NBA Player News
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Naji Marshall SG | DAL
Mavericks' Naji Marshall: Good to go Thursday
Marshall (foot) is available for Thursday's game against the Lakers.
Marshall was upgraded to probable a few hours before tipoff, and the team has since announced that he'll suit up Thursday evening. The Xavier product is averaging 17.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists over his last five matchups.
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Austin Reaves SG | LAL
Lakers' Austin Reaves: Remaining on minutes limit
Reaves will play 25-to-30 minutes Thursday night against the Mavericks, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.
Reaves logged 29 minutes in his previous appearance Monday against the Thunder before sitting out the second half of a back-to-back Tuesday. The Lakers are still monitoring the guard's minutes closely following his return from a calf injury, but he's continuing to inch closer toward a full workload.
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Deandre Ayton C | LAL
Lakers' Deandre Ayton: Considered day-to-day
Ayton (knee), who has been ruled out for Thursday's game against Dallas, is being considered day-to-day, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.
All signs point to Ayton being cleared for a return after the All-Star break. The big man was sent for imaging to rule out a significant injury, and the results came back clean, per Dan Woike of The Athletic. Ayton will have just over another week to recover and rehab before the Lakers face off against the Clippers on Feb. 20.
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Luka Doncic PG | LAL
Lakers' Luka Doncic: Should return after break
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.
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Jayson Tatum PF | BOS
Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Checks out well after practice
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.
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Robert Williams III C | POR
Trail Blazers' Robert Williams: Downgraded to out
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.
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Deni Avdija SG | POR
Trail Blazers' Deni Avdija: Ruled out Thursday
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.
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Ja Morant PG | MEM
Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Return timeline still cloudy
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.
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Kenrich Williams SG | OKC
Thunder's Kenrich Williams: Running with first unit
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.
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Isaiah Joe SG | OKC
Thunder's Isaiah Joe: Starting vs. Milwaukee
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.