Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (hip) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 25-year-old will sit out the second leg of this back-to-back set due to a left hip contusion. His absence should mean that Jarred Vanderbilt moves into the starting five on Saturday. He began the season as a starter, but has shifted to the second unit as a late. Vanderbilt is already rostered in many fantasy formats, but is worth snagging if available on the waiver wire for Saturday's slate.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has been absolutely on fire since returning from injury on December 13th. In the 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday, he put up 49 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and one block. The 25-year-old shot 15-for-27 from the floor, 6-for-15 from deep, and a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. Markkanen has been one of the biggest surprise fantasy assets this season as he's now cracked the top 15 in terms of per-game fantasy value.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen led the team in scoring as they took their 21st loss of the season against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The sixth-year Arizona product ended the game with 28 points, eight rebounds, and one assist as he shot 40% on 15 attempts and a perfect 15-for-15 from the free throw line. It wasn't his best three-point shooting night as he only went 1-for-7. Markkanen remains one of the marquee players for both points and rebounds as he leads the team in both so far this season.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen recorded his eighth 30-point outing of the campaign Monday versus San Antonio, leading all scorers with 32 points in a 126-122 loss. He was also the best rebounder in the game with 12 boards and had a pair of blocks with one assist as well. Shooting-wise it could've been a much better night, as Markkanen was only 8-for-18 from the field with a 3-for-10 record from deep. He provided his points tally a big boost at the free throw line with a 13-for-13 effort. Three of Markkanen's 30-point performances have come in his last six appearances. He's been a superb fit in Salt Lake City and Markkanen will surely be part of the 2023 All-Star Game, which is hosted by the Jazz.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen had himself a night in a 126-111 win over the Detroit Pistons. The 25-year-old cashed in 38 points on a crazy efficient 13-for-20 from the floor and 9-for-13 from deep. He also added five rebounds, one assist, and one steal across 36 minutes. This marks his seventh 30-point game of the season and a new career-high for made threes in a single game. His previous best was eight made threes back in his rookie season for Chicago. Markkanen is a leading candidate for most improved in both the NBA and fantasy basketball at this point.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has officially gotten off of the injury report after having to miss the team's last three games. His production has been sorely missed by the Jazz and it was probably missed even more by all of his fantasy managers. With his return to the starting lineup, Malik Beasley will likely move back to a bench role but won't lose all fantasy relevance as Collin Sexton is still out. Markkanen doesn't have restrictions that were announced so he should be a must-start once again.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (illness) was able to return to practice on Monday. This is good news after Markkanen has missed each of the last three games with a non-COVID related illness. Malik Beasley has been replacing Markkanen in the starting unit and playing fairly well in his spot. The hope is that Markkanen can play on Tuesday, which would shift Beasley to the second unit. Despite a move to the bench, Beasley is still worth holding onto in most fantasy formats.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (illness) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The 25-year-old continues to deal with a lingering illness that will cost him at least one more game. In the meantime, Malik Beasley is looking like a must-start fantasy option. He has 41 points over the last two games and should continue to see plenty of chances on Saturday with the Jazz shorthanded.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (illness) hasn't recovered in time for Friday's tilt against Minnesota. He missed Wednesday's matchup against the Warriors with a non-COVID illness and there were hopes of him getting healthy for Friday, with the team initially listing him as questionable for the game, but Markkanen hasn't been able to shake off the illness bug. The Finnish forward is having a big year in Salt Lake City, averaging a career-high 22.2 points per game with 8.5 rebounds. Walker Kessler drew the start in his absence Wednesday and will remain in the starting unit versus the Timberwolves. He posted a double-double and had five blocks against Golden State, so there's a lot to like about him for fantasy managers.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (illness) is considered questionable for Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He sat out of their last game, which resulted in Walker Kessler drawing the start. The rookie big man finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds across 24 minutes in that spot start. The expectation is that he'll be asked to draw another start if Markkanen is unable to play on Friday. That being said, Kessler would be a popular fantasy asset if he starts again.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (illness) will end up not playing on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. On top of his absence, the team will be without Mike Conley which means a lot of offensive usage that opens up for the remaining healthy players. Malik Beasley would be a great streaming option if he happens to be on the waiver wire in any fantasy format. Simone Fontecchio will likely get more minutes, but is less of a surefire fantasy option.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was in incredible form against the Suns Friday night, posting his new career high with 38 points and shooting a superb 15-for-18 from the field in a 134-33 win. He was 2-for-3 with the three-ball and wrapped up the damage with a turnaround jumper late in the shot which turned out to be the game-winning shot. Markkanen's career night also included six rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block with one turnover in 35 minutes. The Finnish forward really needed the big performance, as he's been a bit quiet lately and the team started a rough stretch of matchups against good defensive teams. Markkanen will now look to replicate his performance against Portland and the Clippers.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was a major force at both ends of the court in Monday's win over Memphis, leading his team in scoring with 31 points and registering a career-high four blocks. He also fitted 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal into his night, shooting an outstanding 11-for-15 from the field and 4-for-6 from downtown. Markkanen has averaged 0.5 blocks per game for his career, which tells how unexpected his defensive contributions were on Monday. He had managed four blocks in total in his previous seven appearances this season. It's still early in the season, but it feels pretty safe to say that Markkanen is on his way to having a career year at his new club. He's getting all the shots he can handle, and Utah's trust in Markkanen has also led to an impressive 6-2 start.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen cashed in his third game of 20 or more points in just five games. On Wednesday night, he finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block while shooting 10-for-15 from the floor. If for some reason he's on the waiver wire in your league, you need to get him as fast as possible. He's become a go-to guy on this Jazz team and has formed great chemistry with Jordan Clarkson in the starting lineup.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen cashed in a big scoring night in their 122-121 overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans. When it was all said and done, the 25-year-old big man dropped 31 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block while shooting 52.9% from the floor. On top of that, he was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 11 of his attempts. The Jazz have consistently gone with a three-big lineup so far this season. Fantasy managers can confidently plug Markkanen in their lineups in all formats as he continues to get all the playing time he wants.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent (UDFA) signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.... [More]

