NBA Player News

Doncic (hamstring) is expected to return to the court in the Lakers' first game after the All-Star break Feb. 20 against the Clippers, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.

Coach JJ Redick stated Thursday that Doncic is progressing well, but the club is exercising caution given the fact that he's dealing with a soft tissue injury. The star guard suffered the hamstring injury Feb. 5 but will benefit from the All-Star break, as it appears he'll miss only four games in total.

Tatum (Achilles) said that he was "feeling good" after taking part in practice with the G League's Maine Celtics on Tuesday, but he remained non-committal about returning to action during the 2025-26 season, Taylor Snow of the Celtics' official site reports. "[It's been] 39 weeks [since Achilles surgery], so it's been a long journey," Tatum said. "[Practicing] was the next step. Doesn't mean that I'm coming back [this season] or I'm not. It's just following the plan."

Though Tatum achieved a major milestone in his recovery process Tuesday by taking part in 5-on-5 scrimmaging for the first time since tearing his right Achilles tendon May 12, both he and the Celtics aren't yet willing to offer up a timeline for him to resume playing in games. Instead, Tatum will continue working to regain conditioning over the next few weeks while gradually increasing the intensity of his on-court workload, and the Celtics will see how he responds before mapping out a potential return date. Tatum still looks to be a worthwhile player to stash in deeper formats or in shallower leagues with multiple injured-list slots, but fantasy managers should keep in mind that if he returns, the 27-year-old forward will likely be operating with a strict minutes limit for at least his first handful of games.

Williams (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Jazz.

Williams will be shut down Thursday due to left knee injury management. Yang Hansen should pick up some additional playing time with Williams out of commission.

Avdija (back) is out for Thursday's game against the Jazz.

Avdija will miss Portland's final matchup before the All-Star break due to load management. Sidy Cissoko should be in line for a sizable increase in minutes Thursday as a result.

Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said Friday that Morant (elbow) is ramping up, but the two-time All-Star is uncertain to return to action following the All-Star break, Clay Bailey of the Associated Press reports. "I will continue to say, [he is] currently rehabbing. He's attacking his rehab," Kleiman said of Morant. "It's a medical determination [when he returns]."

Though Morant was rumored to be on trade block prior to last week's deadline, the 26-year-old guard ultimately stayed put in Memphis. While addressing the Grizzlies' deadline moves, Kleiman acknowledged that the organization remains "incredibly supportive" of Morant, whose uncertain health may have been a factor in him not being dealt. Morant, who last played Jan. 21 before being shut down due to a UCL sprain his left elbow, is scheduled to be re-evaluated later this week or early next week, at which point the Grizzlies could provide a better idea about how close he might be to playing again. If Morant remains sidelined following the All-Star break, the Grizzlies will continue to lean on a committee of Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen and Cam Spencer to cover the minutes at point guard.

Williams is in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Bucks, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.

Williams will re-join the starting lineup after coming off the bench in three consecutive matchups. He should be in line for an increase in opportunities Thursday with Jalen Williams (hamstring) and Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) sidelined.

Joe is starting Thursday's game against the Bucks, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.

Joe will join the first unit with the Thunder missing three of their usual five starters. Joe fell short in his last opportunity with the starting five, as he tallied two points in 37 minutes Feb. 4 against San Antonio.

Dieng is starting Thursday's game against Oklahoma City.

Dieng will draw his first opportunity to start Thursday with both Ryan Rollins (foot) and Myles Turner (calf) out of action. Dieng performed well in his last game Wednesday against the Magic, finishing with 17 points in 23 minutes.

Turner won't play Thursday against the Thunder due to right calf soreness.

Turner hadn't been added to the injury report leading up to Thursday's game, though he seemingly felt the calf issue pop up during warmups. Pete Nance, Bobby Portis and Ousmane Dieng should draw more opportunities in Turner's stead.

Lillard (Achilles) is scheduled to participate Saturday in the 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest at All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

While he isn't on track to play in games at any point this season after undergoing surgery May 2 to repair a torn left Achilles tendon, Lillard is thus far moving along in his rehab program as anticipated and evidently made enough progress for the Trail Blazers to sign off on him taking part in All-Star festivities. Earlier this week, Lillard was reluctant to provide many details about where he stands in his recovery process, but he's posted social media videos throughout the season that have shown him shooting, sprinting and dunking, per Jason Quick of The Athletic. After taking part in the 3-Point Contest, Lillard could be cleared to practice in some fashion before the end of the season, which would likely set the stage for him to be a full participant at the beginning of training camp next fall.