Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Another solid night from field
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McDaniels racked up 21 points (8-15 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 33 minutes during Saturday's 105-96 loss to the Bucks.
After going just 3-of-9 from the field for eight points in the first half, McDaniels poured in another 13 on 5-of-6 shooting over the final two quarters to give him just his second 20-point game of the season. The Hornets forward hit two of the team's five three-pointers on the night and is 7-of-15 from beyond the arc over his last three contests. He's also grabbed at least five rebounds in three of his last four.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Top scorer in heavy loss Monday
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McDaniels registered 24 points (9-12 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound and two assists across 30 minutes during Monday's 140-105 loss to the Celtics.
McDaniels had things going offensively Monday, popping off for a season-high 24 points. With Gordon Hayward (shoulder) set to miss an extended period of time, McDaniels figures to soak up some additional playing time, even when LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Terry Rozier (illness) return. He obviously won't score the ball this well on most nights but given the opportunity, he should at least be considered a viable option in most formats.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Will start Friday
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Hornets coach Steve Clifford said McDaniels will be in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Timberwolves, Sam Perley of the Hornets' official site reports.
McDaniels will start Friday with Gordon Hayward (shoulder) out. McDaniels is averaging 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.3 minutes across 19 games this season.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Decent production off bench
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McDaniels recorded eight points (3-10 FG, 2-5 3Pt), six rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes during Sunday's 106-102 loss to Washington.
McDaniels saw his usual workload in this one, and while he didn't have a great shooting night, he did notch his best rebounding performance since Nov. 7 against Washington. He's now recorded six or more rebounds in six of his 18 appearances this season.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Sharp from downtown
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McDaniels notched 16 points (6-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes during Thursday's 117-112 overtime loss to Miami.
McDaniels secured his first double-digit scoring performance since Nov. 2 against the Bulls, and he did so in impressive fashion. He tallied nine of his 16 points from beyond the arc and also finished with unexpected production in the assist column, tying his best mark of the season with four. McDaniels is averaging 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.7 minutes so far in six November games.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Moves to bench Saturday
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McDaniels will slide to a bench role Saturday versus the Nets.
McDaniels seemed a likely candidate to move to the bench when news surfaced that Terry Rozier (ankle) would return Saturday. McDaniels' minutes could take a hit as a result and more reinforcements in LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Gordon Hayward (shoulder) may not be far off.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Struggles in heavy loss Friday
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McDaniels closed with four points (1-5 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, two assists and one steal across 21 minutes during Friday's 130-99 loss to Memphis.
McDaniels moved into the starting lineup Friday, replacing Gordon Hayward, who was out with a shoulder injury. While it has been a strong start to the season for McDaniels, he fell flat in this game, delivering a stinker for anyone rostering him. While the season thus far is a relatively small sample size, McDaniels appears to have the backing of the coach, so he should still be rostered in most formats moving forward.
McDaniels notched 11 points (5-18 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and five steals in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 106-88 loss to Chicago.
McDaniels has had relatively consistent playing time off the bench to begin the year, but he saw an uptick in minutes Wednesday after Gordon Hayward (shoulder) exited the game. McDaniels had a well-rounded stat line in the loss, including a career-high five steals while matching his career high with two blocks. It's not yet clear whether Hayward will be forced to miss additional time, but McDaniels will likely see increased playing time if Hayward is sidelined.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Sneaky double-double in win
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McDaniels ended Saturday's 120-113 overtime win over Golden State with 12 points (4-10 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds and two assists over 32 minutes.
McDaniels continues to fly under the radar in many leagues, this time putting up his first double-double of the season. While he is benefiting from the absence of a few key pieces, he has certainly been right at home spending more time on the floor. Currently putting up top-80 value on the season, he should be added in most formats, at least until fantasy managers see what his role looks like when the team is healthy.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Efficient offensively in loss
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McDaniels ended Wednesday's 134-131 overtime loss to the Knicks with 17 points (6-10 FG, 3-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 23 minutes.
