Washington Wizards guard Shabazz Napier (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Boston Celtics. He wasn't doing much damage when he was in the rotation, so this won't be a huge blow to the team. Troy Brown should draw the start with Ish Smith coming off the bench. Brown has struggled during the bubble, but is worth a look in DFS contests due to the fact he'll see significant playing time.
Washington Wizards guard Shabazz Napier (ankle) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The team has no incentive to play Napier at less than 100 percent, so he'll more than likely sit out. That means, Troy Brown, Ish Smith, and Jerome Robinson will see more playing time on Tuesday. Brown probably has the highest ceiling out of them all, but none of them are reliable DFS options.
Washington Wizards point guard Shabazz Napier responded well to being demoted to the second unit, dropping 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting in Monday's 111-100 loss to the Pacers. He also had four assists, two rebounds, and one block with three turnovers in 22 minutes. Ish Smith, who replaced Napier in the starting lineup, also logged 22 minutes but recorded only 12 points with four assists and two rebounds. Playing off the bench certainly helped Napier here and it should also suit him on Wednesday against the Sixers. However, he remains a risky play in DFS competitions due to his inconsistent performances.
Wizards Expected to Pursue Shabazz Napier in Free Agency
Washington Wizards point guard Shabazz Napier is eligible to be a free agent at the end of the season. General manager Tommy Sheppard said that the organization wants to keep Napier around longer than the 2019-2020 season. He was acquired from the Denver Nuggets earlier in the season in exchange for guard Jordan McRae. He was averaging 12.2 points, 4.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals during 15 games with Washington before the NBA went on hiatus. John Wall (Achilles) is expected to be back next season, but the Wizards still want Napier in the mix. It's unlikely that Napier carries significant fantasy value if Wall is back at full strength next season.
Washington Wizards point guard Shabazz Napier recorded his second consecutive 20-point game on Tuesday, going for 21 points on 6-for-12 shooting against the Knicks. He was 3-for-7 from downtown and a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Napier also had six assists, three steals and a pair of rebounds. With Ish Smith (hamstring) out, Napier got a promotion to the starting lineup and he's impressed at both ends of the court. Getting it done offensively will be difficult in the next matchup, though, as the Wizards take on the Celtics, who boast the fourth-best defense in the league.
Washington Wizards guard Shabazz Napier will jump into the starting five for Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. Napier dropped 27 points during Monday's game, so head coach Scott Brooks will give him the nod here. It's unlikely that Napier goes off again, but he'll have increased value in the starting five. He'll be worth looking at as a streaming option or cheap DFS choice for Wednesday's slate. Ish Smith will head to the second unit and won't see as big of a role in the rotation here.
Shabazz Napier Scores 27 Points Off The Bench Versus Milwaukee
Washington Wizards point guard Shabazz Napier exploded for 27 points in an overtime loss to the Bucks on Monday, shooting 10 of 17 from the field along with seven assists, four rebounds, three three-pointers and two steals. Napier posted his season high for points in 36 minutes of action, the most he's seen since the first of the month. Washington is incredibly thin at the point guard spot, relying on the duo of Napier and Ish Smith to fill minutes. It didn't matter that Napier came off the bench against Milwaukee. He managed to snap a three-game streak of single-digit scoring outings against one of the league's best defenses. He'll get his follow-up on Wednesday where the absence of Kyrie Irving presents a potentially favorable matchup against Brooklyn.
Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier Are Acquired by Denver
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Keita Bates-Diop and guard Shabazz Napier have been traded to the Denver Nuggets in a blockbuster four-team trade. Denver trades guard Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomezand forward Jarred Vanderbilt in this move. This is an interesting move for Denver, where the biggest piece of this trade might be the first-round pick they acquired from Houston. Bates-Diop could have some short-term value while the Nuggets are banged up, but he'll quickly get lost in the rotation. Napier will get some minutes without Beasley here anymore, but not enough to warrant adding in fantasy leagues. The Nuggets also get forward Noah Vonleh and guard/forward Gerald Green (foot), but both players won't have much value going forward.
Shabazz Napier Notches Double-Double Against Clippers
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Shabazz Napier produced an 11-point, 10-assist double-double in Saturday's 118-106 loss to the Clippers, adding four rebounds and two steals with four turnovers. He shot 4-for-11 from the field, missing all but one of his four attempts from deep. Napier had a nice seven-day run, which also included his first career triple-double. He's done a solid job since taking over the starting role from Jeff Teague, and with the veteran guard now out of town, Napier is set for a strong finish to the season. He'll battle De'Aaron Fox next in a matchup against Sacramento, which could prove to be a difficult one. The Kings have been a top-10 defensive side against point guards this season.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Shabazz Napier scored 16 points with five rebounds, four assists, and three triples in a 117-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Napier has been very streaky offensively this year, though it's worth noting he's posted career-highs in minutes, shot attempts, rebounds, and assists. The 28-year-old got off to a red-hot start in January before coming back down to Earth. He's an option in deeper leagues, though fantasy owners will have to weather his shooting slumps.