Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (illness) remains questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. The big man has been under the weather, and he missed Friday's meeting with the Denver Nuggets. Wendell Carter Jr. (knee) was also unavailable, so Moritz Wagner moved into the starting lineup. He played well, amassing 19 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals. If Bitadze and Carter miss another game, Wagner remains a must-start in all fantasy leagues.

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (illness) is out on Friday versus the Denver Nuggets. Wendell Carter Jr. (knee) is also out, joining Markelle Fultz (knee) and Franz Wagner (ankle) on the shelf versus the defending champs. As a result, Moritz Wagner will slide into the starting lineup. The 26-year-old has averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds this season. However, he should see a significant increase in production on Friday, so he's worth streaming in all fantasy formats. He'll also make an ideal value option for those participating in DFS contests.

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, the 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. 

Introduction

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 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

... [More]

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 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]

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 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]

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) won't play against the Philadelphia 76ers. While Bitadze had been able to play through his nagging right foot soreness for weeks, the ailment finally caught up to him. As a result, Isaiah Jackson will take over in the middle on Tuesday night, with the 20-year-old averaging 11.8 points, 6.8 boards, and 2.3 blocks throughout 12 starts this season. However, he'll have to contend with Joel Embiid, which won't be an easy task on either end of the court. Jalen Smith could also benefit from Bitadze's absence, although he'll likely be in the same boat as Jackson.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) is questionable leading up to Tuesday's battle against Philadelphia. Bitadze has carried this same designation for weeks, so the injury report wouldn't be complete unless he was on it. Nevertheless, the big man logged only nine minutes versus Detroit on Sunday, so DFS managers should think twice before utilizing his services in any format, assuming he plays. Instead, Oshae Brissett, Isaiah Jackson, and Jalen Smith should be the preferred fantasy options, although all of them are risky options.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) is listed as available for Sunday's meeting with the Detroit Pistons. The 22-year-old has been a frequent mention on the league's injury report for a while now because of right foot soreness, so the update isn't much of a surprise. Bitadze has averaged 13.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks across 15 appearances in the starting lineup this season, although he's been playing better since the All-Star break.

In a somewhat surprising development, the Indiana Pacers will have Goga Bitadze (foot), Oshae Brissett (back) and Isaiah Jackson (head) all available for Friday night's game against the Boston Celtics. All three had been listed as questionable going into the day. Bitadze is the only player from the trio of big men who played in the team's last two games. Brissett has missed the last two contests with lower back soreness and Jackson has only played in one game since March 15, when he suffered a concussion. All three of these players are suddenly a bit risky for fantasy purposes, as is Jalen Smith, who has been regularly suiting up lately. Bitadze and Smith are the safest options, in that order. Brissett would be next. Jackson had been looking great in early March, but he's tough to trust in his return.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) will officially be active for Wednesday night's game against the Denver Nuggets. The 22-year-old is dealing with right foot soreness, but he's been able to mostly play through it. On Monday, he logged 30 minutes and racked up 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. He should see around 30 minutes once again on Wednesday, especially with Isaiah Jackson (head) sidelined once again.

