Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (hamstring) will officially be available on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. He will make his long-awaited Suns debut after recovering from a right hamstring strain. Suns head coach Jordan Ott told reporters that there is "a target number of minutes" for Green in the game, so the team plans to be cautious with his workload. This means that Grayson Allen (illness) is likely to still have a big role in the rotation, even if he's relegated to the bench on Thursday.

San Antonio Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox (hamstring) will miss Friday's I-10 Rivalry matchup against the Houston Rockets. The star guard hasn't played at all this season due to a hamstring strain, and it's still unclear when the Spurs will have him back. San Antonio's backcourt also lost Dylan Harper (calf) this week, putting a lot of pressure on Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell to perform well. Both players had a tough time on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, combining for 8-for-25 shooting. Due to Fox's absence, Julian Champagnie has also had a larger role on the team, logging time as a starter. He's been hit-and-miss from a fantasy perspective, posting 8.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Lonzo Ball (knee) won't be in the lineup on Friday against the Washington Wizards. He will be rested for the first leg of a back-to-back. Ball also sat out one game during Cleveland's first back-to-back of the season. Since Darius Garland made his season debut in Wednesday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cavaliers can afford to rest Ball even more often if needed. Sam Merrill and Craig Porter Jr. could get more work on Friday with Ball sidelined. Merrill has shown hot shooting form early in the season and is worth a look in fantasy leagues. He's averaging 16.6 points per game on 55 percent three-point shooting.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (illness) is expected to rejoin the lineup on Friday night against the Washington Wizards, as the team has listed him as probable on the injury report. Hunter wasn't available on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers due to illness. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Darius Garland, who made his season debut. On Friday, we will likely see Hunter return to the first unit at the expense of Jaylon Tyson. Early this season, Hunter has battled some shooting woes, but he's still averaging 18.4 points a night, while grabbing 5.6 rebounds and dishing out 3.0 assists.

Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (elbow) is not on the injury report for Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The veteran has missed two games with an elbow issue. Middleton plays a modest role with the Wizards team, but he will occupy a starting spot, sending Justin Champagnie back to the second unit. In six appearances this season, Middleton has averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 24.8 minutes. Considering his lengthy injury history, there's a good chance Middleton will once again exit the lineup when Washington heads out for the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks.

Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (ankle) will miss a third straight game on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. The veteran has been forced to exit the lineup this week due to an ankle sprain. While losing Harris has been a blow for Detroit, the team has continued to win, with Isaiah Stewart impressing as his replacement in the starting lineup. The 24-year-old has averaged 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks over the past two games. Against a weak Nets squad, there's a strong possibility Stewart will have another fine outing.

Washington Wizards guard/forward Bilal Coulibaly (lower leg) will not be available on Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He made an early exit against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday after a hard fall and has been ruled out with left lower leg tightness. On Wednesday, Coulibaly was playing only his fourth game of the season after missing the start of the campaign due to a thumb injury. With Coulibaly unavailable, Bub Carrington was a starter at the beginning of the year, and he may now return to the first unit. The 20-year-old sophomore has averaged 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in a starting role this season.

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) is listed as questionable for Friday's meeting with the Miami Heat. The star playmaker is nursing a right ankle injury that has already sidelined him for a couple of games. Before the injury, Ball had a fantastic start to the season, averaging 23.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. He's a usage monster, and Ball's exit from the lineup has naturally led Charlotte's other starters to take on more offensive roles. Meanwhile, rookie Sion James has made back-to-back starts in place of Ball. The Duke product has been inconsistent in his first few career outings and could struggle on Friday against the NBA's seventh-most efficient defense.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (hamstring) is considered questionable for Friday's game against the Utah Jazz. Minnesota's star man returned from a four-game absence on Wednesday against the New York Knicks, but he may land back on the shelf on Friday night due to a hamstring injury he sustained a couple of weeks ago. On Wednesday, Edwards logged 29 minutes of action, finishing with 15 points, two rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He had his worst shooting performance of the season with a 5-for-13 effort. Mike Conley gave up his starting spot against the Knicks, but he may now return to the first unit if Edwards has to sit out another game.

Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo (toe) has been listed as out for Friday's contest against the Charlotte Hornets. He sprained his left big toe on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets, exiting the action after logging only eight minutes of playing time. The team considers Adebayo day-to-day, meaning he isn't expected to be out for long. As a result of Adebayo's injury, Miami will likely bring Kel'el Ware back into the starting unit on Friday. Ware posted his first double-double of the season against Denver with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Adebayo's absence will significantly increase his fantasy value.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (ribs) looks to be on track to return to the lineup for Friday's tilt against the Denver Nuggets, as the team has listed him as probable on the injury report. A right rib contusion kept Green sidelined on Wednesday while the Warriors completed a back-to-back against the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors were also without Stephen Curry (illness) and Jimmy Butler III (back), which led to Will Richard, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody starting. Green has averaged 8.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in 29.6 minutes during his 14th year in the Association.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis (calf) has picked up a doubtful designation on the injury report ahead of Friday's tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 10-time All-Star has missed three games with a left calf strain. While he isn't expected to return on Friday, the fact that he has now been upgraded to doubtful is a sign that Davis is making progress. Friday's game marks the start of a back-to-back for Dallas, so perhaps Davis could be ready to return as soon as Saturday. Davis' exit from the lineup has coincided with Daniel Gafford's return. Gafford hasn't taken long to reach top form, averaging 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals in 22.3 minutes.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (back) has been listed as questionable for Friday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets. Due to a back issue, the veteran star logged only 14 minutes of action on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns and sat out Wednesday's clash against the Sacramento Kings. Now, he could be forced to sit out a second consecutive game. With Butler out on Wednesday, Moses Moody made his first start of the season, recording 28 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and four blocks in 39 minutes. He will again have additional fantasy value on Friday night if Butler doesn't return.

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (illness) has been ruled out for Friday's contest against the Denver Nuggets. He will miss a second consecutive game due to illness. Golden State's veteran star has been sharp early this season, averaging 26.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 31.1 minutes per game. His exit from the lineup on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings gave Will Richard a chance to make his first career start, and the 22-year-old rookie had an outstanding game with 30 points in 35 minutes. Additionally, he recorded seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal.

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (core muscle) will remain sidelined for Thursday's meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers. After making only three appearances at the start of the season, Brooks landed on the shelf with a core muscle strain. Royce O'Neale is likely to remain in the starting unit on Thursday; however, the return of Jalen Green (hamstring) may cause Suns head coach Jordan Ott to reconsider his options. Since joining the starting unit, O'Neale has delivered solid all-around fantasy production, averaging 13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals.

Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (hamstring) is expected to make his team debut in Thursday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports. The Suns have officially listed Green as probable for the game. He will likely replace Grayson Allen in the starting lineup. However, Green may be a minutes restriction after dealing with a hamstring injury, so there will still be additional playing time available for the rest of the crew, especially with Dillon Brooks (core muscle) remaining out. Once he's back to full speed, Green will form a formidable one-two punch with Devin Booker in the Suns offense.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (ankle) will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday versus the Phoenix Suns. The two-time Finals MVP is dealing with an ankle sprain, and the team doesn't want to rush him back. Before exiting the lineup for the second leg of a back-to-back earlier this week, Leonard had not missed any games in 2025-26. He leads the Clippers in scoring with 24.3 points per game and has also tallied 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals. Nicolas Batum started in Leonard's place on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder but had an anonymous 18-minute outing, making him a poor fantasy option.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (rest) isn't on the injury report for Thursday's matchup against the Phoenix Suns. He missed Tuesday's clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder for rest purposes as the team wrapped up a back-to-back. In Monday's meeting with the Miami Heat, Beal had his best outing as a Clipper, putting up 12 points. So far this season, he has averaged only 20.5 minutes per game, but we should see a lot more of Beal against his former team on Thursday night. The Clippers will head into battle without James Harden (personal) and Kawhi Leonard (ankle), giving the likes of Beal, John Collins, and Bogdan Bogdanovic a chance to contribute more on the offensive end.

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (personal) won't be in the lineup for Thursday's tilt against the Phoenix Suns. The former MVP has been ruled out for the contest for personal reasons. This will be Harden's first absence of what has been a highly productive season, where he has averaged 23.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8.6 assists. Harden ranks among the top three in all these categories on the Clippers squad. Kris Dunn and Chris Paul will likely see increased playing time due to Harden's absence. Additionally, with Kawhi Leonard (ankle) also ruled out for the game, there will be more scoring opportunities for the rest of the team.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (sciatica) is set to miss at least five more games. Sources have told ESPN that James won't join the team for its upcoming road trip, which begins on Saturday in Atlanta and ends in Milwaukee on Nov. 15. This leaves James' earliest possible return date as Nov. 18, when the Lakers face the Utah Jazz. Last week, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said he expects James "back sometime in that second or third week in November." Despite being without the NBA's all-time leading scorer, the Lakers have made a 5-2 start to the season. Once James is ready to play, he wil become the first player in history to compete in 23 NBA seasons.