J.J. Hickson will start at center for the Nuggets against the Jazz on Sunday.

At first glance, this seems like it's a move that will stick with JaVale McGee is out indefinitely. While only 16 of his 108 minutes on the season have been at center, he did have 71 starts there with the Blazers last season. Hickson should be owned in all leagues while Timofey Mozgov may be asked to play a little more than his 17 minutes per game. Owners can also give Anthony Randolph a look, as long as they're prepared for a couple fantasy headaches. Darrell Arthur should also get more minutes in this patchwork group.

Coach Brian Shaw said he could start J.J. Hickson or Timofey Mozgov at center while JaVale McGee (leg) is out of the lineup.

Mozgov has played in just 17.0 minutes per game and he hasn't been a workhorse in a very long time. He has no offensive game and 73 percent of his shots have from from within eight feet of the basket this season. As for Hickson, he started at center for 71 games last year with the Blazers, so he's capable of playing in that spot. If you're looking for a big-man pickup, it would seem the order should go Hickson, Anthony Randolph, then Mozgov. Kenneth Faried also gains a lot of value with this news.

Brian Shaw is considering changes to the Nuggets' lineup, though he didn't reveal which player's roles are in jeopardy.

"We'll have two good days of practice to kind of figure that out," said Shaw. The Nuggets are 0-2 with a starting lineup of Ty Lawson, Randy Foye, Anthony Randolph, J.J. Hickson and JaVale McGee, and as a team they're shooting a paltry 39.3 percent from the field. Among the more likely scenarios, Foye could be replaced at SG by Evan Fournier, AntRand will almost certainly be replaced once Wilson Chandler (hamstring) is healthy, and Hickson may lose his starting job to Kenneth Faried. It's a tumultuous situation and we'll continue to provide updates as Shaw sifts through his options.

J.J. Hickson struggled vs. his former team on Friday during a 113-98 loss to the Blazers, shooting 2-of-13 from the field for five points with nine boards and two assists in 22 minutes.

The Nuggets were terrible on offense, totaling only 14 assists and shooting 36.4 percent from the field. Hickson was out of sorts tonight and his minutes suffered after seeing 33 in the opener. It'll be tough to count on him night in and night out since he's in a timeshare with Kenneth Faried.

J.J. Hickson and Anthony Randolph will start again for the Nuggets on Friday, as Kenneth Faried will come off the bench.

It's hard to imagine Faried coming off the bench for much longer. He's still recovering from a calf strain and we do expect him to see more than the 15 minutes he got in the last one. If you want to start Hickson again tonight, it makes sense, but we wouldn't touch Randolph.

J.J. Hickson started at power forward for the Nuggets on Wednesday, just missing a double-double with 12 points and nine boards in 33 minutes.

He blocked four shots, which is a little unusual. Hickson was seventh in the league with 40 double-doubles last season with the Blazers, but with Kenneth Faried behind him, he'll lack a little consistency with his new team.

Brian Shaw is "leaning toward" starting J.J. Hickson at PF in the Nuggets' season opener on Wednesday.

Kenneth Faried is just returning from a hamstring injury, which has swayed Shaw's decision, but Faried looked fine in Monday's practice and could take over the job soon even if Hickson does earn the nod vs. Sacramento.

J.J. Hickson will start at power forward for the Nuggets on Friday.

It's not a permanent move and coach Brian Shaw just wants to get a look at his depth. Hickson double-doubled on Tuesday with 13 points and 10 boards, so he's looking good with his new team. Kenneth Faried is fine and should be able to keep his starting job as long as he's healthy. Anthony Randolph could also start at small forward.

The Nuggets told newly signed J.J. Hickson that he'll battle Kenneth Faried for the starting power forward job.

It shouldn't be a close competition. Hickson's deal was for just $15 million over three years, also known as strict backup money. Meanwhile, Faried is a core building block for the Nuggets who just scratched the surface last year at age 23. We'd expect Hickson to be the first big off the bench, supporting both Faried and JaVale McGee.

J.J. Hickson agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract with the Nuggets on Sunday.

He was a pleasant surprise for the Blazers last season, but Portland went out and acquired Robin Lopez and Thomas Robinson on the cheap, which meant Hickson was likely on his way out. Hickson has played in uptempo offenses before the Sacramento and he'll likely be doing the same in Denver. He should be splitting time with the unpredictable JaVale McGee and won't have the amount of fantasy value he had last season.

