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.

According to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, the Charlotte Hornets exercised guard/forwardBrandon Miller's(shoulder) fourth-year team option on Friday. The move keeps the star forward in Charlotte through the 2026-27 season. Miller is listed as doubtful for Saturday's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves and is in danger of missing his fourth consecutive contest due to a left shoulder subluxation. If Miller is unable to suit up, rookie forward Kon Knueppel will likely continue to see an expanded role on Saturday.

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (leg) is unlikely to play Saturday against the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City, according to Marc Stein. Davis was listed on an injury report earlier this week with bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left Wednesday's game against Indiana with leg soreness after six minutes. The Mavericks appear to be without center Dereck Lively II (knee), as well. Center Daniel Gafford (ankle) has yet to play this season. That could mean a heavy dose of veteran Dwight Powell, who scored 18 points in Dallas' win over the Pacers.

New Orleans Pelicans centerKevon Looney(knee) has been ruled out for Friday's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers due to a sprained left knee. Looney is likely close to making his season debut after he was initially listed as doubtful on Thursday for this evening's contest. The three-time NBA champion injured his left knee during the preseason. Once the 29-year-old is back in action, he is expected to serve as a backup to starting centerYves Missi, which means he will likely make a minimal impact on fantasy basketball this campaign. Looney also faces competition for playing time from veteran center DeAndre Jordan, who recently signed a one-year deal with the Pelicans.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (finger) has been upgraded to probable ahead of Friday's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. Doncic had missed the last three games while recovering from a left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion. Doncic is averaging 46 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists through his first two games. With Marcus Smart (quadriceps) also likely returning, the Lakers will look to improve on their 3-2 record.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (quadriceps) participated in Friday's shootaround ahead of their matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. Afterward, Smart told reporters he will "most likely" play in tonight's matchup. The Lakers have been devastated by injuries early this season, and Smart's return would be big for the club. The 31-year-old has appeared in three of the team's five games, averaging 7.7 points, one rebound, and one assist in 24.7 minutes per game. If available, Smart will likely start at point guard with Gabe Vincent (ankle) unavailable.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (finger, leg) participated in the team's shootaround on Friday morning ahead of their NBA Cup matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. The superstar is still listed as questionable right now, but the fact that he participated is a good sign. Fantasy managers will want to stay tuned until tip-off gets closer. As a backup plan, Jake LaRavia and Dalton Knecht should both be available in most leagues. In their last game, LaRavia dropped 27 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, while Knecht chipped in 15 points, one rebound, one assist, two blocks, and one steal.

Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II (illness) popped up on the injury report on Friday afternoon with an illness and is now questionable for their NBA Cup game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite showing some promising moments in his rookie season, Jackson appeared in just 29 games last year and has gotten into two contests so far this season. He's not much of a fantasy option, even in deeper leagues, so if he misses this contest it's more impactful for those that might stay on the court longer. Santi Aldama, Cedric Coward, and Cam Spencer have been the first three of the bench for the Grizzlies, and they all should be considered in deep leagues. For standard size leagues, Aldama and Coward can contribute in spurts when needed.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (toe) will be sidelined for a sixth consecutive game on Friday while still recovering from surgery on his toe. The 25-year-old last played in the team's final playoff game on May 13 when they lost to the Indiana Pacers, and Garland is still unsure when he'll be able to get back on the court. If Donovan Mitchell (questionable - hamstring) can't suit up either, there will be a lot of minutes to go around. Jaylon Tyson entered the starting lineup in their last game against the Boston Celtics and dropped 19 points, five rebounds, one assist, and three steals before fouling out. Then, Lonzo Ball and Craig Porter Jr. received the most backcourt minutes off the bench. If Tyson starts, he's likely to be the best streaming option, while Ball and Porter could be serviceable if Mitchell is out too.