NBA Player News

Mamukelashvili chipped in 23 points (9-15 FG, 5-8 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists and one steal over 26 minutes during Wednesday's 123-112 victory over the Bucks.

Mamukelashvili was red-hot off the bench, knocking down five triples while scoring 23 points in just 26 minutes. He finished with a team-high plus-21 among reserves and gave the Lakers a valuable floor-spacing option behind Walker Kessler. While this type of scoring isn't likely to be a nightly occurrence, Mamukelashvili could be worth a look in deeper formats for those needing threes from the frontcourt.

Buzelis contributed 13 points (5-12 FG, 3-7 3Pt), three rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes during Wednesday's 124-119 loss to San Antonio.

Buzelis knocked down three triples, but he committed a team-high six turnovers and failed to record a steal or block. Chicago's crowded frontcourt, with Caleb Wilson (hand) and Jalen Smith also looking for shots, continues to make Buzelis' night-to-night production difficult to project. He remains worth holding in most formats thanks to his three-point and defensive upside, but this was a performance to forget.

Jones chipped in 13 points (5-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound and three assists across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 124-119 loss to San Antonio.

Jones saw extended minutes off the bench and was efficient offensively. He was one of only two Bulls reserves to finish with a positive plus-minus, which could help keep his minutes steady. However, his lack of defensive stats and modest assist total limit his fantasy appeal, making him a deeper-league option only.

Smith totaled 23 points (8-9 FG, 5-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds and three assists across 30 minutes during Wednesday's 124-119 loss to the Spurs.

Smith was nearly flawless on the offensive end, knocking down all five of his three-point attempts en route to a team-high 23 points. However, he failed to record a steal or block against a San Antonio frontcourt led by Victor Wembanyama, and Smith's rebounding was down. Smith continues to start ahead of Nic Claxton, making him a viable option in most formats, particularly for those needing threes from the center position.

Castle ended Wednesday's 124-119 victory over the Bulls with 11 points (5-13 FG, 1-5 3Pt), one rebound, three assists and two steals over 29 minutes.

Castle struggled with his shooting, and his rebounding and playmaking numbers were also down. His role has shifted more toward shooting and away from playmaking this season, with Fox and Dylan Harper handling much of the ball. While he isn't a drop candidate, Castle's fantasy value has taken a hit, and managers should temper expectations until his efficiency improves.

Johnson chipped in 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-4 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 124-119 win over the Bulls.

Johnson chipped in across the board, turning in one of his better all-around performances of the season. It has been a difficult start for the veteran forward, whose scoring average has dipped from 13.2 points per game last season to under 8.0 this year despite seeing more minutes. While this was an encouraging effort, one game isn't enough to put him back on the standard-league radar. For now, he remains a deep-league option.

Fox closed Wednesday's 124-119 win over the Bulls with 17 points (7-17 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, nine assists and three steals over 31 minutes.

Fox fell one assist short of a double-double while adding a season-high-tying three steals. Although the efficiency wasn't quite there, he has now scored at least 15 points in back-to-back games and continues to look more comfortable after a slow start to the campaign. Sharing ball-handling duties with Dylan Harper caps his assist upside somewhat, but Fox remains a reliable source of points, assists and steals in all formats.

Wembanyama ended Wednesday's 124-119 victory over the Bulls with 32 points (13-18 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), nine rebounds, one assist, five blocks and two steals over 32 minutes.

Wembanyama continued his torrid stretch, falling one rebound short of a double-double while racking up seven combined steals and blocks. He has been nothing short of spectacular over the past week, highlighted by a 52-point, 24-rebound effort against Dallas and a 40-point, nine-block showing in Phoenix on Monday.

Porter delivered 22 points (7-14 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, three assists and a steal across 28 minutes in Wednesday's 145-111 win over the Pelicans.

Porter continues to provide reliable perimeter scoring, connecting on four three-pointers while shooting 50 percent from the field, and this was the fourth time over his last five games that he's drained at least four shots from beyond the arc. Porter can provide solid rebounding and playmaking alongside the occasional defensive stat, but most of his fantasy upside comes from his scoring. On that note, he has surpassed the 20-point mark in four of his last six appearances. Porter's prominent offensive role remains encouraging, but an uptick in other categories would boost his upside considerably.

Randle posted 17 points (6-16 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four rebounds and five assists across 29 minutes in Wednesday's 145-111 win over the Pelicans.

Randle struggled from deep and missed each of his five attempts from beyond the arc, but his playmaking helped compensate for the inefficient scoring. Brooklyn's commanding advantage limited his workload and offensive opportunities, but fantasy managers shouldn't worry too much over this. His established role as a go-to scorer and secondary playmaker should deliver stronger production as long as his minutes stay in the 30-35 range.