Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and guard Christian Braun (ankle) are not expected to return until after Christmas, per coach David Adelman. When asked about Gordon and Braun's recovery, Adelman said, "I would imagine they celebrate the holiday without playing, but we'll see." Braun was given a six-week timeline about four weeks ago, so it's not surprising that he still has a ways to go, but Gordon was given a timeline of four to six weeks three weeks ago, so he could have been nearing a return. Without Gordon and Braun, Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones should continue to have a chance to shine while veterans Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown Jr. continue to get more playing time on the wings as well.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (toe) will be able to return as expected when the Heat visit the Magic in an NBA Cup Quarterfinals contest on Tuesday night. He was listed as probable but upgraded to available on Tuesday afternoon. Herro was able to practice on Monday after missing two games, and his return will likely push Kel'el Ware back to the bench, with Bam Adebayo sliding back to center. Herro has only played five games this season while battling injuries, but he produced 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest, and he'll be a huge part of Miami's offense in his return on Tuesday as they look to advance to the Semifinals by knocking off their in-state rivals.

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (illness) was downgraded to questionable on Tuesday afternoon before his team faces the Knicks in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals. Quickley played through the same illness on Sunday and logged 31 minutes against Boston with 11 points and five assists. Since Jamal Shead (quad) is also questionable, the Raptors could be very shorthanded in the backcourt. If both are out, the Raptors would be forced to go with more of Ja'Kobe Walter and Gradey Dick while Scottie Barnes would serve more as the team's point forward. Quickley has averaged16.5 points and 6.2 assists, and if he plays through the illness again on Tuesday, the first-round pick will have a revenge game narrative against the Knicks in Toronto.

Toronto Raptors forward Jamison Battle (ankle) is doubtful for Tuesday's matchup against New York, keeping the second-year wing on the fringes of the rotation. Battle has averaged 4.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.3 minutes across his last five appearances, offering no fantasy utility even when active. His absence does not change Toronto's rotation, as Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Ochai Agbaji already dominate the forward minutes. Managers can safely look elsewhere for streaming value, as Battle remains off the fantasy radar.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jacob Toppin (shoulder) has been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in a late-November G League outing. He logged only spot minutes with Atlanta, producing eight points across five brief appearances, so his absence carries no fantasy consequences. The Hawks' forward rotation remains fully intact, with Jalen Johnson anchoring the position and Asa Newell and Mouhamed Gueye holding reserve roles. No player gains meaningful opportunity from this injury, and managers can safely disregard Toppin in all formats.

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Ben Sheppard (calf) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left calf strain and will miss at least 10 more days after already sitting out the past two contests. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 25.0 minutes across 22 games, so his absence has minimal impact outside deeper formats. The main fantasy ripple is added opportunity for rookie Ethan Thompson, who logged six points and five rebounds in 28 minutes in the last game and profiles as a deeper-league streamer, while T.J. McConnell and Garrison Mathews gain modest bumps.

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (ankle) will miss Tuesday's game in Toronto after exiting Sunday's win over Orlando. His absence frees up backcourt minutes, putting veteran scorer Jordan Clarkson on the streaming radar despite a quiet zero-point outing in 17 minutes Sunday. McBride had averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists over his last five games, shooting 45.5 percent from the field, so his removal creates a clearer secondary role for Clarkson and a slight usage bump for the remaining starters. Managers in shallow formats can stream accordingly.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (calf) will travel for Wednesday's NBA Cup matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. He has missed 11 straight games with a left calf strain but participated fully in Sunday's practice, putting him close to a return. Fantasy managers should keep him on the bench but ready to activate. His last healthy stretch included 27.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 36.0 minutes. If he sits again, Luke Kornet remains a low-usage streaming big, while Kelly Olynyk and Jeremy Sochan profile as deeper-league options.

Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (hip) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's NBA Cup clash against the Orlando Magic. He didn't practice on Monday and could miss the big matchup due to a left hip contusion. Smith was a starter for Miami last time out against the Sacramento Kings. However, with Tyler Herro (toe) and Davion Mitchell (groin) on track to return to the lineup on Tuesday, Smith's role will be very different if he gets cleared for action. Pelle Larsson (hip), who is also expected to return on Tuesday, could play a few extra minutes in Smith's absence.

