FANTASY / PLAYER NEWS
Caron Butler: Misses Third Straight with Hip Injury
Update: Butler (hip) missed his third straight contest Friday night, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Butler is rehabbing his strained left hip flexor as well as battling a stomach virus. Head coach Eddie Jordan said, "He's out tonight, hopefully he'll be ready to go on Sunday."
Corey Maggette: Misses Third Straight Game with Flu
Update: Maggette (flu) missed Friday night's game at Minnesota, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Maggette has now missed three consecutive games with flu-like symptoms. He did not travel with the team to Minnesota, and with the Clippers playing Saturday at Cleveland, it seems unlikely Maggette will rejoin the team by gametime.
Donyell Marshall: Debuts in Seattle
Update: After missing nearly 2 1/2 months of action, Marshall played nine minutes against the Sonics.
Analysis: Marshall scoring only two points in his debut, looks like it may take some time before he plays himself back into shape. Being a long range threat, Marshall will need to get his legs under him. With the Cavaliers latest injury woes, he will have plenty of opportunity to get into shape quickly and hopefully become a factor.
Quentin Richardson: Missed Friday's Shootaround
Update: Richardson (flu) missed Friday's shootaround is unlikely to play Friday night against Portland, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: Richardson, who left New York's previous game early because of the illness, would likely be replaced by Jared Jeffries.
Eddy Curry: Missed Friday's Shootaround
Update: Curry (flu) missed Friday's shootaround and will likely miss Friday night's game against Portland, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: If Curry, who left Wednesday's loss to Utah early because of the illness, can't go, David Lee will probably start with Zach Randolph moving over to center.
Brandon Roy: X-Rays Negative
Update: Roy hurt his index and middle fingers of his left hand during the second half of Wednesday's loss to Cleveland, but x-rays taken came back negative, The Oregonian reports.
Analysis: Roy said the fingers swelled up so bad on Thursday that he couldn't make a tight fist. Doctors said the fingers are merely sprained and should be treated with ice.
Antonio Daniels: Missed Thursday's Practice; Will Play Friday
Update: Daniels suffered a minor ankle injury in Wednesday's loss to Toronto, but is expected to start Friday night against Utah, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Daniels didn't practice Thursday, but attended Friday's shootaround.
Caron Butler: Participated In Shootaround
Update: Butler (hip) participated in Friday morning's shootaround, but his status is still undecided for Friday night's game against Utah, the Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Butler said the hip is feeling better, but is still a little tight.
Malik Allen: Out Friday
Update: Allen (flu) will not play Friday night, the New York Post reports.
Analysis: Allen did not travel with the Nets for their Friday game in Miami, and appears doubtful for Saturday in Atlanta.
Udonis Haslem: Out Friday
Update: Haslem will be unavailable Friday night because of a sprained left ankle, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
Analysis: Luke Jackson started in his place Wednesday night, but that was easier to do when Miami was playing a smaller Orlando frontcourt. That won't be the case Friday night against the Nets.
Carmelo Anthony: Hopes to Return Saturday
Update: Anthony (ankle) said that he expects to play Saturday following Friday's practice, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: You'll want to carefully gauge if Anthony at 80-90 percent is better than your alternative, but it appears as though he'll return to action Saturday after missing the last five games.
Dwyane Wade: Will Play Friday
Update: Wade said he is over the flu and will play Friday night against New Jersey, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
Analysis: The illness caused Wade to miss Wednesday's game and played a role in his sub-par effort against Boston the night before. "I feel better," Wade said. "I got the flu out of me, ready to get back on the court again."
Marc Gasol: Rights Traded to Memphis
Update: The Lakers traded the rights to Gasol to Memphis as part of the Pau Gasol trade, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.
Analysis: Gasol (Marc, not Pau) has elected to play in Spain this season, so the Grizzlies will probably try to hammer out a deal with him over the summer. Perhaps Juan Carlos Navarro's (also a Spaniard who held out on his drafting team) presence will influence the younger Gasol into signing with Memphis.
Jason Hart: Out Friday
Update: Hart (lower back inflammation) will miss his fourth consecutive game Friday against Washington, the Deseret Morning News reports.
Analysis: "I have a little strain, a bulging disc - nothing serious, for surgery, anyway," said Hart, who is also expected to miss Saturday night's game in Memphis. He is still considered day-to-day.
