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.

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (recently traded) and guard Kyle Lowry won't suit up for Friday's contest against the Milwaukee Bucks. Williams could eventually play a meaningful role for the Hornets upon his debut, so while he's worth watching in season-long fantasy leagues, the 25-year-old won't play on Friday. Lowry's status is worth noting because general manager Mitch Kupchak previously stated the veteran guard wouldn't play before Thursday's trade deadline. Lowry remains away from the team, meaning they could still be working toward a buyout. With LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Mark Williams (back) on the shelf, Charlotte is going to be razor-thin both inside and out on Friday. The offense will center around Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller, but it's a nightmarish draw against a Bucks team that was just blown out on their home floor on Thursday.

Washington Wizards centers Marvin Bagley III (back) and Richaun Holmes (recently traded) will both be inactive for Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. The two big men are set to serve as Washington's primary centers when available, but the oft-injured Bagley will miss a fourth consecutive game due to a lower back contusion, and the Wizards just acquired Holmes in a trade on Thursday. Bagley and Holmes will try to return versus the visiting Philadelphia 76ers for the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday. Considering Daniel Gafford is out of the fold as well, this game could have a hard time staying competitive. Kyle Kuzma is in line to start at the five in a tough spot against a Celtics group that sits second in opponent field-goal percentage (44.9%) in 2023-24. Kristaps Porzingis could feast in a smash spot on Friday.

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (leg) remains out for Friday's meeting with the Toronto Raptors. There was hope that Eason could return from his lengthy absence at some point this week after recently returning to basketball activities, but he's still not ready to go and will aim to return on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks in the final outing of Houston's four-game road trip. First-round rookie Cam Whitmore has been the direct fantasy beneficiary of Eason's absence, providing instant offense from the Rockets bench with averages of 13.5 points, 4.1 boards, and 2.0 triples on 40.4% shooting from three-point land in just 19.4 minutes covering his last 22 games. Whitmore's not helping much in fantasy outside of those categories, but he remains a deep-league streamer for points and treys against a Raptors squad that's struggled to defend opposing swingmen this year.

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (back) will remain a spectator for Friday's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, and it's likely to stay that way for about another month. General manager Mitch Kupchak revealed on Friday that while Williams is expected to return this season, he won't be re-evaluated for approximately four more weeks. It's not the update fantasy managers were looking for, and the 10-40 Hornets are unlikely to have much incentive to bring back the second-year big man in March. Williams should stay stashed for managers who can afford the roster spot, but those needing healthy bodies now can at least consider pulling the plug at this point. With P.J. Washington shipped away on Thursday and Grant Williams unavailable, Nick Richards should get all the run he can handle at the five against the struggling Bucks and going forward.