Toronto Raptors point guard Jamal Shead (quadriceps) is considered questionable for a meeting with the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup on Tuesday. He could miss his first game of the season due to a right quadriceps contusion. With RJ Barrett (knee) on the shelf, Shead has regularly logged 20-plus minutes on the floor. In Sunday's loss to the Boston Celtics, Shead even started the second half after Ja'Kobe Walter struggled. If Shead exits the lineup, players like Walter and Ochai Agbaji will have an opportunity to take on a larger workload. However, neither player has offered consistent fantasy production in 2025-26.

Miami Heat guard/forward Pelle Larsson (hip) practiced on Monday and is listed as probable for Tuesday's NBA Cup matchup against the Orlando Magic. He was unavailable on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings due to a hip problem. Larsson's fantasy value has plummeted in recent weeks as Miami has returned to full health. Since Tyler Herro's season debut on Nov. 24, Larsson has been limited to 5.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 20.6 minutes per game. Across his last two outings, Larsson has shot just 1-for-9 from the field, scoring four points. Currently, the Swedish youngster isn't a good fantasy option.

Miami Heat point guard Davion Mitchell (groin) looks set to return to the lineup for Tuesday's NBA Cup game against the Orlando Magic, as the team has listed him as probable on the injury report. Due to right groin tightness, Mitchell was unavailable on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. With him out, Dru Smith (hip) made his first start of the season. The 27-year-old had a minimal impact and will return to the bench on Tuesday if he can play. Smith is considered questionable for the matchup. Mitchell has logged three double-doubles as Miami's starting point guard in 2025-26, averaging 9.7 points and 7.8 assists. He could make a big impact in Tuesday's game, as Orlando allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to point guards this season.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward RJ Barrett (knee) will be out for at least one more week, the team announced Monday. He is recovering from a right knee sprain and will need at least a week off after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection. Barrett will miss a ninth consecutive game on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks. During his absence, Ja'Kobe Walter has run with the starters. He has not performed well, even failing to make a single field goal over the past two games. In Sunday's loss to the Boston Celtics, Jamal Shead (quadriceps) started the second half instead of Walter. On Tuesday, Shead could be in the first unit right from the start, but he is currently considered questionable for the game with a quadriceps contusion.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (toe) is listed as probable for Tuesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Orlando Magic. He has sat out a pair of games due to a right big toe contusion, but Herro appears to be on track to return to action on Tuesday night. The 2025 All-Star practiced fully on Monday. Kel'el Ware has started back-to-back games during Herro's absence and will presumably drop back to the second unit for Tuesday's action. This may actually be good news for his fantasy prospects, as Ware recorded a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double in his last appearance off the bench. As a starter, he managed nine points and 14 boards across the past two games.

New York Knicks forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) is considered questionable for Tuesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Toronto Raptors. The big man is dealing with tightness in his left calf. Towns practiced on Monday, which is a good sign that he might be ready to return from a one-game absence. Assuming Towns remains out, the Knicks will lean on Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti at the center position. Robinson returned to the starting lineup on Sunday against the Orlando Magic, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds in 25 minutes. He also contributed well on the defensive end. Hukporti had six points, seven rebounds, and three blocks off the bench in 23 minutes.

Pelicans' C Derik Queen recorded a triple-double, finishing with 33 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a 132-135 loss to the Spurs on Monday, Dec. 8.

Timberwolves' G Anthony Edwards scored 40 points on 15-of-21 shooting in a 105-108 loss to the Suns on Monday, Dec. 8.

Kings' G Russell Westbrook recorded a triple-double, finishing with 24 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds in a 105-116 loss to Indiana on Monday, Dec. 8.

According to James Ham of ESPN 1320, Sacramento Kings forwardKeegan Murray(back/shoulder) will play against the Indiana Pacers on Monday. The 25-year-old sharpshooter has been dealing with right trapezius soreness, but the injury won't keep him out of action during tonight's tilt. Murray is averaging 16.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 threes per game since returning from a thumb injury. Fantasy managers should still expect Murray to play a prominent role in the Kings' frontcourt this evening despite the setback.

Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republicreports that Minnesota Timberwolves guardAnthony Edwards(illness) will play against the Phoenix Suns on Monday. Edwards was considered questionable ahead of Monday's matchup due to an illness. However, the 24-year-old star guard is feeling well enough to take the court this evening. Edwards has logged just 26 points in his last two contests after finishing with 44 points across 47 minutes in a 149-142 win over the Pelicans on December 2.