Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons (back) won't play on Thursday against the Pistons. He's dealing with a nerve impingement in his back. However, reports suggest that the issue isn't as severe as the one that kept him off the floor for over two months this season. With this in mind, the former 76er might also sit out upcoming games against Charlotte and Cleveland. But even when Simmons returns, whenever that will be, he could see fewer minutes than usual. He's also averaging 6.1 points this season, the lowest of his career, so he's not worth keeping on fantasy rosters. Dorian Finney-Smith, coming off a 20-point, eight-rebound performance on Tuesday in the win over Philadelphia, is worth starting for those looking to fill a void.

Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (ankle) won't play on Thursday versus Detroit. He sprained his right ankle during Tuesday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers, ending his night after only eight minutes of work. The 28-year-old averaged a career-high 16.6 points in Brooklyn last season. However, Johnson has logged nearly three points less during the 2023-24 campaign. He's also missed 13 games, and he'll likely miss more time moving ahead, including upcoming meetings with Charlotte and Cleveland. That said, Johnson is still worth stashing in all fantasy formats. But until the former Sun returns, Lonnie Walker IV, coming off a 19-point effort on Tuesday, is worth streaming across the board.

Memphis Grizzlies small forward Ziaire Williams (back) will be out for the rest of the month after the team announced that he would be re-evaluated in four weeks. The 22-year-old has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of a hip flexor and his lower back. He was already forced to miss Monday's matchup against Brooklyn. Williams had made six consecutive starts with the Grizzlies before getting hurt. John Konchar took on the role of a starter without Williams on Monday, with Jake LaRavia also getting a big boost in playing time off the bench. Konchar tends to be quite anonymous on the court, but LaRavia is an interesting guy to monitor. He had a double-double in 29 minutes on Monday, and his recent efforts also include a 21-point outing versus Portland.

Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (ankle) won't return to Tuesday's matchup with Philadelphia. He tweaked his right ankle early in the first half, so he'll finish the night with six points in eight minutes of work. The former Sun just got back into the starting lineup a few games ago. However, it now appears he could miss time moving forward, which isn't anything fantasy managers aren't used to at this point. But with Ben Simmons (back) and Day'Ron Sharpe (wrist) also dealing with injuries, Jalen Wilson and Lonnie Walker IV might see more action on Thursday versus Detroit.

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (wrist) will sit out Tuesday's game against Philadelphia. The Brooklyn big man hurt his right wrist in Monday's clash with the Grizzlies and hasn't recovered from the blow. Sharpe's absence will likely result in a massive shift for Brooklyn's starting center Nicolas Claxton. The 24-year-old put in a nice 21-point performance against Memphis but has struggled since the All-Star break. Claxton was a double-double machine prior to the break, but his numbers have dropped to 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds since play resumed.