Javaris Crittenton: Gets Sent to Grizzlies
Update: Crittenton was a part of the package sent to Memphis in exchange for Pau Gasol on Friday, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal reports.
Analysis: He'll get more opportunities to play in Memphis, though they're developing something of a backcourt logjam for minutes with the young talent they've acquired in the last couple of seasons. Still, it's worth keeping an eye on how the Grizzlies deploy him before making a decision regarding picking him up.
Kwame Brown: Dealt to Memphis
Update: Brown has been traded to Memphis along with Jarvaris Crittenton and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 in exchange for Pau Gasol, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal reports.
Analysis: The key to this deal is that the Grizzlies will clear some cap space, as Brown's $9.075 million salary comes off the books at season's end. It seems like a relatively small haul for a player of Gasol's caliber, but depending on how Memphis handles free agency this summer, it could pay off nicely.
Pau Gasol: Traded to the Lakers
Update: Gasol (back) has been traded to the Lakers in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and first-round picks in both 2008 and 2010, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.
Analysis: It's hard to believe that the Lakers were able to get Gasol for such a relatively small asking price, though Brown's expiring contract will give the Grizzlies some significant cap relief this summer. As result of the trade, the Lakers are a much more legitimate threat in the Western Conference.
Ian Mahinmi: Sent Back to Austin
Update: Mahinmi has been sent back to Austin.
Analysis: In 24 games with the Toros, Mahinmi is averaging 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He's not going to get off the bench enough in San Antonio right now to develop anyways, so he's better suited in Austin for the time being.
Ramon Sessions: Recalled From D-League
Update: The Bucks recalled Sessions on Friday from Tulsa of the D-League.
Analysis: Sessions, a rookie out of Nevada, played very well in the D-League since being sent down on Nov. 8, averaging 21.1 points, 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds in 24 games. It's unlikely he'll receive any amount of significant minutes with Milwaukee anytime this season.
Joe Johnson: Named An All-Star
Update: Johnson will be making his second straight trip to the NBA All-Star Game.
Analysis: Johnson leads the Hawks in scoring averaging 21.6 points with 4.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
Wally Szczerbiak: Misses Game with Ankle Injury
Update: Szczerbiak sat out Thursday's game with a sprained right ankle.
Analysis: Szczerbiak's ankle injury was thought to be minor. No word on how long he will be out, but coach P.J. Carlesimo talked after Thursday's game as if he expected Szczerbiak to return sooner than later.
Tony Parker: Out Three Weeks
Update: Parker (heel, ankle) will miss the next three weeks, the San Antonio Express -News reports.
Analysis: Damon Stoudamire will sign with the Spurs before Saturday's practice, and he and Jacque Vaughn will play the point in Parker's absence. Look for the bulk of the fantasy benefit to go to Emmanuel Ginobili and Tim Duncan, as no other Spur is consistent enough to warrant fantasy consideration in Parker's absence.
Charles Hayes: May Not Start Friday
Update: Rockets coach Rick Adelman is leaning toward starting Luis Scola, not Hayes, at power forward Friday night against the Pacers, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Scola started against a quicker and smaller Warriors' lineup on Tuesday, and that may be what's motivating Adelman Friday because Jermaine O'Neal is out for Indiana. Hayes never got into Tuesday's game, but that was just a circumstance of the night. "I never expected not to play Chuck (Tuesday) night, but Luis got off to a nice start and Carl [Landry] came in and played well, and they went completely small so I was more comfortable playing smaller people," Adelman said.
Luis Scola: Could Startt at Power Forward Friday
Update: Rockets coach Rick Adelman is leaning toward starting Scola at power forward Friday night against the Pacers, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Scola replaced Chuck Hayes in the Rockets' previous game against a quicker Warriors' lineup and that appears to be his motivation for Friday with Jermaine O'Neal out for Indiana.
Shawn Marion: Big Game Thursday
Update: Marion recorded a double-double in Thursday's loss to the Spurs, scoring 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting with 10 rebounds, five steals, two three-pointers and two assists.
Analysis: He's had an inconsistent January, posting just as many 20+ point games (four) as he did games in single digits, but at least Marion ended the month with a bang. His 15.8 PPG on the season would be his lowest scoring average since he was a rookie if he can't boost it in the second half.
