Washington Wizards DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (elbow) will be forced to sit out some time, with the team announcing that he will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He has missed a pair of games with a knee issue and an illness lately, but Brogdon is now dealing with tendinitis in his right elbow. With the injury bug having taken out a number of backcourt players, Ashton Hagans has seen quite a bit of action after inking a 10-day contract, while Dalano Banton and Matisse Thybulle also benefit.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. This marks the second game in a row that Brogdon has been forced to sit out due to an illness. His absence should mean that Matisse Thybulle will remain in the starting five. He's not a reliable scoring option, but he does enough defensively to make him worth a look in fantasy formats. Ashton Hagans figures to play a bigger role as well with the Blazers banged up.

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.

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.

The Washington Wizards have acquired center Richaun Holmes and draft compensation from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Daniel Gafford. With Gafford's departure vacating the starting center role in D.C., Holmes is a popular waiver-wire fantasy addition on Thursday. Marvin Bagley III (back) is also a big winner of the deal, but the oft-injured former top pick is currently sidelined due to a lower back contusion. Holmes hasn't been fantasy relevant since the 2021-22 campaign with the Sacramento Kings, where he averaged 10.4 points on 66.0% shooting from the floor, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 23.9 minutes covering 45 games. While the 30-year-old has a big opportunity to recapture some semblance of that productivity and make an impact in the 6-41 Wizards' thin frontcourt, he's only worth a speculative add at this stage. His debut should come on Friday against the Boston Celtics.