Washington Wizards DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (illness) will return to action on Friday versus Cleveland. He missed Tuesday's NBA Cup final against Oklahoma City due to an illness. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has confirmed that Middleton will continue to come off the bench. Following offseason surgery on both ankles, Middleton has averaged 21.3 minutes in four contests this term, producing 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. will play less with Middleton back, while Pat Connaughton will likely drop out of the rotation.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (illness) is expected to play in Friday's game against the Cavaliers. The Bucks defeated OKC on Tuesday to win the NBA Cup. However, Middleton wasn't out there for that one because of an illness. As expected, Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) and Damian Lillard (calf) handled most of the work on the scoring end. But Gary Trent Jr. also came up big from off the bench, ending the night with 13 points. With that in mind, Lillard won't play, meaning Trent might remain involved. As far as Middleton is concerned, he's still not an ideal fantasy option, considering he has averaged only 7.0 points in 21.3 minutes (four games) since returning from bilateral ankle surgery.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (shoulder) will not play against the Warriors on Thursday. After initially listing him as doubtful, the team has ruled Smart out for the content. This should result in Scotty Pippen Jr. having a more significant role in the rotation. As a reserve, Pippen Jr. has struggled with providing consistent production this month, averaging 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. However, his lone December outing with 20-plus minutes ended with a double-double for Pippen Jr.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (shoulder) is unlikely to play on Thursday versus the Warriors. Like last season, Smart has had trouble staying on the court during the 2024-25 campaign, missing 10 of Memphis' initial 27 games. Even worse, he has averaged only 9.2 points. He could have been in line for more work with Ja Morant (back) questionable. But now it appears Scotty Pippen Jr. could fill the hole at the one against Golden State, with the 24-year-old averaging 14.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 10 starts this season.

Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) was back in practice on Tuesday. He's missed four games with a left hamstring strain but appears to be on track to return to action soon. The oft-injured guard has appeared in only nine games this season, averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 23.8 minutes. Brogdon has been a regular starter despite seeing limited minutes. Kyshawn George (ankle) and Corey Kispert (ankle) also practiced on Tuesday, so Washington might get much-needed help for Thursday's encounter with Charlotte. Justin Champagnie and Jared Butler will be bumped down the depth chart once the Wizards return to full health.