Fantasy Basketball Vibe Check: Injury bug strikes NBA — here's all the latest

Fantasy Basketball Vibe Check: Injury bug strikes NBA — here’s all the latest

Welcome to the Fantasy Vibe Check, your place to vent about the highs, lows and head-scratchers from the NBA and fantasy basketball.

Check out who I’m vibing with, and let me know in the comments or @DanTitus about what’s got you feeling a type-of-way about fantasy basketball.

Today’s column will focus on the notable injury news over the past two weeks, with some thoughts around player absences and possible backups to stream in fantasy basketball.

Let’s vibe.

🙂 Good vibes – players returning from injury

Zion Williamson – PF/C, New Orleans Pelicans

The oft-injured former No. 1 pick is nearing a return to play this week, as early as Tuesday versus the Timberwolves. Williamson has been gradually ramping up over the past two months from a hamstring injury. On Monday, news dropped that he was a full participant in practice and was upgraded to questionable on Tuesday’s NBA injury report.

Fantasy managers may want to take this opportunity to sell Zion off the optimism of his returning to play. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy, so offloading his caliber of talent before he inevitably gets hurt again is a good strategy.

Paolo Banchero – SF/PF, Orlando Magic

There hasn’t been an official target date for Banchero’s return, but his status on the NBA injury report has been “return to competition, reconditioning” since December 27. This upcoming Friday, January 10, will mark a full two weeks since his status changed on the injury report, which seems like ample time to get back into game shape.

The Magic have been holding it down without Banchero and Franz Wagner recently, so they may not feel pressed to bring back their All-Star franchise player now, but Banchero’s return is imminent. I predict he’ll return by Friday’s matchup versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

If you want to get in on some Paolo, the buy-low window is closing, so make a move before he’s back.

😕 Bad vibes – players out with an injury

Kyrie Irving – PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

Fantasy managers will be without Irving for at least 1-2 weeks, as he’s dealing with a bulging disc in his back. Irving missed Dallas’ last two contests, and while this isn’t ideal, at least there’s some expectation of when he could return to the lineup. For now, fantasy managers must slot him in the IL slot and scoop up one of Quentin Grimes, Spencer Dinwiddie or Naji Marshall.

Jabari Smith – PF/C – Houston Rockets

What’s going on with these injuries during pre-game activities? Fantasy managers lucked out when Joel Embiid twisted his ankle in Boston, but those rostering Smith Jr. weren’t as fortunate. He’ll reportedly miss 4-8 weeks with a fractured hand, which, given his production, could be a wrap for the season.

I projected he’d have a good year, but his third season has been far from it. Despite having a preseason ADP of 80, he ranks 124th in 9-cat and 144th in points leagues. With Smith out indefinitely, Amen Thompson will start at small forward, which will be massive for his fantasy output.

Jaden Ivey – PG/SG, Detroit Pistons

The Pistons announced that Ivey underwent successful surgery to repair a broken fibula in his left leg and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The fact that he wasn’t ruled out for the season gives fantasy managers a glimmer of hope that the third-year guard will return later this season, but given the severity of the injury, it seems unlikely.

Ivey was in the midst of his best professional season, averaging nearly 18 points per game, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He’s also shooting a career-high 46% from the field and 40% on 3s.

Malik Beasley, Ausar Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. will all see more looks, but I prefer Thompson over Beasley and Hardaway Jr in most formats.

Cam Thomas – SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets

Thomas strained his left hamstring in a win over the Bucks last Thursday, aggravating a previous hamstring injury that cost him 13 games earlier in the season. Thomas is having a career year, but he only lasted two games since returning from his last hamstring. The potential tanking plus injury issues are not a good recipe for fantasy success.

He’ll be out for at least two weeks, so expect D’Angelo Russell to take over as the central cog offensively once he returns from a shin injury. Should D’Lo not be ready, Keon Johnson and Tyrese Martin will fill in temporarily.

Jonathan Kuminga – SF/PF, Golden State Warriors

The most untimely injury of the moment goes to Kuminga. Kuminga will reportedly be re-evaluated in three weeks after spraining his ankle over the weekend. The Warriors were still in assessment mode for their young forward, trying to determine whether he deserves a contract extension or be the next trade chip for another high-valued player. Let’s see how JK’s injury affects their trade deadline maneuvers.

Kuminga hasn’t been a particularly good fantasy asset in 9-cat leagues this year, ranking outside the top 200 for the season. Still, he improved recently, ranking 130 in 9-cat leagues over the past two weeks. I’d still hold onto him despite his rostership falling over 6% since Monday.

On the contrary, tough decisions have to be made if you don’t room in your IL spots. Kuminga hasn’t offered much outside of a few categories anyway. Kyle Anderson and Gary Payton II are a couple of players who are benefiting from Kuminga’s absence. However, neither is streamable in leagues with 12 or fewer teams.

Daniel Gafford – C, Dallas Mavericks

We couldn’t even last one night without an injury. The Mavs center left after only eight minutes after suffering an ankle injury in Monday’s loss to the Grizzlies on Monday. Jason Kidd said post-game that Gafford is “going to be out for some time.”

Dereck Lively played a season-high 33 minutes, so fantasy managers with Lively are in an advantageous position with the center timeshare on hold until Gafford can return.

Awaiting additional information on the following notably injured players: