Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) will miss a seventh consecutive game on Wednesday against the Raptors. Health issues have limited Ball to just seven games since Nov. 26, and he currently doesn't have a timeline for a return. Ish Smith is looking at a third straight start without Ball on Wednesday. The veteran hasn't been very productive with the extended minutes. Ball's injury and Terry Rozier's trade to Miami have had the biggest impact on Brandon Miller's performances, as the second pick from last year's draft has scored 20-plus points in nine of his last 11 appearances. Miller has even boosted his scoring average to 32.0 points in three games this month.

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.

Washington Wizards forward/center Marvin Bagley III (back) will sit out a third consecutive game on Wednesday versus Cleveland. A lower back contusion has sidelined the 24-year-old. Before suffering the injury, Bagley III had made a good start at his new club, averaging 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds in eight games. With him unavailable, Eugene Omoruyi had a good showing off the bench on Sunday against Phoenix. However, it came in an ugly blowout, and the Wizards might have other plans for Wednesday.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) could miss six to eight weeks. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the reigning MVP underwent a procedure on his left meniscus on Tuesday and would be re-evaluated in roughly four weeks. However, most fantasy managers had already mentally prepared themselves for the worst, including the chance Embiid won't be back this season. That said, Embiid was having arguably the best year of his career before going down with the injury, averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 boards, 5.7 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.1 steals. As expected, replacing that type of production is nearly impossible, although Paul Reed, averaging 10.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 13 starts, will do his best. The 76ers are rumored to be aggressive in the next few days heading into the trade deadline, so help could be on the way.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (ankle) had another stellar outing. During Tuesday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the All-Star finished with 27 points, shooting 11-for-21 from the field, adding eight assists and three steals. However, he injured his right ankle late in the fourth quarter, although he managed to walk off the floor. With this in mind, there's a realistic chance he won't play on Thursday night versus the Dallas Mavericks. If Brunson doesn't, it will be a tough blow for fantasy managers, considering he's averaged 38 points in the last three games. Expect Brunson to appear on the injury report heading into Thursday. If the 27-year-old is ruled out, Miles McBride would likely slide into the starting lineup and is worth streaming in any fantasy setup. Of course, Donte DiVincenzo would be the favorite to lead the way on the scoring end.