Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets center/forward Day'Ron Sharpe (knee) hasn't played since January 7 against the Portland Trail Blazers after hyperextending his left knee. In a conversation with Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Sharpe said he was still a long way away from returning to the court. There was still some pain and he was working on strengthening his knee. He has yet to get much on-court work in practice and likely won't until the strengthening routine is fully finished. While Sharpe has been sidelined, Nicolas Claxton, Royce O'Neale, and Dorian Finney-Smith have been splitting up the extra minutes.

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons (back) could return to the court as early as Monday. Simmons has been sidelined since early November due to lingering back issues. He's currently practicing with the Long Island Nets. The organization is hopeful that Simmons can return for Monday's matchup against the Utah Jazz. However, Simmons would be on a strict minutes restriction if he does play. That being said, Simmons wouldn't be a recommended fantasy option until he's back to full speed. Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale would be the two players who would likely lose the most value with the return of Simmons.

The Brooklyn Nets have upgraded forward Cameron Johnson (shoulder) to available for Thursday's tilt versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. A left shoulder contusion threatened Johnson's status, but he'll suit up for the struggling Nets as they continue a five-game homestand on Thursday. The two-way wing has taken a step back during his first full year in Brooklyn, putting up a modest 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.5 threes per game. Expect no minutes restrictions for Johnson, but it's a tough matchup against Minnesota.

Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (shoulder) is on the injury report as questionable ahead of Thursday's matchup against Minnesota. He's in danger of missing his first game since Dec. 27 after hurting his left shoulder versus the Knicks on Tuesday. Lonnie Walker IV and Cam Thomas should share most of the available minutes if Johnson can't play through his shoulder issue. The latter is the more attractive fantasy option, with Thomas having proven himself as a microwave scorer this season.

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said on Tuesday that guard/forward Ben Simmons (back) will not play in the team's next three games. Simmons traveled with the Nets on their recent three-game West Coast road trip, which suggested his return was imminent, but this latest timetable rules him out until at least Jan. 29 at home versus the Utah Jazz. The former Philadelphia 76ers standout hasn't suited up for Brooklyn since Nov. 6 due to a nerve impingement in his left lower back in what's been yet another injury-plagued season, and it remains unclear if he suffered a setback in his progression after participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages recently. Though it hasn't been enough for consistent fantasy relevance, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale will continue sharing Simmons' minutes for however long he remains on the shelf.