NBA Player News

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said Thursday he's hopeful to have Wembanyama (ankle) back in the lineup for Monday's game versus Golden State, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News reports.

Wembanyama has already been officially ruled out for Thursday's game in Sacramento with a right ankle sprain, and Popovich's comments imply that the rookie No. 1 overall pick can safely be ruled out for Saturday's game at Golden State. The Spurs are targeting the rematch with the Warriors on Monday for Wembanyama's return, though expect the team to exercise caution with the prized big man if he's still dealing with lingering pain in his ankle. Zach Collins will likely serve as the Spurs' starting center for the next two games while Wembanyama is sidelined.

Ayton (hand) is doubtful for Friday's game against the Rockets.

Ayton looks likely miss his fifth straight game Friday, which happens to be the front end of a back-to-back set. Duop Reath will likely continue to start at center in Ayton's stead and should be a popular streaming option.

Davis is listed as probable to play against the Bucks on Friday due to an Achilles injury.

Davis has appeared on the Lakers' injury report on a regular basis, but as has been the trend, he should be available in a tough matchup against the Bucks. Davis is averaging 24.9 points and 13.2 rebounds per game over his last 10 appearances, posting a double-double in each of those contests.

Gafford will replace Dereck Lively in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Heat, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Gafford double-doubled in 21 minutes off the bench Tuesday, so things are trending in a positive direction. It's possible that his sudden uptick in minutes has been matchup based, as Dallas has been going up against more traditional frontcourts, but either way, Gafford is worth grabbing in fantasy to see how much longer the good times last.

Lively will come off the bench for Thursday's game versus Miami, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The Mavericks are rolling with Daniel Gafford as their starting center. Lively is coming off a disappointing showing against the Pacers on Tuesday in which he failed to score with just one rebound to his name in 16 minutes.

Biyombo isn't listedon the injury report for Friday's game against the Heat.

During a timeout in the first quarter of Wednesday's 128-120 win over the Trail Blazers, Biyombo endured a fainting spell, but he was able to get up under his own power. After his departure, the Trail Blazers' team physicians cleared Biyombo of any medical issues, but the Thunder still elected to rule the veteran center out for the game. Fortunately for Biyombo, he's feeling fine a day later and will be available as frontcourt depth Friday versus Miami.

Kleber (knee) is available for Thursday's game against Miami.

Kleber saw just 15 minutes of floor time his last time out, so it'll be interesting to see if his workload returns to the mid-20s for this one. He's scored a total of seven points on 1-of-9 shooting over his past four appearances, which tells you about all you need to know about his fantasy value.

The Hawks announced Thursday that Okongwu (toe) no longer requires a walking boot and will be re-evaluated in 7-to-10 days, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

While ditching the boot represents a step forward in Okongwu's recovery from a left big toe sprain/inflammation, the fact that he's merely scheduled to be re-evaluated at least a week down the road suggests that his absence is likely to stretch into late March, if not April. With Okongwu out, Bruno Fernando should continue to have a regular spot in the rotation as the top backup to starting center Clint Capela.

Bagley (back) won't play Friday against the Hornets.

Bagley will miss his second straight game due to a lower back spasm. In the Wizards' previous game Wednesday versus the Magic, Richaun Holmes benefited the most from Bagley's absence by logging 25 minutes, though Holmes remained on the bench while Kyle Kuzma ended up drawing the start at center.

Gibson will be available for Thursday's game against the Nets, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Gibson recently joined the Pistons on a 10-day deal, and he'll be available to make his Detroit debut Thursday night. However, we wouldn't expect ample minutes for the 38-year-old veteran, so he's safe to leave on the waiver wire in most settings.