Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (calf) will miss Monday's game against Brooklyn, marking his second straight absence as he continues to recover from a right calf strain. With Nikola Vucevic traded, Smith still carries long-term hold value, even as his injury shuffles Chicago's center short-term. Guerschon Yabusele is the primary beneficiary and profiles as a viable streamer. He started Saturday against Denver and logged 26 minutes with 12 points, four 3-pointers, two rebounds, one steal, and two blocks. Nick Richards remains a deeper option, while Yabusele offers short-term value in points, triples, and defensive stats.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) is available to play ahead of Monday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Carter will shed a questionable tag and will suit up despite dealing with left ankle soreness. There is no word of a minutes limit, so fantasy managers should expect Carter to be a full-go for Monday's contest. Carter has been struggling lately, with 6.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 23.3 minutes over his last four games. Fantasy managers should hold him through his struggles and hope he bounces out of his slump soon.

Chicago Bulls guards Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Tre Jones (hamstring) will both sit out Monday against Brooklyn, keeping Chicago's backcourt thin heading into the final week before the All-Star break. Giddey is set to miss a seventh straight game, while Jones remains unavailable as his absence stretches toward double digits. Their continued absence locks in expanded roles for Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, and Collin Sexton. In Saturday's loss to Denver, Simons played 33 minutes with 15 points, three triples, four rebounds, and six assists, while Sexton scored 17 points in 29 minutes. Simons is the safest short-term stream, with Ivey offering upside in steals.

According to Farbod Esnaashari of Sports Illustrated, guard Bennedict Mathurin will make his Los Angeles Clippers debut against Houston on Tuesday. The 23-year-old was acquired from Indiana at the trade deadline. Mathurin is expected to have a significant role with his new club, playing alongside Kawhi Leonard. He's averaged 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.8 minutes across 28 outings so far this season.

On Monday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports that Indiana Pacers forward/guard Johnny Furphy (knee) will miss the remainder of the season due to sustaining a torn right ACL. Across 31 outings, the 21-year-old averaged 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.7 three-pointers in 18.4 minutes per game. Now that Furphy is out for the forseeable future, Ben Sheppard and Quenton Jackson will be relied upon to take on expanded roles.

Orlando Magic Franz Wagner (ankle) is set to suit up Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks. The 29-year-old has missed nine consecutive contests due to a sprained left ankle. In his return, Wagner will probably play less than the 32.8 minutes he's averaged this campaign. Anthony Black could continue to see an expanded role this evening, giving fantasy managers a solid option until Wagner is ready to take on his regular workload.

Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (knee) is available for Monday's matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ayton missed Saturday's 105-99 win over Golden State due to a sore right knee. However, he has been cleared to play against the defending champions. With Ayton back in action, big men Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber's minutes could be significantly reduced during tonight's contest.

Sacramento Kings forward Doug McDermott (shoulder) is active for Monday's matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. McDermott will play through right shoulder soreness and will come off the bench. The 34-year-old veteran forward has seen action in just nine games this season while averaging 9.3 minutes per contest. Still, during tonight's tilt, he could get extended minutes as Zach LaVine (finger) and Malik Monk (illness) are both sidelined.

Sacramento Kings forward/center Domantas Sabonis (back) will not play against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, marking his third consecutive missed contest due to a back injury. With Sabonis sidelined, Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell are expected to take on expanded roles. Raynaud should continue to serve as Sabonis' replacement in the starting lineup, while Cardwell is coming off a strong showing, posting a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double against Cleveland on Saturday. Given New Orleans' bottom-six ranking in fantasy points allowed to centers, both rookie big men are in a favorable spot to deliver streaming value Monday night.

Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (knee) is listed as questionable for Monday against Philadelphia after sitting out Saturday due to injury management. The matchup is not part of a back-to-back, improving his chances to return, though availability remains uncertain. Williams has been productive when active, averaging 9.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks across 19.3 minutes over his last five games while shooting 91.7 percent from the field. If he sits, Donovan Clingan should see heavier minutes, with Yang Hansen next in line. Williams is a high-upside hold despite the risk.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Jaylon Tyson (ankle) is questionable for Monday's game in Denver after suffering a left ankle sprain, putting his Ironman stretch since mid-November at risk. If Tyson sits, Cleveland would likely redistribute wing minutes to Sam Merrill and Keon Ellis, though neither projects for a major usage spike. The bulk of the offensive load should continue to funnel through Donovan Mitchell and newly acquired veteran James Harden. Tyson logged 10 points and six rebounds in his last outing and remains a hold in deeper formats, but his short-term value hinges on availability.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Cedric Coward (shoulder) is not listed on the injury report for Monday against Golden State after missing Saturday, indicating he has been cleared to return. His availability likely sends Jahmai Mashack back to a reserve role after Mashack logged 30 minutes with 8 points, two three-pointers, one rebound, one assist, and six steals. Coward had been trending up before the injury and now looks like a long-term hold, especially with Memphis' season tilting toward development and Ja Morant (elbow) still sidelined. Usage and minutes should remain stable.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (hamstring) is listed as probable for Monday against Philadelphia after sitting out Saturday as part of injury management. If cleared, Henderson should step back into a featured role with Portland short-handed. In his return last game, he logged 21 minutes with 11 points, five rebounds, nine assists, two three-pointers, one steal, and five turnovers while shooting 40 percent from the field. With Shaedon Sharpe (calf) out and Deni Avdija (back) questionable, playmaking volume should remain elevated, making Henderson a strong assists-focused play despite efficiency risk.

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Santi Aldama (knee) will remain sidelined Monday against Golden State, marking a third straight absence as he continues to manage a right knee issue. Memphis is short-handed up front, keeping rotation minutes available. Kyle Anderson filled the void last game with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks, while Olivier-Maxence Prosper delivered a spike performance with 25 points, five rebounds, and seven three-pointers in 25 minutes. Both remain volatile fantasy plays, but opportunity should persist as long as Aldama is out.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) has been ruled out for Monday's matchup against the Lakers, extending his absence to nine straight games as he continues to work back from an abdominal strain. His return window remains uncertain, with Wednesday the earliest possibility. The continued absence keeps rotation minutes and usage available, especially with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) also sidelined. Cason Wallace led the way last game with 23 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals in 34 minutes. Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins remain viable streamers, while newcomer Jared McCain remains buried in a crowded guard and wing rotation.

Portland Trail Blazers guard/forward Shaedon Sharpe (calf) will miss a second straight game Monday against Philadelphia with left calf soreness. The absence keeps wing minutes available, with Vit Krejci and Sidy Cissoko positioned to benefit. In the last game, Cissoko logged 33 minutes with seven points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Krejci posted 10 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two three-pointers in 26 minutes. Both profile as short-term streamers in deeper formats, while Sharpe should be held in most fantasy formats until he returns. Deni Avdija's (back) status also bears monitoring.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) will return to action in Monday's marquee matchup against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2025 All-Star hasn't played since Jan. 17 due to a right hamstring strain. Williams has also missed time this season due to wrist surgery, appearing in only 24 games. He has averaged 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 29.6 minutes per game. Because of his lengthy absence, Williams might carry a minute limit on Monday night. Still, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) out of commission, Williams will be expected to do a lot of work on the offensive end.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (back) might be out for a fifth consecutive game on Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers, as he has been listed as questionable on the injury report. Avdija is having trouble shaking off a back issue, which has limited him to only four appearances since mid-January. In Avdija's absence, Jerami Grant has moved back into the first unit, scoring a game-high 29 points in Saturday's win over Memphis. Sidy Cissoko, who tallied seven points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals on Saturday, also has more fantasy appeal with Avdija on the shelf.

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (knee) won't play against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. He has been ruled out for the game due to right knee tendinitis. Porter Jr.'s absence creates an intriguing situation, as he leads the Nets in scoring with 25.0 points per game. The rest of the squad must pick up the slack on the offensive end. Meanwhile, Danny Wolf is poised to replace Porter Jr. in the starting lineup, having regularly filled in for him in the past. Wolf averages 10.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists as a starter.

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (knee) will sit out a fourth consecutive game on Monday versus the Memphis Grizzlies. There's no clear timetable for Curry's return, but it seems likely he'll remain out through the All-Star break. On Saturday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters there's a "good chance" Curry won't play before the break. With Curry out, Pat Spencer operates as Golden State's starting point guard. There have also recently been starting roles for De'Anthony Melton and Gui Santos, while Brandin Podziemski has been tasked with providing a spark off the bench.