Aaron Williams: Re-aggravated Wrist Injury
Update: Williams is scheduled to play Friday at Minnesota despite aggravating his bruised left wrist, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Analysis: "It's (wrist) always been hurting," Williams said. "It just hurts more now." He said that he would not miss any playing time because of it. The forward-center fell on his wrist during the Clippers' win over Atlanta Wednesday.
Devin Brown: Starts in Place of LeBron
Update: Brown started in place of the injured LeBron James (ankle) on Thursday.
Analysis: Brown was scoreless in nine minutes in Cleveland's loss to Seattle. Brown was part of a starting unit that allowed the Sonics to rip off 40 first-quarter points and was never seen again.
Richard Hamilton: Kicked in Hip
Update: Hamilton was kicked in the hip by Lamar Odom Thursday, limiting him to just 29 minutes.
Analysis: The sore hip bothered Hamilton enough to send him to the bench for most of the third quarter, but it's not considered serious enough to for him to miss any games.
Jason Kidd: Mavs Shoot Down Kidd Rumors
Update: Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said Dallas is not involved in trade talks designed to acquire Kidd, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: "We're not involved," Johnson told reporters. "Anybody has the right to throw out names and speculate, but we're not involved. That's all I can tell (the players). We're not involved. We like our team, we're moving forward with our team." The big hurdle for Dallas is that they don't have a lot of expendable contracts to match up financially with Kidd's. The Mavericks would have to move several bodies to acquire Kidd, and Johnson doesn't want to do that. That's why a third team needs to get involved.
Stromile Swift: Trade to New Jersey Near
Update: League sources say the Grizzlies and Nets are finalizing a deal that will send Swift to New Jersey for Jason Collins, the Bergen Record reports.
Analysis: Swift, who was recently suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, has fallen out of favor in Memphis. In New Jersey, he'll look for playing time in a revamped front court that already has Josh Boone, Sean Williams and a returning Nenad Krstic.
Jason Collins: Trade to Memphis Near
Update: League sources say the Nets and Grizzlies are finalizing a deal that will send Collins to Memphis for Stromile Swift, the Bergen Record reports.
Analysis: As he does in New Jersey, Collins would do very little for Memphis, however he would give the Grizzlies a more professional athlete than Swift.
Trenton Hassell: Plays 27 Minutes Against Celtics
Update: Hassell had four points in 27 minutes during the Mavs' 96-90 loss to the Celtics.
Analysis: With Jerry Stackhouse (hamstring) out, Hassell seems to be getting extra minutes. However, he contributes little on the offensive end, and holds no fantasy value.
Jason Terry: 13 Points As Starter
Update: Terry had 13 points and six rebounds as a starter in Thursday's 96-90 loss to the Celtics.
Analysis: Terry shot only 4-12 from the field Thursday, a number that should improve in coming games.
John Salmons: Likely to Play Friday
Update: Salmons missed Thursday's practice session because of personal reasons but is expected to play in Friday's home game against New Orleans, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: "He (Salmons) text-messaged me this morning," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "We talked back and forth on text messages. He seemed like everything was OK." Salmons has been with his wife, who is experiencing complications with her pregnancy, since he left at halftime of Wednesday's game versus the Bobcats. She is expecting in May.
Ron Artest: Trade Talk Complimentary
Update: Artest doesn't seem fazed by the trade talk surrounding his name, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Analysis: "It's a good thing because it means you're a good player," Artest said. "If you can't get traded, that's a problem. You know? If you try to get a player to match your value, that means other teams want you." Often, trades can be difficult to consummate given the need for teams to match salaries. Artest, earning a relatively inexpensive $7.4 million in 2007-08, said he will opt out of his contract at the end of the season, allowing him to become a free agent. In other words, Sacramento must act by the Feb. 21 trade deadline or risk being left with nothing in return once he hits the market this summer.
Paul Pierce: Scores 26 Against Mavs
Update: Pierce had 26 points and six rebounds in the Celtics' 96-90 win over the Mavs on Thursday.
Analysis: Pierce may have to continue to take up more of the offensive load, as Kevin Garnett (abdominal) is expected to miss some more time.
Kevin Garnett: No Timetable For Return
Update: Garnett (abdominal strain) has set no timetable for his return, according to the Boston Globe. Coach Doc Rivers noted that, "I'm not playing him until he's 100 percent, and that could be (Friday's game against) Cleveland. Hell, it could be after All-Star break (in mid-February). It could be after that."
