Welcome to another round-up of the most impactful fantasy basketball injury updates from the previous week. Perhaps one day there’ll be a week where there won’t be a need for an injury round-up since no one is injured but, alas, week 9 of the 2022-23 fantasy basketball season is not that week.
Fantasy Basketball Injury Round-Up
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Projected Return Date: January
Curry has been diagnosed with a partial dislocation of the left shoulder and is expected to miss the rest of December. His eliteness in fantasy basketball is so obvious that it doesn’t need reiterating. Jordan Poole, who’s been struggling this season, should be the main beneficiary of Curry’s injury. Donte DiVincenzo also moves up a step in the guard depth chart and should, now, probably be rostered in most leagues. Neither of these two can come close to replacing Curry’s abilities and the Warriors will need everyone with any offensive skills on deck.
Recommendation: Pick up Donte DiVincenzo while you still can.
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Projected Return Date: Next Season
Having missed the previous month with a shin stress fracture, Cunningham has now opted for surgery and will miss the rest of the 2022-23 season. That makes it easy, doesn’t it? Cunningham can be safely dropped in re-draft leagues. And safely not-dropped in keeper leagues. Over the past month, Killian Hayes has been turning in top 100 per-game performances and this will only strengthen his rest-of-season value.
Recommendation: Hayes is still probably under-owned, so get him if you can.
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Projected Return Date: Now
The rumors of Kawhi’s demise may have been slightly exaggerated. Leonard has played in 5 of the last 7 Clippers games and returned, well, reasonable enough stat lines. On a per-game basis, I have him as a top 80 player across the five games in 9-cat leagues. A more casual observer might be wowed by the one 25-point game but we know there are 8 more categories. And it is for that reason – and the fact that he’s not playing back-to-backs – that I suggest trying to trade him for value. Combining the name value with a good run in the next 4 games (no back-to-backs), could return a solid mid-round player.
Recommendation: Trade Kawhi.
Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
Projected Return Date: Day-to-day
Ayton left Tuesday’s game early and sat out Thursday’s game with an ankle sprain. Bismack Biyombo got the start but Jock Landale filled in the box score with a proper big-man line: 15-10-2. If the ankle sprain turns out to be worse, either Biyombo or Landale could be a good pickup. Perhaps Landale might be a better fit with the rest of the Suns’ starters in Ayton’s role while Biyombo is more of a blocks-only option.
Recommendation: Keep an eye on it.
Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks
Projected Return Date: Late December
Capela will miss 1-2 weeks with a right calf strain. Onyeka Okongwu is the obvious pick-up.
Recommendation: Pick up Onyeka Okongwu. Obviously.