NBA Player News

Robinson (ankle) won't have a minutes restriction in Friday's game against the Bulls, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports.

Despite a lengthy stay on the sidelines with ankle injury management, Robinson will be all systems go Friday. The Knicks intend to deploy the veteran big man from the first unit as well. With New York's frontcourt back at full strength, it's possible Ariel Hukporti will be outside the rotation.

Allen (finger) won't play in Friday's game against the Raptors, Spencer Davies of SI.com reports.

Allen was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his left finger Thursday, and it appears that the Cavaliers will evaluate him on a day-to-day basis. The star big man can be deemed questionable for Sunday's showdown with the Hawks. Evan Mobley should dominate the usage in Donovan Mitchell's (hamstring) absence Friday, while Larry Nance makes sense as a plug-and-play fantasy option in a pinch.

Wagner (knee) is out for Saturday's game against Washington.

It doesn't appear Wagner has been cleared for contact amid his recovery from ACL surgery, per Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. The veteran big man can be considered out indefinitely going forward. In the interim, Goga Bitadze will continue to serve as the primary backup center behind Wendell Carter.

The Knicks plan to start Robinson (ankle) in Friday's game against the Bulls, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reports.

It sounds like Robinson is ready to make his season debut Friday. After missing about three weeks of action between the preseason and regular season, the veteran big man could be eased back into action. With Robinson set to play, Ariel Hukporti likely has the most to lose from a fantasy perspective.

Looney (knee) is out for Friday's game against the Clippers.

While it's not surprising that Looney was downgraded from doubtful to out, he appears to be inching closer toward making his season debut. The veteran big man will hope to return Sunday in Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, DeAndre Jordan should be able to stick around in the New Orleans rotation.

Carter closed with 18 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 27 minutes during Thursday's 123-107 win over Charlotte.

Carter put up a season-high 18 points in the win, helping the Magic improve to 2-4 on the season. Apart from a dud in his previous outing against Detroit in which he fouled out in 15 minutes, Carter has been solid this campaign. Through six games, he's averaging 10.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.2 three-pointers in 27.9 minutes per contest.

Niederhauser (ankle) won't play Friday against the Pelicans.

Niederhauser's absence is unlikely to have a big impact on the rotation. The No. 30 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Niederhauser has averaged 4.3 minutes across three appearances thus far.

Davis (leg) is not expected to play Saturday against the Pistons, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein.

Davis wasn't able to return to Wednesday's game against the Pacers due to left lower leg soreness. Stein doesn't note how serious the injury is, but the Mavericks are typically pretty cautious with their players. If Davis ends up sitting out, Dwight Powell could be in line for a start after starting the second half of Wednesday's game against the Pacers.

Adebayo supplied 31 points (12-27 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal across 37 minutes during Thursday's 107-101 loss to the Spurs.

Adebayo turned in his third double-double of the season during the defeat, and it appears that the big man is the team's most dependable producer in the early stages of the season. Norman Powell's (groin) absence has forced all of the starters to pitch in, but the biggest change for the veteran is his gradual shift away from the primary center role. Kel'el Ware has taken over at the five, and it's allowed Adebayo to show off his abilities as a primary scorer. Adebayo's biggest boost comes from beyond the arc, where he's averaging a career-high 5.8 attempts per game and is converting at a 41.3 percent clip.

Wembanyama notched 27 points (10-23 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 6-8 FT), 18 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and one steal in 40 minutes during Thursday's 107-101 win over the Heat.

The hits keep coming from Wembanyama, who is already generating MVP buzz after his scintillating start to the season. All five of his stat lines have been double-doubles, and he recorded a season-high 18 rebounds Thursday evening. Thanks to his excellent string of performances, the Spurs are 5-0 and and making some noise in the Western Conference.