Charlotte Hornets point guard KJ Simpson (shoulder) is listed as probable for a meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. The 23-year-old is dealing with a shoulder issue, but it doesn't appear to be serious enough to prevent him from playing. However, Simpson is unlikely to have a significant role in the rotation moving forward, as LaMelo Ball (ankle) is expected to return to the lineup against Milwaukee. So far this season, Simpson has averaged 5.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 14.4 minutes over five appearances.

Detroit Pistons guard/forward Ausar Thompson (ankle) will sit out a third straight game on Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers. His season has been halted by a right ankle sprain. Javonte Green has started each of the last two games Thompson has missed and looks poised to remain in the first unit on Friday night. Green has averaged 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two starts he has made. He has also benefited from injuries to Isaiah Stewart (ankle) and Jalen Duren (ankle), both of whom are considered questionable for Friday's game.

Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. He has missed three games due to a left ankle sprain and may have to sit out another contest on Friday night. Jalen Duren (ankle) is also questionable for Friday's game, meaning Paul Reed could be in for another busy night. He finished Wednesday's win over the Chicago Bulls with 28 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes. The injury situation has also opened the door to the starting lineup for Ron Holland II, who notched nine points, six rebounds, and three steals in 28 minutes on Wednesday night.

Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (personal) won't be in the lineup on Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks. The rookie big man has been ruled out for personal reasons. After landing a starting role on the Hornets team, Kalkbrenner has enjoyed a solid start to his NBA career, averaging 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. Only Victor Wembanyama (3.6) averages more swats in the league. On Friday, the Hornets will likely use Moussa Diabate as their starting center, which will increase his fantasy appeal. Mason Plumlee will presumably pick up some extra shifts off the bench. It's a challenging matchup for the Hornets bigs on Friday, as Milwaukee allows the fifth-fewest points and the eighth-fewest rebounds to opposing centers.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (hamstring) will remain out on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. He will be absent for a sixth consecutive game. However, the team announced on Thursday that Williamson is "progressing well" in his recovery from a Grade 1 hamstring strain and has been cleared for contact. There is a possibility he may be ready to rejoin the lineup next week. In the meantime, Saddiq Bey will continue to have increased fantasy value. He will head into Friday's NBA Cup action on the back of an impressive 25-point showing against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk may sit out a second consecutive game on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the team considers him questionable for the contest. Monk is experiencing soreness in his left ankle and could miss his fourth game already this month. If Monk can't play on Friday, Russell Westbrook and Keon Ellis are likely to receive additional run-outs. Rookie Nique Clifford may also figure more in the plans of Kings head coach Doug Christie, especially after a string of ugly losses.

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (ribs) is considered questionable for Friday's NBA Cup tilt against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sabonis has regularly been on the injury report lately due to a left ribcage contusion. However, he has played in each of the past three games, suggesting that the Kings will likely upgrade him to available ahead of Friday's tip-off. If Sabonis is ruled out, Drew Eubanks will probably handle a larger workload, with Precious Achiuwa potentially also logging some extra minutes.

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (knee) is questionable for Friday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Kuminga was one of the most important players for Golden State and helped the team with improved play earlier in the season. Unfortunately, a cold streak dropped his stats to averages of 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. The questionable tag and soreness in his knee could lead to the 23-year-old missing his first game of the season. Role players Moses Moody, Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield would see more minutes and a chance at better statistical performances if he's ruled out. Kuminga will still have value if he plays, especially since the Warriors have looked like a much better team when he's one of the top three options behind Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III.

Sacramento Kings guard/forward Zach LaVine (thigh) isn't on the injury report for Friday's NBA Cup game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A thigh injury kept LaVine sidelined on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks, resulting in his second absence of the season. Russell Westbrook returned to the starting lineup on Wednesday night and will presumably head back to the bench for Friday's game. 10 appearances into his first full season with the Kings, LaVine has averaged 23.9 points on 51.9 percent shooting. Unfortunately, his rebounding and assists numbers have dipped, negatively impacting his fantasy value. In his first meeting with the Timberwolves this season, LaVine finished with 26 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) looks set to return to the lineup Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks after the team listed him as probable on the injury report. Ball has dealt with right ankle impingement, sitting out five games. Before the injury, Ball had a strong start to the season, averaging 23.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. Rookie Sion James has started during Ball's absence, although it's possible Collin Sexton will land in the second unit on Friday night to provide bench scoring for the Hornets. Milwaukee ranks 10th in the league for points allowed to opposing point guards, making this a favorable matchup for Ball.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is likely to return to the lineup on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets, as the team has listed him as probable on the injury report. Antetokounmpo missed his second game of the season on Wednesday against the Hornets due to a small knee issue. Kyle Kuzma moved to the first unit on Wednesday, but he had an ineffective performance with eight points on 3-for-12 shooting. Antetokounmpo is off to a dominant start to the season, leading the NBA in scoring with 33.4 points per game and averaging 11.9 rebounds with 6.2 assists.

Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo (toe) has been ruled out for Friday's big NBA Cup matchup against the New York Knicks. This will be his fifth consecutive absence after Adebayo sprained his left big toe. Kel'el Warehas returned to the first unit during Adebayo's injury layoff, producing some impressive performances, including a 20-rebound effort on Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Overall, Ware has averaged 10.0 points and 9.8 rebounds in 24.2 minutes as a starter this season. Friday's matchup looks like a tough one on paper for Ware, as defensive specialist Mitchell Robinson is expected to play, and the Knicks have the fifth-highest rebounding rate in the league.

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (ankle) is listed as questionable for Friday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Duren is dealing with a left ankle sprain that held him out of Tuesday's victory over the Chicago Bulls. The 21-year-old has been very good this season, averaging 19.4 PPG and 12.0 RPG. If active he will be a must start for fantasy managers. If he's unable to go then expect Paul Reed to get another start. Reed put up 28 points and 13 rebounds against Chicago on Tuesday. He may not reach those levels on Friday, if he gets the start, but he'll certainly be fired up to face off against his former team.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (sciatica) was able to practice with the G-League South Bay Lakers on Thursday without any lingering pain from the day before, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. If James is able to continue progressing without pain then he may be able to join the NBA squad for a practice on Monday. This is welcome news for James and the Lakers as LA has started to hit a bit of a rough patch. The 40-year-old missed all of training camp and hasn't been able to make his season debut yet. The Lakers would greatly welcome his presence as soon as he's able to hit the court. While he's out, continue to expect elevated box scores from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as the main drivers of LA's offense. When he's able to return, expect decreased minutes for Marcus Smart.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis (calf) continues to carry a questionable tag on the injury report ahead of Friday's action against the Los Angeles Clippers. Due to a calf strain, Davis hasn't played in the past seven games, and his status going forward is murky. A recent report suggested that Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont will not permit the star big man to return to play until it is completely clear that he is not at risk of aggravating his injury. Dereck Lively II (knee) also remains on the injury report, and P.J. Washington (shoulder) was hurt on Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns, meaning Dallas could have a shorthanded frontcourt on Friday night.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (hip) is listed as questionable for Friday night's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Cunningham is dealing with a left hip contusion that caused him to miss Tuesday's game against the Bulls. The 24-year-old has been very solid this season, averaging 27.5 PPG to go along with 9.9 APG. He is a must start if he's active. If not, expect Daniss Jenkins to get another start. Jenkins started on Tuesday in Cunningham's absence and put up 18 points with 12 assists in the win over Chicago. He'd make an excellent start in all fantasy formats, including DFS, if he is going to fill in for Cunningham again.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will be out for a third consecutive game on Friday against the Detroit Pistons. After battling a left knee issue, Embiid exited the lineup earlier this week with a right knee injury. Fortunately, testing revealed no structural damage to his right knee, but he will still sit out Friday's game. This likely means another start for Andre Drummond, who has posted 15.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game as a member of the first unit this season. Detroit could also be without Jalen Duren (ankle) and Isaiah Stewart (ankle) on Friday, which would make Drummond's life easier inside the paint.

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (glute) is listed as probable for Friday night's matchup against the Orlando Magic. Sharpe is dealing with a glute injury that caused him to miss Tuesday's loss to the Toronto Raptors but he should be back in action on Friday. Sharpe has been a spotty fantasy option this season, not providing much value in terms of points. Those in category leagues may find more value with him, especially if they need help in the rebounding department. But his outbursts have been fairly unpredictable. Fantasy managers likely can find better options to get into their starting lineup for Friday unless they're desperate.

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (back) is listed as questionable for Friday night's matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Edgecombe is dealing with back spasms. If he's forced to sit out it would be the first game he's missed in his rookie campaign. The 20-year-old started the season hot but has seen his production drop over the past couple weeks. That dip in production may continue if he's able to suit up against the Pistons and their 109.9 defensive rating, third best in the league. If he isn't able to play then expect Quentin Grimes to get the start. Grimes has averaged 17.3 PPG off Philadelphia's bench. Grimes would be a solid fantasy option whether or not Edgecombe is able to face the Pistons.

Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (illness) won't play on Thursday versus the Cavs. The rookie has had a decent rookie campaign, averaging 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 50.0% shooting from behind the arc. He has appeared in the last nine games for the Raptors. However, Murray-Boyles will sit this one out because of an illness. Fortunately, Sandro Mamukelashvili (neck) will suit up, which will help lessen the blow caused by Murray-Boyles' absence. With that said, Jakob Poeltl is available, so neither player can be trusted for fantasy production.