Analysis: We don't expect Garnett to play in Friday's game, as he has been very limited in practice and just recently started taking shots. Next Wednesday's game against the Clippers may be a more realistic return date.
Nenad Krstic: Full Practice Thursday
Update: Krstic (knee) went through a full practice on Thursday, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: If Krstic's knee responds well on Friday, he could be play as soon as Saturday in Atlanta.
Malik Allen: Stomach Bug
Update: Allen came down with a stomach bug and had to go to hospital for intravenous fluids, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Analysis: Allen didn't practice and is not expected to travel with the team for Friday night's meeting in Miami, unless he recovers in time.
Luke Walton: Out on Thursday, May Miss Friday
Update: Walton (hip) missed Thursday's game against the Pistons and may miss Friday's game against the Raptors, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Analysis: Vladimir Radmanovic replaced Walton in Thursday's lineup, and would start for Walton if he missed Friday's game.
Ron Artest: Denver Interested
Update: The Nuggets are interested in acquiring Artest, who is being shopped by the Kings, the Rocky Mountain News reports.
Analysis: The problems for the Nuggets are if they have enough to entice Sacramento, and will they be rolling the dice with Artest, who is likely to opt out of his contract after this season. A package of Eduardo Najera (expiring contract) and Linas Kleiza would work financially, but Kleiza may be part of the future of the Nuggets, who have four starters over 30-years-old.
Lamar Odom: Virtually Invisible Against Pistons
Update: Odom (shin) scored six points on 1-5 shooting in the Lakers' 90-89 loss to the Pistons on Thursday.
Analysis: Odom also had seven rebounds and six assists in the loss, but has virtually disappeared recently from the Lakers' offensive plans.
Derek Fisher: Scores 15 Against Pistons
Update: Fisher had 15 points and three assists in the Lakers' 90-89 loss to the Pistons on Thursday.
Analysis: Fisher should see added offensive opportunities with the Lakers' rash of injuries during this road trip.
Carmelo Anthony: Questionable Saturday
Update: Anthony remains questionable for Saturday's game against Charlotte because of a sprained left ankle, the Denver Post reports.
Analysis: Anthony, who has missed five games because of the injury, worked out again on Thursday and his hopeful for the Bobcats.
Vladimir Radmanovic: Starts at Small Forward
Update: Radmanovic started at small forward and had seven points in 27 minutes during the Lakers' 90-89 loss.
Analysis: Radmanovic started for Luke Walton (hip) who is expected to return soon, eliminating Radmanovic's potential fantasy value.
Earl Boykins: Coach Plans to Use Him Friday
Update: Bobcats coach Sam Vincent plans to use Boykins Friday night against Golden State, the Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Boykins signed with Charlotte on Thursday and will augment starting guards Jeff McInnis and Raymond Felton, both of whom have had leg injuries this season.
Dwyane Wade: Questionable for Friday Night
Update: Wade (flu) is still questionable for Friday night's game against New Jersey, the Miami Herald reports.
Analysis: Wade showed up to practice Thursday to watch film and work out but he still wasn't 100 percent. "He didn't look too good today, but we won't know [about playing] until [Friday],'' head coach Pat Riley said.
Jeff Green: Solid Bounce-Back Game
Update: Green made all eight of his field goal attempts on Thursday night on his way to 17 points in 35 minutes of action. He also added three assists, three boards, a blocked shot and a trey.
Analysis: Green had scored a total of 11 points over his last four games combined, so Thursday night was a big effort for him. Until he finds some consistency, though, he is not worthy of being in roto starting line-ups.
Chris Wilcox: Back-to-back Double-Doubles
Update: Wilcox (elbow) showed no signs of injury with an 18-point (7-for-14 FG, 4-for-4 FT)/13-rebound double-double in 31 minutes of action Thursday night.
Analysis: Wilcox has produced consecutive double-doubles for the first time since December 9, and may be showing signs of returning to the form that made him a starting caliber roto player earlier in the season.
Larry Hughes: Big Game with James Out
Update: Hughes led the Cavaliers with 28 points (10-for-21 FG, 4-for-4 FT), six boards, five assists, four treys and three steals in 37 minutes of action Thursday night.
Analysis: Hughes stepped up his game in the absence of LeBron James, but he has been playing well for most of the last week. He has averaged 19.3 points per over the last four games, and may be showing some signs of a fantasy pulse in the second half of the season if he can find any sort of consistency.
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