler and four second-round picks. This year has been the best Butler's young career as he's averaging 7.1 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 rebounds across 11.8 minutes per game. While his role isn't quite guaranteed, he's set for bigger opportunities in the short term while the Sixers deal with injury after injury.
Dallas Mavericks center Anthony Davis (adductor) was already expected to be out "multiple" weeks in an earlier report from Shams Charania and Tim McMahon from ESPN. In their latest report that confirmed Daniel Gafford (knee) is out for six weeks, they also said that sources told them Davis is expected to miss "at least four weeks." The report also suggests that the Mavericks are going to be cautious about Davis' recovery since he was the headlining piece in the trade with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kessler Edwards got the start at center in their last game while Naji Marshall and Olivier-Maxence Prosper saw a big increase in opportunities as well.
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (knee) was originally expected to be re-evaluated in two weeks but will have to miss even more time. According to Shams Charania and Tim McMahon of ESPN, the big man will miss at least six weeks with a Grade 3 MCL sprain. This leaves the team hurting for frontcourt depth since Anthony Davis (Adductor), Dereck Lively II (ankle), and Dwight Powell (hip) are all out for an extended period of time. Olivier-Maxence Prosper should see a big uptick in minutes along with both Kessler Edwards and Naji Marshall. All three are in streaming territory after the former two joined the starting five and Marshall saw 33 minutes off of the bench in their last game on Thursday.
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