NBA Player News

Smith is questionable for Friday's game against Boston with a left finger sprain.

This is a new injury for Chicago's starting center, but he's considered day-to-day. If Smith is held out against Boston, the Bulls could lean more on Zach Collins.

Niederhauser (foot) had his third-year team option picked up Thursday by the Clippers, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com reports.

With Niederhauser still working back from a foot injury, this move is more about the Clippers' long-term roster planning than any immediate status change. It keeps the young center under team control beyond this season, which was the expectation after Los Angeles spent a first-round pick on Niederhauser a year ago.

Smith racked up 17 points (7-12 FG, 3-7 3Pt), 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks over 30 minutes during Wednesday's 133-127 loss to the Knicks.

Smith continues to hold down the fort at center while Nicolas Claxton tends to a hamstring injury. Over his first five appearances, Smith has averaged 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 three-pointers in 23.4 minutes per game.

Jackson-Davis registered six points (3-5 FG), 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks over 20 minutes during Wednesday's 129-99 victory over the Magic.

Jackson-Davis made a significant impact defensively, leading Toronto in rebounding and setting a season high with two blocks. The big man benefited from Jakob Poeltl's foul trouble, as the starting center played just 10 minutes before fouling out. Jackson-Davis could offer useful rebounds and blocks in deeper fantasy formats if he continues earning meaningful minutes.

Beringer provided seven points (3-3 FG, 1-3 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists and one block across 20 minutes during Wednesday's 119-114 loss to the Warriors.

Beringer pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds Wednesday. Now that Naz Reid is in Charlotte, Beringer carries plenty of contingent upside as the No. 2 center behind Rudy Gobert but doesn't hold particularly stable standalone value outside of boards.

Gobert produced one point (0-4 FG, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 20 minutes during Wednesday's 119-114 loss to Golden State.

The veteran big man failed to capitalize on the extra opportunity left behind by Anthony Edwards (knee), who is set to miss multiple weeks. Even so, Gobert should find himself being more involved in the Minnesota offense for the foreseeable future.

Johnson posted 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and three assists over 18 minutes during Wednesday's 120-96 victory over the Thunder.

The Mavericks continue to bring the rookie first-rounder along slowly after Johnson missed the start of training camp. Until his restrictions are loosened, Johnson's fantasy upside will remain capped.

Sarr finished with 18 points (7-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, two assists, one block and four steals across 26 minutes during Wednesday's 121-111 loss to the Cavaliers.

Sarr made an impact on both ends of the floor, shooting efficiently while complementing his scoring output with five combined steals and blocks. The third-year center was particularly active defensively, leading all players with four steals despite playing fewer than 30 minutes. His combination of defensive production and developing perimeter game gives him considerable upside in category-based fantasy formats.

Portis notched 11 points (5-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt), nine rebounds, four assists, one block and two steals across 23 minutes during Wednesday's 129-117 victory over the Hawks.

Portis made his presence felt across several categories despite struggling from beyond the arc. The veteran forward finished one rebound shy of a double-double while contributing three defensive statistics, making this a productive outing in limited minutes. His ability to provide rebounding and complementary scoring off the bench should help maintain his fantasy appeal, though Miami's crowded frontcourt could limit his ceiling.

Kalkbrenner provided one point (1-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal in 13 minutes during Wednesday's 97-89 loss to Detroit.

Kalkbrenner played a limited role off the bench, attempting no field goals while contributing modest defensive production. Moussa Diabate handled the bulk of the minutes at center, logging 35 minutes compared to Kalkbrenner's 13. The second-year big man's restricted workload makes him difficult to trust in standard fantasy formats, though his shot-blocking ability could provide some value in deeper leagues.