NBA Player News

Kennard provided 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-5 3Pt), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 18 minutes during Saturday's 131-122 victory over the Warriors.

Kennard came off the bench, making his first appearance of the season after missing the opener due to a minor knee concern. He finished with 11 points in 18 minutes, a serviceable outing given the likely rust. Phoenix has a number of backup guard options, including Kennard, Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin. While all three are likely to be an every-night part of the rotation, they could also cut into each other's playing time, making their respective fantasy value hard to project.

Reath supplied zero points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt) across three minutes during Saturday's 131-122 victory over Golden State.

With Oso Ighodaro currently sidelined due to an oblique injury, Reath is penciled in as the backup center behind Khaman Maluach. However, Phoenix opted instead to go with a number of small-ball lineups, limiting Reath to just three minutes. He could certainly see more court time moving forward, but it is unlikely to be enough to warrant fantasy attention outside of very deep leagues.

Maluach logged nine points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 4-6 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal over 28 minutes during Saturday's 131-122 victory over the Warriors.

Maluach fell just short of a double-double while also adding three combined steals and blocks. With Oso Ighodaro (oblique) sidelined, Maluach is basically the last man standing when it comes to center minutes. Seen as a potential breakout candidate this season, it's clear that the path forward is going to be a bumpy one. With that said, there is certainly enough upside to warrant holding in most leagues, particularly for those needing traditional big-man numbers.

Ike ended with 12 points (5-13 FG, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes during Saturday's 131-122 loss to the Suns.

Ike was given the starting nod, with Golden State going without a number of its usual rotation pieces. Ike has played relatively well in all three games this season, highlighting the Warriors' lack of center depth. While this should be viewed as an outlier, the fact is that he could certainly force his way into even more minutes given the lack of stellar competition. He isn't someone who needs to be prioritized but should be monitored moving forward.

Melton notched 25 points (8-13 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 5-5 FT), five rebounds, five assists and three steals over 27 minutes during Saturday's 131-122 loss to the Suns.

After two poor performances to open the season, Melton finally turned things around, rewarding those who managed to hold onto him. While it did take a number of injuries for him to get there, this was definitely an encouraging effort by the veteran. Based on this performance, he is probably worth holding for at least a few more games, just in case this spurs him into action.

Williams accumulated 20 points (5-10 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 8-11 FT), three rebounds, five assists and two steals over 24 minutes during Saturday's 131-122 loss to the Suns.

With Golden State opting to rest a number of players, Williams was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season. He certainly made the most of his opportunity, finishing as one of three Warriors players to score at least 20 points. While this is likely just a one-off, it is worth keeping an eye on Williams' role moving forward. Should Golden State's trajectory continue downward, there is a scenario in which Williams could see more run later in the season.

Whitmore provided four points (2-5 FG, 0-2 3Pt), two rebounds and one steal over 11 minutes during Saturday's 141-135 overtime win over New Orleans.

Whitmore made his debut for the Nuggets, logging 11 minutes off the bench. Despite some upside, particularly on the offensive end, Whitmore's career has been a struggle so far. Don't expect him to play a consistent role for his new team.

Jokic closed Saturday's 141-135 overtime victory over New Orleans with 35 points (12-23 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 15 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks and two steals over 44 minutes.

Jokic turned things around after a slow start to the season, at least by his lofty standards, recording his first triple-double of the campaign. For good measure, he added four blocks, an unexpected yet welcome surprise for fantasy managers. There isn't much left to say when it comes to what Jokic can do on a basketball court. Those who invested in him with the first or second pick in drafts should feel at ease with their decision.

Brazile notched 17 points (6-11 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-4 FT), nine rebounds, two blocks and one steal over 28 minutes during Saturday's 141-135 overtime win over the Pelicans.

Brazile fell one rebound short of his first career double-double, playing a key role for Denver down the stretch. He continues to impress with his energy on both ends of the floor and may have just put himself on the radar in standard fantasy leagues. With Cameron Johnson (ankle) set to miss time, it appears as though Brazile is going to be utilized as a sixth-man option. Keeping in mind that he is a rookie, expect to see fluctuations in his production. With that said, the upside is intriguing, and his ability to rebound the basketball makes him a viable stream consideration.

Jones supplied two points (1-3 FG, 0-2 3Pt), three rebounds, one assist and one steal over 16 minutes during Saturday's 141-135 overtime loss to the Nuggets.

Jones continues to play a minimal role, having logged no more than 18 minutes in any game thus far this season. Once seen as a key piece for the Pelicans, it would appear as though he is now on the outside looking in when it comes to meaningful minutes. While he can be viewed as a steals specialist, the fact of the matter is that he is averaging only 0.7 steals per game to this point.