J.J. Hickson said he would prefer to play power forward instead of center next season.

Hickson played out of position at center for the Blazers this year and GM Neil Olshey admitted Hickson wasn't the rim-protector Portland needed. With Portland already boasting LaMarcus Aldridge at the four, it seems likely Hickson will take his talents elsewhere in free agency this summer. Still, considering that Hickson averaged 12.9 points on 56.8 percent shooting, 10.5 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.7 blocks in just 29 minutes per game, we expect he'll have a length list of suitors.

J.J. Hickson, who recently received a vote of no-confidence from GM Neil Olshey, finished Sunday's loss with 19 points, nine rebounds and a career-high six assists.

Hickson knocked down 7-of-16 FGs and 5-of-6 FTs, and it's hard to fault his numbers in 29 minutes per game this year -- 12.9 points on 56.8 percent shooting, 10.5 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.7 blocks. Olshey acknowledged that Hickson isn't a natural rim-protector and he's playing out of position at center, and we expect a long queue for his services as a free agent this summer.

J.J. Hickson returned from a back injury on Friday, playing just 13 minutes for seven points and seven boards vs. Oklahoma City.

He doesn't appear to be back to 100 percent and the Blazers might wind up sitting him on Sunday. His owners will want to check back for updates and Hickson is someone that is a cut candidate at this late point of the season.

J.J. Hickson (back) and LaMarcus Aldridge (illness) will play in Friday's game against the Thunder, but Wes Matthews (ankle) and Nicolas Batum (shoulder) will not.

Credit Hickson for not just packing it in. He's an unrestricted free agent playing for a team that has been eliminated from the playoffs, but he's going to fight through his injury. Hickson has missed just two games all year. Look for the Blazers to start Damien Lillard, Will Barton, Victor Claver, Hickson and Aldridge Friday night.

J.J. Hickson (back) and Nicolas Batum (shoulder) both went through light workouts at practice Thursday.

Hickson and Batum both missed Wednesday night's game and are slated to be re-evaluated tomorrow in advance of Friday night's game against the Thunder. With the Blazers' season essentially over, it's definitely possible both players will sit out the Blazers' remaining four games. Check back Friday morning to see if either player will be able to go against OKC. If both are sidelined, Victor Claver would likely start for Batum while Meyers Leonard would start at center.

J.J. Hickson will not play on Wednesday night due to a sore lower back.

Meyers Leonard will start in his place, while it's interesting that Hickson didn't miss a game all season until rumors came out that he was not likely to return to the Blazers next season. It doesn't really matter what the problem is, as fantasy owners are not going to be able to use him tonight. Check back on his status going forward, as this is an injury/situation that could linger the rest of the way.

J.J. Hickson (back spasms) is considered a game-time decision against the Lakers on Wednesday night.

Hickson hasn't missed a game all season but the back injury popped up Tuesday afternoon. With the Blazers firmly out of the playoff chase and Hickson approaching free agency, there's not a ton of incentive for Hickson to push through the pain. We should know more after pregame warmups. Meyers Leonard would likely start if Hickson can't play.

J.J. Hickson is not expected to re-sign with the Blazers after the season.

"For us to make a jump next season, JJ can't be our starting center,'' GM Neil Olshey said. "I'm not saying he can't be part of the roster. But we need to find a starting-caliber center who protects the rim and gets defensive rebounds at a high rate and that has a presence." The Blazers give up an eye-popping 47.4 points in the point per game, and they desperately need a rim protector alongside LaMarcus Aldridge. Hickson will be looking to command a multi-year deal in free agency.

J.J. Hickson (back) is questionable and Wesley Matthews (ankle) is out for Wednesday's game against the Lakers.

J.J. Hickson, who scored seven points on Monday, finished Wednesday's lopsided defeat with 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.

Hickson's playing time tends to hover below 30 minutes per game, which leads to some erratic nights, but he biggest blow to his fantasy value is an appalling lack of shot blocking -- in Portland's last 13 games, Hickson has a grand total of three blocks. His double-double potential tends to jump off the page, but owners should remember the numbers above on draft day next year.