NBA Player News

Zubac (illness) is questionable for Friday's game against the Wizards.

Zubac sat out Wednesday's game due to an illness, which resulted in Daniel Theis drawing the start with Mason Plumlee and P.J. Tucker becoming more involved in the rotation. It'll be more of the same if he's out again Friday, but we'll have a better idea on his status following shootaround.

Nurkic (ankle) will be available for Thursday's game against the Rockets, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.

Nurkic has been dealing with some lingering soreness in his ankle, but he was always expected to suit up for this contest. Coach Frank Vogel made no mention of any restrictions for his starting center.

Sims is not in the starting lineup to face the Warriors on Thursday.

Sims has been experiencing an uptick in minutes with the recent absences of Isaiah Hartenstein and the fact that Mitchell Robinson is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. However, now that Harteinstein is back and available, Sims will return to his role as the backup center. The former Texas standout is averaging 3.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game in February.

Hartenstein is in the starting lineup to face the Warriors on Thursday.

Hartenstein was not listed on the injury report prior to this game, so his return to the starting lineup is not entirely surprising, as he is firmly entrenched as the starting center when available. This move means Jericho Sims will head back to a bench role. Hartenstein is averaging 8.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in February.

Ayton (hand) is listed as doubtful for Friday's game versus the Grizzlies.

Ayton is expected to miss Friday's contest due to a right hand sprain he suffered against Miami. Duop Reath will likely receive increased playing time if Ayton is ruled out.

Kessler (foot) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Magic, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Kessler was questionable for Thursday's matchup due to a right foot sprain, and he'll be unavailable for the first time since Dec. 11. John Collins, Brice Sensabaugh and Omer Yurtseven are candidates to see an uptick in playing time against Orlando.

Brown (wrist) is questionable for Friday's game against the Grizzlies.

Brown has been out since Jan. 1, recovering from left wrist surgery, but it appears he's on the cusp of getting back to the court. He'll likely have some minute restrictions once he is cleared, but if Deandre Ayton (hand) goes down for a prolonged stretch, Brown could potentially be looking at a ton of opportunity. He can remain on the waiver wire in most formats, but he's worth monitoring in deep leagues.

Kleber (toe) will be available to play Friday against the Celtics.

Kleber sat out the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday, but he'll be back in action Friday night and he should be ready to resume his usual workload in the mid-20s. With Kleber back in the rotation, Daniel Gafford will likely see his minutes dip.

Davis (Achilles) is probable for Thursday's game against Washington, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Davis has been dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinopathy recently but has been able to suit up despite the issue over the past few weeks. He's posted double-doubles in his last six appearances, averaging 25.7 points and 13.8 rebounds in 34.3 minutes per game, and he'll likely be available once again Thursday.

Boucher (illness) is listed as questionable for Friday's game versus the Warriors.

Boucher is in danger of missing his second straight contest Friday due to a non-COVID illness. However, his potential absence won't impact Toronto's rotation.