Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (back) is probable for Friday's matchup against Philadelphia. The former Celtic is troubled by a lower back contusion, but it looks like he will be able to play through the ailment. Williams has been in the lineup for eight consecutive games for the Hornets, and he's found a new lease of life in Charlotte following his disappointing stint in Dallas. Williams has averaged 13.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 28.1 minutes with the Hornets while leading the second unit. However, Friday's game might not be a good matchup for him because Philadelphia has a good defensive record against opposing benches, with only six teams having allowed fewer bench points.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) hasn't appeared in a game since January 26 due to what the team is calling tendinopathy in his right ankle. Head coach Steve Clifford was asked about Ball's progress over the last couple of weeks and he said, "It's hard to tell." He also added that Ball has been doing the same things now that he was doing a couple of weeks back, but there are more complications that he has to get through before he's ready to return to action. Clifford didn't offer up much else other than continuing to say that he wasn't sure when Ball would return. With the NBA season quickly getting into the final stages before playoffs, it's becoming more and more likely that we aren't going to see Ball for the rest of this season. Fantasy managers will want to stay tuned for any more updates out of the Hornets camp.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) is officially listed as out ahead of the team's game Thursday against the Bucks. The 22-year-old will miss his 16th-straight game due to the ankle ailment, despite having returned to practice a week ago. Given the trajectory of Charlotte's season, the organization is likely prioritizing his long-term health. Tre Mann should continue to start in his place, and Ball's next opportunity to play will be on Sunday in Toronto. Ball maintains impressive season averages of 23.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in 32.3 minutes per game.

Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (elbow) will play in Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Green hasn't missed a game since Jan. 17, and he won't allow a sprained right elbow to sideline him Tuesday. Since Dante Exum (knee) remains on the shelf, the 23-year-old swingman should continue playing big minutes. Tuesday's spot is not a favorable one against a Cavs group that places second in the Eastern Conference in opponent field-goal percentage (45.5%), though.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) remains out on Tuesday versus Milwaukee. At this point, it appears there's a realistic chance Ball won't return this season, especially with Charlotte unlikely to make the postseason. Fortunately, Tre Mann has filled in admirably, averaging 11.7 points, 5.5 boards, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals in the six games since being acquired from OKC. With this in mind, Mann should remain in all fantasy lineups on Tuesday. At the same time, Vasilije Micic has also shown promise and is worth streaming in deep fantasy setups.