McDaniels played a key role in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of his 17 points and helping Charlotte eliminate an eight-point deficit to force overtime. It was his best offensive performance of the season and his first time scoring more than 14 points. The 24-year-old is 9-for-12 from beyond the arc and is averaging 11.3 points per game through the season's first four games.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Fourth-year option picked up
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The Hornets exercised McDaniels' $1.93 million team option for the 2022-23 season Tuesday, Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer reports.
McDaniels' salary will become fully guaranteed Aug. 1, and the expectation is that he'll remain on the roster through that date, given that he was a steady rotation player for Charlotte in his third NBA season. He appeared in 55 games in 2021-22, averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.7 three-pointers in 16.3 minutes per contest while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 38 percent from distance.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Scores 11 points off bench
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McDaniels produced 11 points (5-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt), one rebound and two steals over 17 minutes during Tuesday's 144-115 loss to the Heat.
With Gordon Hayward (foot) sidelined, McDaniels scored in double figures for the first time since Jan. 19. If Hayward remains out for additional contests, the third-year forward may garner an increased role during the final week of the regular season.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Cleared to play
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McDaniels (ankle) is available for Friday's game against the Pelicans.
McDaniels will likely be eased back into the rotation after missing 19 straight games and playing eight minutes in his return. On the season, he's averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17.4 minutes.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Likely to play Friday
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McDaniels (ankle) is probable for Friday's game against the Pelicans.
McDaniels sat out Wednesday's game against Boston, but it appears likely that he'll be back in action for Friday's matchup. He recorded two points, a rebound and a steal in eight minutes during Tuesday's loss to the Nets.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Ruled out Wednesday
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McDaniels (ankle) is out Wednesday against the Celtics.
McDaniels was back in action Tuesday against the Nets, but he'll be unavailable for the second half of the back-to-back set. Miles Bridges and JT Thor should see an uptick in usage Wednesday.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Questionable Wednesday
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McDaniels (ankle) is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Celtics.
McDaniels returned to the court for Tuesday's loss to the Nets, and he logged two points, a rebound and a steal in eight minutes. He's still dealing with his ankle injury ahead of the second half of the back-to-back set, but he'll still have a chance to suit up against Boston. If he's available, it's possible that he'll see a slight uptick in playing time as he regains his conditioning following his lengthy absence.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Listed as questionable
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McDaniels (ankle) is listed a questionable for Wednesday's game against Boston.
McDaniels made his return from a lengthy absence Tuesday night against the Nets, but he saw only eight minutes of action off the bench, finishing with two points, a rebound and a steal. Given the long layoff, he's likely dealing with some residual soreness, so the Hornets may end up holding him out on the second half of the back-to-back.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Barely plays in return
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McDaniels (ankle) played eight minutes and finished with two points (1-2 FG, 0-1 3Pt), one rebound and one steal Tuesday in the Hornets' 132-121 loss to the Nets.
Dressing for the first time since Jan. 21, McDaniels filled only a minor role on the Hornets' second unit, even while team remained without Gordon Hayward (ankle). McDaniels could see a slight uptick in playing time once his ankle injury is further in the rear-view mirror, but he'll be a candidate to fall out of the rotation if and when Hayward is able to make his return.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Ready to play Tuesday
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McDaniels (ankle) is available for Tuesday's game against the Nets.
McDaniels was questionable for Tuesday's contest and will make his return to the court after missing the past 19 games with a sprained left ankle. He's averaged 6.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17.6 minutes this season but could have some workload limitations for the near future given the length of his absence.
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Hornets' Jalen McDaniels: Questionable for Tuesday's contest
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McDaniels (ankle) is questionable for Tuesday's contest against the Nets.
McDaniels has been sidelined for the last six weeks due to a left ankle sprain, but he returned to practice in a limited fashion Monday and figures to be nearing a return to game action. With Tuesday marking the front end of a back-to-back set, McDaniels is probably a more realistic candidate to play Wednesday against the Celtics. Either way, the third-year forward will likely be limited when he does make his eventual return to the court.