Utah Jazz power forward Lauri Markkanen will face many question marks ahead of his first season with a new franchise, but if his production for Finland during EuroBasket 2022 is any indication, he should fit in just fine. Markkanen averaged nearly a point per minute across seven games with the Finnish national team, compiling 27.9 points across 28.4 minutes per game. He shot 40.5 percent from behind the arc, a return to form after that number dipped to 35.8 last season with Cleveland. The 25-year-old was the primary scoring option for his native country, a situation that could arise with Utah during the upcoming year due to the wholesale changes the franchise has undergone. For now, fantasy managers can view Markkanen as an upside selection with a solid three-point shooting floor.

The Jazz acquired forward Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and rookie Ochai Agbaji from the Cavaliers on Thursday in exchange for Donovan Mitchell. Also included in the deal, Utah will receive three unprotected first-round selections and two pick swaps. Markkanen began his career with the Bulls before spending last season in Cleveland, averaging 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. He will likely spend plenty of minutes as a starter this season. However, the 25-year-old has missed his share of games due to injuries since entering the league, something for fantasy managers to consider. His career 36.4% shooting from deep also won't do much to benefit category participants.

Cleveland Cavaliers point/shooting guard Caris LeVert (foot) and small/power forward Lauri Markkanen (ankle) have been given the green light to take the floor for Monday's game against the Clippers. LeVert will come off the bench in his return to action and face a minutes restriction, which will allow Lamar Stevens to earn a start in place of Dean Wade (knee). LeVert had missed the past nine outings due to a foot sprain and has averaged 13.3 points and 3.8 assists across his first four contests as a Cavalier. Markkanen returns from a one-game absence, looking to pick up where he left off during his last three games, in which he averaged 19.3 PPG on 50% shooting.

Cleveland Cavaliers point/shooting guard Caris LeVert (foot) and small/power forward Lauri Markkanen (ankle) have been deemed questionable to suit up for Monday's game against the Clippers. LeVert has been sidelined for the past nine outings, having appeared in just four contests since his acquisition in early February. Markkanen missed Saturday's game, which was the second leg of a back-to-back. Cedi Osman and Kevin Love would be the primary beneficiaries of absences from either player, although Darius Garland would continue to see significant offensive duties with either unavailable. Fantasy managers will want to check back prior to tip-off for the final word.