Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (ankle) left Tuesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns early due to left ankle soreness, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports. The big man logged only five minutes off the bench, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound. Hayes was back in the second unit due to Deandre Ayton's return to the lineup. Ayton collected a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double on Tuesday while snagging three steals. If Hayes misses time, Maxi Kleber is likely to receive more opportunities to play, but he doesn't hold any fantasy value.

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (leg) was injured during Tuesday's tilt against the Atlanta Hawks, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. He appeared to injure his leg when he stepped on Hawks forward Asa Newell's foot and was subbed out with 6:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Buzelis went straight to the locker room. Buzelis soon returned to the bench but didn't re-enter the contest. The Chicago native finished a 126-123 victory with 15 points, two rebounds, and two blocks in 18 minutes. Patrick Williams, who saw only six minutes of action on Tuesday, may receive the largest bump in playing time if Buzelis has to exit the lineup.

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. (calf) played only five minutes in Tuesday's 111-94 win over the Indiana Pacers. He sustained a left calf contusion late in the first quarter. Ryan Rollins and Gary Harris shared Trent Jr.'s minutes on the night, with the former finishing as Milwaukee's second-highest scorer. Rollins posted 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Harris contributed only five points and should be ignored by fantasy managers even if Trent Jr. faces a spell on the sidelines.

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (calf) missed the second half of Tuesday's loss to the Detroit Pistons. Murray had two points and two blocks in 20 minutes during the first half of action but didn't return for the second due to a right calf injury. Rookies Nique Clifford and Dylan Cardwell helped to fill the void in the rotation, with Clifford starting the second half. Both may see increased playing time going forward if Murray is forced to miss time, especially with Zach LaVine (ankle) out for at least another week. The Kings will return to action this weekend with a back-to-back set.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren (face) made an early exit against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman reports. He was hit in the face by teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and missed the final 4:43 of a 130-110 loss. The defending champions were already down by 20 at that point, so Holmgren's exit could have been for precautionary reasons. However, we won't know for sure until the team provides an update on him. The Thunder return to action on Christmas Day with a rematch against the Spurs.

Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (knee) will undergo an MRI after injuring his right knee in Tuesday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He was hurt early in the fourth quarter, with the team announcing that Johnson had sustained a right knee sprain. The 29-year-old is averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 30.6 minutes during his first year in Denver. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., who posted a second consecutive 20-point game on Tuesday, will likely see increased minutes if Johnson has to miss time.

Clippers' F Kawhi Leonard scored 41 points on 16-of-23 shooting in a 128-108 win over the Rockets on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

New York's C Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double, scoring 40 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a 104-115 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Chicago Bulls' G Josh Giddey recorded a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds in a 126-123 win over Atlanta on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Detroit Pistons guard/forward Caris LeVert (knee) will be active on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, as the team has upgraded him from questionable to available. Due to his knee problem, Detroit has regularly listed LeVert on the injury report this season, but he has missed only three games since the start of November. Sadly, the 10-year veteran is averaging under 10 points per game for the first time since his rookie campaign, and his recent performances have been especially disappointing. LeVert has failed to make a field goal in back-to-back games, totaling just two points.

Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (knee) will miss Tuesday's encounter with the Orlando Magic. The injury-prone big man will get the night off to rest his bad knee after making a fourth consecutive appearance in Monday's loss to the Detroit Pistons. With Williams III sidelined, Duop Reath will probably get a slight bump in playing time behind starting center Donovan Clingan. The Portland bigs are in a tricky spot on Tuesday, as Orlando generally contains centers well. However, Goga Bitadze's (knee) absence will work in their favor.

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (hip) will be available on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The defensive specialist is managing a hip injury and was initially considered questionable for the game. With Franz Wagner (ankle), Tristan da Silva (shoulder), and Goga Bitadze (knee) shelved, Isaac may play a more important role for Orlando on Tuesday. However, due to his injury history, Isaac hasn't logged 20-plus minutes in a game since February, so he's unlikely to see enough court time to matter for fantasy managers.

Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (shoulder) won't play on Tuesday versus Portland, marking his fourth-straight absence. He was getting consistent work before injuring his shoulder in the loss to the New York Knicks on December 13. However, now that da Silva will miss another contest, Jett Howard and Noah Penda should remain more involved, even if Jonathan Isaac (hip) sheds his questionable designation and suits up. With that said, Howard and Penda aren't reliable contributors, so fantasy managers shouldn't consider either player for streaming purposes.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Javon Small (toe) has been cleared to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. He landed on the shelf in early November due to a toe injury. The second-round pick has not seen much usage during his rookie campaign, averaging 12.4 minutes per game. Currently, he has a chance to play a more prominent role in the rotation, as Memphis hits the court on Tuesday without several backcourt players. It's a perfect matchup for Small, as Utah gives up the second-most fantasy points to point guards.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Vince Williams Jr. (knee) will be out of action for a third consecutive game on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. He is dealing with left patellar tendinitis, and it's unclear if Williams Jr. can return to the lineup before the calendar flips to 2026. Williams Jr. has joined a long list of injuries for Memphis, making players like Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope more appealing fantasy options.

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (knee) won't play on Tuesday against Portland. This will be his first absence of the year. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day, with his next chance to suit up coming on Friday versus the Charlotte Hornets. Without Bitadze in the mix, that could mean even more minutes for Wendell Carter Jr. Jonathan Isaac (hip) might also spend time in the middle, although the Magic may need to run smaller than usual if he isn't available.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Aaron Wiggins (adductor) has been upgraded to available for Tuesday's matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. He was initially listed as questionable for the game. Wiggins has missed two contests due to an adductor injury. His return comes at a good time, as the Thunder have lost Ajay Mitchell (concussion) from the rotation for Tuesday night. While Wiggins' numbers tend to fluctuate, he has done a decent job for his team, averaging 11.9 points and 3.1 rebounds for the season, with 40.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (heel) won't play on Tuesday against Utah, marking his first absence of the 2025 campaign. The Grizzlies are also down Ja Morant (ankle), Brandon Clarke (calf), and Vince Williams Jr. (knee), meaning fantasy managers could see additional statistical contributions from Jaylen Wells, Cam Spencer, Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, and Jock Landale, making them all must-start fantasy options on Tuesday night. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who had 16 points in Monday's loss to OKC, should also be more involved than usual.

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (calf) will be active on Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team initially listed Wembanyama as questionable for the game but has now upgraded him to available. Wembanyama has not played more than 25 minutes in five games since returning from a calf injury. Yet, he has still averaged a double-double, producing 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. His first game back from injury was against the Thunder, and even the NBA's best defense couldn't handle him, as Wembanyama finished his comeback game with 22 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes.

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (ankle) will be re-evaluated in one week. He's already missed three games as a result of a sprained left ankle. Fortunately, he's progressing, although the latest update means he won't suit up for upcoming meetings with the Pistons, Mavericks, Lakers, and Clippers, at the very least. With Domantas Sabonis (knee) also sidelined, DeMar DeRozan and Keegan Murray will need to do even more of the heavy lifting on the offensive end. Russell Westbrook, averaging 14.9 points, 7.7 assists, 7.6 boards, and 1.6 steals in 23 starts this season, should also continue to benefit statistically while LaVine isn't on the floor.