The Indiana Pacers have four players listed as questionable ahead of Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets: Malcolm Brogdon (rest), Goga Bitadze (foot), Isaiah Jackson (head) and Duane Washington Jr. (hip). Of all four of these players, Bitadze is the only one who played in the team's most recent game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. He logged 30 minutes in the game and racked up 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Brogdon, meanwhile, has been rested by the team for five straight games and it seems imminent that the Pacers will officially shut him down for the year any day now.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) will be available for Monday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. The 22-year-old has been battling a right foot injury for a few weeks now and it's resulted in him missing a few games, but he's been solid when he's played through the injury. Most recently, this past Thursday, he logged 30 minutes against the Memphis Grizzlies and racked up 14 points, four rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Isaiah Jackson (head) will remain out for Monday's game, so Bitadze, Jalen Smith and Oshae Brissett will be the team's trio of big men.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) is listed as questionable ahead of the upcoming meeting with Atlanta. The 22-year-old has battled right foot soreness for a while now, and his availability has been hit or miss as a result. He didn't suit up on Saturday night in Toronto, allowing Jalen Smith to start and finish with 15 points, six boards, and three blocks. Nonetheless, Isaiah Jackson (headaches) won't play versus the Hawks, so if Bitadze joins him on the shelf, Smith has plenty of upside in any fantasy format imaginable.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) is available for Thursday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He'll be available for the second game of the back-to-back set, which is great news for Indiana. Both Isaiah Jackson (head) and Jalen Smith (illness) have been ruled out for Thursday's game. That means, Bitadze should be a must-play in all fantasy formats with Oshae Brissett getting increased value as well.

Indiana Pacers center Jalen Smith (illness), who sat out with a non-COVID illness on Wednesday, is not on the injury report for Thursday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Keep in mind that he also wasn't on Wednesday's injury report until about 90 minutes before tip-off, when the team suddenly ruled him out with an illness. As of now, he's in. But stay tuned. Isaiah Jackson (head) returned from a two-game absence due to a concussion on Wednesday, then left Wednesday's game with what the team called a "headache." He is officially out on Thursday. The final piece of the puzzle is Goga Bitadze (foot), who is questionable with a sore right foot. He played through the injury on Wednesday and racked up 20 points and nine boards over 29 minutes. He's a must-start player if he's active. Smith is also someone who is basically a must-start, and his value increases even more if Bitadze sits.

Indiana Pacers centers Isaiah Jackson (head) and Goga Bitadze (foot) will both be active for Wednesday night's game against the Sacramento Kings. Jackson missed the team's last two games while going through the league's concussion protocol. Bitadze, meanwhile, is hampered by a foot injury. He played through the injury on Sunday and scored 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting over 24 minutes. The Pacers will be without Jalen Smith (illness) for Wednesday's game, so both Jackson and Bitadze are worthy starters in just about all fantasy formats, with Jackson being the more enticing of the pair.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) is on the injury report ahead of Sunday's meeting against Portland. The big man is once again questionable because of right foot soreness, an ailment he's dealt with for quite some time. He did manage to suit up during Friday's game against the Houston Rockets, logging 26 minutes of working and finishing with 23 points, nine boards, and three steals, so it appears he has a good chance of playing. The Pacers could certainly use him out there, primarily with Isaiah Jackson (concussion) already ruled out. Jalen Smith (concussion) is also questionable, so Oshae Brissett and Terry Taylor could be in store for more work.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) is listed as questionable leading up to Saturday's showdown against the Spurs. The 22-year-old big man has been dealing with right foot soreness for a while now, although he managed to suit up for his team's previous two games while averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds during that span. Nevertheless, if Bitadze isn't healthy enough to go, Isaiah Jackson, Oshae Brissett, and Jalen Smith should get extra work. However, none can be trusted fully from a fantasy standpoint.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) will play against Washington. The big man had been dealing with right foot soreness, and he didn't suit up on Friday night in Detroit as a result. Nonetheless, the team will certainly welcome him back with open arms, although it may cause the fantasy stock of Isaiah Jackson, who had 12 points, 10 boards, and four blocks versus the Pistons, to dwindle somewhat.

Indiana Pacers center Goga Bitadze (foot) was previously cleared to play in Friday's game vs. the Pistons, but he has now been ruled out as he continues to work through a sprained right foot. Isaiah Jackson has taken over as the team's starting center with Myles Turner (foot) sidelined, which has forced Bitadze into a limited reserve role that has eliminated much of his fantasy appeal. Without Bitadze available, Terry Taylor could snag an additional handful of minutes, but Jackson remains the vastly more intriguing DFS option. The next chance for Bitadze to suit up comes Sunday against Washington.