Chicago Bulls center Jalen Smith (ankle) will not play in Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to a sore left ankle. Smith, who typically logs around 15 minutes per game, plays a key role in providing rebounding and defense off the bench. His next chance to return will be on Monday against the Hornets. With Smith sidelined, Torrey Craig is expected to step up and take on additional minutes backing up Nikola Vucevic at center.
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (ankle) will return from a one-game absence on Friday against Boston. The 24-year-old missed Wednesday's clash against Orlando with an ankle injury and was initially regarded as questionable for Friday's NBA Cup action. Smith operates as Nikola Vucevic's backup, which limits his fantasy value. He has averaged 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 14.5 minutes this season. Friday's matchup is a tough one for Chicago's big men, as Boston allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing centers.
Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. Smith sat out of Wednesday's loss due to a left ankle sprain. The Bulls are likely going to wait and see how Smith feels pregame before making a final decision. E.J. Liddell played a season-high 17 minutes without Smith on the court during Wednesday's game. He finished with five points and four rebounds with two assists. The expectation is that Liddell will be Nikola Vucevic's primary backup if Smith is unable to play. Fantasy managers should be able to find a better streaming option than Liddell for Friday's game.
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (illness) remains on the injury report as he deals with an illness and he's officially listed as questionable for the contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 24-year-old was previously listed with a knee injury ahead of their game on Saturday and was able to play through it. The illness is a new issue appearing on the injury report, so this could come down to a game-time decision. If he's unable to play, Julian Phillips and Matas Buzelis may see some extra minutes from the bench while Patrick Williams could get some extended time too.
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (knee) will be available for Saturday's matchup against Atlanta. The 24-year-old carries a knee problem, which has made him a regular on the injury report, but he's missed only one game this season. Working as the backup center, Smith has averaged 8.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 14.4 minutes. Atlanta tends to struggle against opposing centers, allowing the 11th-most fantasy points to the position this season; however, Smith is unlikely to see much action behind Nikola Vucevic.
Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (knee) is available for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz. Smith was sidelined during Wednesday's win over Orlando due to a left knee effusion, though he was able to play in Friday's loss to Brooklyn. The 24-year-old has impacted in a limited run off the bench this season. He's averaged 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds across 13.6 minutes per game in five regular-season appearances.
Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (knee) is probable for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz due to left knee effusion. After missing one game due to the injury, the 24-year-old returned on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets, posting five points, five rebounds, and a block in just 14 minutes. Currently, Smith is delivering solid production with averages of 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while playing only 13.8 minutes per contest. As the backup center to Nikola Vucevic, he is expected to continue providing valuable depth in that role.
Jalen Smith Listed As Questionable For Friday Night Against Brooklyn
Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (knee) is listed as questionable for Friday night's matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. Smith is dealing with left knee soreness that kept him out of Chicago's most recent game against Memphis on Wednesday night. Smith has been decently effective when active, averaging 11.5 PPG in 13.7 minutes while shooting 57.1% from three. If he's unable to suit up on Friday the beneficiary of more playing time is likely to be Patrick Williams. Though already in the starting lineup, Williams should see a boost in minutes and potentially more opportunities from deep, especially if teammate Zach LaVine is also unable to suit up.
Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Smith is expected to decline his $5.4 million player option for the 2024 season. This doesn't come as a surprise considering Smith should be able to earn much more than that in free agency. Smith posted career highs in field goal percentage and three-point percentage last season. He took a solid step forward during his fourth season and should have no shortage of suitors this offseason. Smith should be able to produce reliable fantasy value with basically any organization.
"Early Belief" Jalen Smith Will Decline Player Option
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com, there's an "early belief" that Indiana Pacers forward/center Jalen Smith will decline his $5.4 million player option and enter free agency this offseason. The 2020 No. 10 overall pick has spent the last three seasons with the Pacers. He averaged 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks during the 2021-22 campaign. However, his production has trended downward since. Smith saw limited action for the Pacers in 2023-24. Yet, in his 14 starts, he averaged 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds. It's evident Smith can be productive, so a change of scenery could do wonders for his fantasy value heading toward the regular season.
Jalen Smith
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