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.

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau says center Isaiah Hartenstein (ankle) is out for Tuesday's Battle of the Boroughs with the Brooklyn Nets. This was the expected outcome after The Athletic's Fred Katz reported earlier that the Knicks were planning for Hartenstein to be unavailable and anticipating for Jericho Sims to start at the five. Hartenstein is dealing with soreness in his left ankle and will miss his first game of the season against the Nets, with his next opportunity to take the court coming on Thursday for a showdown with the defending-champion Denver Nuggets. While Sims is a serviceable source of blocks and rebounds, he could act as more of a nominal starter against Brooklyn. Look for Precious Achiuwa, who dropped an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double on his former Toronto Raptors team in Saturday's win, to be the more appealing fantasy streamer in Hartenstein's stead.

The Miami Heat are trading guard Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier. Though it's hard to imagine the 37-year-old former All-Star suiting up at all for the 10-31 Hornets, they "have no immediate plans to work on a buyout and are expected to see if they can work another trade for him before the Feb. 8 deadline". It's equally as difficult to envision Lowry starting alongside LaMelo Ball in Charlotte's backcourt, so the veteran floor general's already-declining fantasy arrow is pointing down. With decent averages of 8.2 points, 4.0 assists, 1.7 three-pointers on 38.5% shooting from deep, and 1.1 steals in 28.0 minutes across 37 contests, Lowry is managing top-150 value in nine-category fantasy leagues and remains a glue guy for contending rosters needing solid shooting, passing, and defense. Lowry is worth watching to see if he heads to a more favorable destination elsewhere.

The Charlotte Hornets are trading guard Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat for a 2027 first-round pick and Kyle Lowry. After bowing out of the Damian Lillard sweepstakes this past offseason, the Heat resort to a contingency plan of sorts to bolster their offense ahead of February's trade deadline. Rozier's presence will offer a secondary ball handler and shot creator to Miami, who rank in the bottom 10 of the NBA in points per game (110.9) and field-goal percentage (46.4%). The 29-year-old combo guard was putting together an All-Star-caliber season in Charlotte with LaMelo Ball missing so much time this year, producing third-round fantasy value on averages of 23.2 points, 6.6 assists, 2.8 three-pointers, and 1.1 steals in 35.5 minutes over 30 games. Rozier's counting stats are in line to decrease a bit on a contending squad in South Beach, but his career-high 45.9% field-goal shooting is sustainable alongside his star teammates.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Taurean Prince (knee) isn't on the injury report ahead of Tuesday's clash versus the Clippers, meaning he should be back in the lineup after sitting out one game. Price was absent on Sunday against Portland due to left knee soreness. The veteran should assume his usual role in the starting unit on Tuesday, bumping Rui Hachimura back to the bench. Prince has been a solid three-and-D guy for the Lakers this season, averaging 9.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 30.6 minutes with 38.7 percent shooting from deep.