Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is out for Friday's tilt versus the Charlotte Hornets. Middleton left the arena in a walking boot and crutches following Tuesday's defeat to the Phoenix Suns after spraining his left ankle, so he was up against a quick turnaround to suit up on Friday. The Bucks will have a few days off before Monday's showdown with the Denver Nuggets, marking Middleton's next chance to return to the lineup. Jae Crowder (ankle), who is probable on Friday, led Milwaukee's starters in points (21), rebounds (eight), three-pointers (four), and minutes (37) amid Thursday's blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Against a Hornets team that ranks last in opponent field-goal percentage (50.5%), Crowder would be a solid short-term source of points, triples, and steals if upgraded to available.

The Milwaukee Bucks have made a move to bring in some help on perimeter defense. On Thursday, the Bucks acquired guard Patrick Beverley from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for guard Cameron Payne and a 2027 second-round pick. Beverley figures to be the primary backup guard to Damian Lillard on the depth chart. He's an above-average defender and a solid all around player to have on the roster. However, it's unlikely that Beverley gets enough playing time to warrant in standard 12-team fantasy formats.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The superstar guard will miss his second game in a row due to a left ankle sprain. His absence is going to leave the team extremely shorthanded at the guard spot on Thursday. Pat Connaughton should remain in the starting five and is worth a look as a streaming option. Andre Jackson Jr. should see more minutes off the bench which should give him increased value as well.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) won't play in Thursday's contest versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. Middleton sprained his left ankle after landing on Kevin Durant's foot on a three-point attempt early in Tuesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns, limiting him to eight minutes of play, and The Athletic's Eric Nehm reported that Middleton left the arena in a walking boot and crutches. The Bucks host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday for the second outing of a four-game homestand, so the 32-year-old three-time All-Star is facing a short turnaround if he wants to suit up by then. Three-and-D wing Jae Crowder (ankle) is expected to play and is a likely candidate to fill Middleton's role in Milwaukee's starting five, putting him in play in DFS, but the matchup against a Minnesota squad allowing the fewest points per game (107.1) couldn't be any worse.

Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (back) is considered probable for Wednesday's matchup against Charlotte. Trent Jr. couldn't complete Monday's contest against New Orleans due to a back issue, settling for only 15 minutes of action, but it looks like he will be good to go for Wednesday. It's a great matchup for the Raptors players against a team ranked 30th in defensive efficiency. Gradey Dick started the second half on Monday and finally found some rhythm with a 22-point effort. However, RJ Barrett was rested versus the Pelicans, and his return on Wednesday will have a negative impact on everybody's usage.