Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II (illness) won't play on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 20-year-old is currently battling an illness and has been downgraded from questionable to out. Given Jackson II's limited role on the team, Memphis likely won't miss him much. During the new campaign, Jackson II has averaged only 9.0 minutes across two outings. He will get his first chance to return to the lineup on Sunday night against the Toronto Raptors.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (quadriceps) has been upgraded to available for Friday's tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies. After missing two games, Smart has recovered from a quadriceps contusion just in time to face his former team. Smart will make his second start as a Laker, with Deandre Ayton, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and the returning Luka Doncic joining him in the first unit. The veteran guard will have a limited role offensively, which limits his fantasy value.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (leg, finger) has been officially cleared for Friday's matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that he would be "mindful" of Doncic's minutes during the game, but he can still make a massive impact even with limited playing time. Additionally, the Lakers will have Marcus Smart (quadriceps) back in the lineup, which will likely reduce the minutes for players like Dalton Knecht and Jake LaRavia.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis (calf) will sit out at least two games due to a low-grade left calf strain, the team announced Friday. Davis suffered the injury on Wednesday versus the Indiana Pacers. The team will re-evaluate Davis next week after Dallas completes a brief two-game road trip. With Daniel Gafford (ankle) and Dereck Lively II (knee) also out of the lineup, Dwight Powell put together a decent fantasy line on Wednesday, with 18 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. He could get another opportunity to shine on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (rest) will rejoin the lineup for Saturday's game against the Washington Wizards. The team has removed him from the injury report after Suggs sat out the second leg of a back-to-back on Thursday for rest purposes. Suggs has only recently recovered from knee surgery, and the team has been careful not to overwork him. Through his first four outings of the campaign, Suggs has averaged only 19.3 minutes. However, he's still been productive, putting up 11.3 points and recording 3.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steals. Suggs' return will bump Anthony Black back to the bench.

New York Knicks forward/center Guerschon Yabusele (knee) will be in the lineup on Friday against the Chicago Bulls, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports. However, it's unclear how involved he will be in the rotation, as Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will make his season debut in a starting role and won't have a minutes restriction. In his prior three outings this season, Yabusele has logged 13.7 minutes per game. He has averaged 4.0 rebounds, but the Frenchman has been a non-factor offensively, putting up 1.7 points per outing.

New York Knicks forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns (quadriceps) will play in Friday's NBA Cup matchup against the Chicago Bulls, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports. Towns was initially listed as probable on the injury report. On Friday, Towns will aim to produce a bounce-back performance after he was limited to just eight points by the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Last season, Towns cooked the Bulls, averaging 40.7 points and 14.7 rebounds against them in three meetings.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will make his season debut on Friday against the Chicago Bulls without a minutes restriction, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports. An ankle injury has kept Robinson on the sidelines for the first four games of the campaign, but it seems like he's at 100 percent now. Robinson will join the starting unit and has a big role to play in New York's attempt to contain Nikola Vucevic, who has averaged a very efficient 18.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game early this season.

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (personal) will be unavailable for Saturday's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Monk will be missing in action for the first time this season due to a personal issue. Through five games this campaign, the 27-year-old has averaged 15.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals during 25.2 minutes per contest. While Monk is out, Russell Westbrook and Keon Ellis are expected to provide stability in the backcourt for Saturday's game.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (finger) won't play on Friday night versus the Toronto Raptors. The Cavs were already down Darius Garland (toe). To make matters worse, Donovan Mitchell (knee) also won't suit up. As far as Allen is concerned, he suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left ring finger in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics. The 27-year-old, averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals, was initially listed as questionable. However, it's realistic to assume Allen will miss more time beyond Friday's contest. Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter should pick up some of the slack on the scoring end. Lonzo Ball, Jaylon Tyson, and Craig Porter Jr. should also see an uptick in scoring opportunities.

According to Spencer Davies of SI.com, Cleveland Cavaliers guardDonovan Mitchell(hamstring) is unavailable for Friday's meeting with the Toronto Raptors. The 29-year-old will miss his first game of the season due to left hamstring tightness.Jarrett Allen(hand) will also be out of action for Friday's contest, while Darius Garland(toe) still isn't ready to make his season debut. With several key players sidelined, Lonzo Ball will likely handle the bulk of the playmaking duties, while Craig Porter Jr. should also see an expanded role. Both guards could bring some fantasy value until Cleveland's backcourt gets back to full strength.

Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Starreports that Indiana Pacers forwardObi Toppin(foot) will undergo surgery to place a screw in his right foot on Monday. Toppin is likely to be sidelined for a considerable amount of time recovering from the surgery, and Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle told the media not to ask about Toppin's status until Feb. 1. The 27-year-old is also dealing with a right hamstring strain he sustained against the Timberwolves on Sunday. He was in good form before his injuries, posting 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across three contests. With Toppin out for the foreseeable future, Jarace Walkerwill now likely continue to start and deserves fantasy consideration.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee patellar tendinopathy) is questionable to suit up against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, per the team's official injury report. The knee injury is the only thing slowing down the nine-time All-Star so far this season. He's averaging career-bests in points (36.3), rebounds (14), and assists (seven) in four games. The knee issue forced him to miss Milwaukee's win over Golden State on Thursday. This doesn't appear to be a long-term issue, and Antetokounmpo should be back in the starting lineup soon. Kyle Kuzma started in place of Antetokounmpo on Thursday, while guard Ryan Rollins picked up the scoring slack.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee, injury management) will be limited to 20 minutes of play time in the team's NBA Cup game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, according to head coach Nick Nurse. That's in line with Embiid's minutes so far this year. He's averaging 21 minutes per game in three contests, and reached a season-high 23 minutes against Washington on Tuesday. The restrictions are a part of a long-term plan to take things slow with the seven-time All-Star after offseason surgery. The minutes cap has brought Embiid's averages down (16.3 points, five rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game), making him a shaky fantasy asset until his minutes increase.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (right ankle impingement) is questionable to suit up against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday evening. The 24-year-old is off to the most efficient shooting start of his career (44%), while averaging 24.4 points, 10.2 assists, eight rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. If Ball is inactive on Saturday, veteran Collin Sexton may get the call back to the starting lineup. He moved to lead the bench unit in Charlotte's loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Tre Mann would also see an increase in minutes and usage. Fantasy managers will need to check back for Ball's status ahead of the early six o'clock tip time in Minnesota.

According to Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Rockets have exercised the fourth-year team option on guard Amen Thompson's contract on Friday. The move keeps the 22-year-old in Houston through the 2026-27 season. Through four games this campaign, Thompson has averaged 14.5 points, 5.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals during 33.5 minutes per contest. A core piece of the Rockets' long-term plans, Thompson should remain a reliable fantasy contributor for years to come.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (hamstring)is unavailable for Friday's matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. The 33-year-old sustained a left hamstring strain in preseason that has kept him out of the lineup so far this campaign. Without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) in the Pacers' backcourt this season, and McConnell's continued absence, more pressure is on the rest of the guards to perform well.However, Andrew Nembhard (shoulder)andBennedict Mathurin (toe) are also sidelined, which has led Ben Sheppard to absorb extra backcourt minutes.

Oklahoma City Thunder Jalen Williams (wrist) recently underwent a follow-up procedure for his wrist injury, which will keep him off the court a little longer than anticipated. The team says Williams will be re-evaluated in 10 to 14 days. The 24-year-old has been in street clothes for the entire regular season so far. The Thunder have been riddled with injuries in the young season, with Isaiah Joe, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and now Chet Holmgren (back) missing time. Aaron Wiggins and Ajay Mitchell have seen more time on the court in Williams' absence. The one-time All-Star will be a fantasy basketball lineup staple once he returns to action.

Forward Chris Livingston has agreed to a two-way contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 58th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month as the team finalized its opening night roster, despite signing a guaranteed contract during the offseason. The forward played 42 games with the Bucks during his two-year NBA career, averaging 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per game. Livingston is likely to spend most of his time in the G League this season.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is expected to make his season debut and start on Friday against the Chicago Bulls, according to SNY's Ian Begley. New York's big man posted on his Facebook page that he's ready to play. The team may be careful with his minutes, however, in his first game this season. Robinson appeared in only 17 regular-season games last year but started four games in New York's Eastern Conference Finals series against the Pacers. Ariel Hukporti started two games in Robinson's absence this season, while the Knicks went with a smaller lineup with Karl-Anthony Towns at center in the other two. Hukporti may be phased out of the rotation as long as Robinson can stay healthy. Robinson averaged 5.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 17 minutes per game last year.