NBA Minutes Report: How Jimmy Butler’s injury, Domantas Sabonis’ return impacts minutes

Welcome to the Fantasy Basketball Minutes Report. Every week, I will review each team’s updated minutes per game to see which players are seeing the court more or less than in previous weeks. With this information in hand, I’ll try to discuss any relevant fantasy risers or fallers; players who we should be adding off waivers or removing from our teams.

The charts below are also great for exploring on your own. You can track the minutes over the last three, five, and ten games, and for the entire season, to see which trends stand out to you.

Advertisement

All of this data was made accessible by Kyle Bland, who is incredibly talented and also extremely generous. Be sure to follow him to check out all of his baseball data as well.

2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Top 200 Rankings: Warriors lose Jimmy Butler to torn ACL

With Butler’s season-ending injury, fantasy managers are forced to pivot after the loss of a top-25 player.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have been without Kristaps Porziņģis and Zaccharie Risacher for six games and will be without them for another week. I recorded a video this week discussing the Hawks’ rotation in the wake of that.

Boston Celtics

It’s just lather, rinse, repeat with the Celtics this season. Sam Hauser is now seeing the majority of the minutes at power forward, but that spot has been a rotation all season. I should note that Neemias Queta is a top 100 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks, averaging 12 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.6 blocks over his last seven games.

Advertisement

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets scored just 66 points against the Knicks on Wednesday. 66 points in a full NBA game. Woof. This team is fully healthy as well. After a strong stretch, Egor Dëmin has come back down to Earth, and the Nets are simply rotating too many players to get much value out of most of them.

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are pretty healthy now, but they have decided to limit LaMelo Ball‘s minutes in recent games to help him through a few bumps and bruises. In fact, he’s even come off the bench recently ahead of back-to-backs. It’s unclear how long this will last, but it’s a situation worth monitoring. Moussa Diabaté has also seen his fantasy value take a hit since Ryan Kalkbrenner returned to cut into his minutes, but that shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Advertisement

Chicago Bulls

Josh Giddey (hamstring) remains out but could return over the weekend or next week. That could impact Tre Jones’ value, but Jones has been a top 55 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks, averaging 15 points, 7.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in six games. He’s worth playing until Giddey returns. Patrick Williams is also dealing with an ankle sprain, which has led to more minutes for Jalen Smith, who has been a top 100 player over the last two weeks. I’d love to see Ayo Dosunmu traded to a place where he can play a bit more.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Sam Merrill and Darius Garland remain out, which has led to more minutes for Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade, who returned from an injury of his own. Tyson has been a fringe top 100 player, and Garland is expected to miss at least another week, which should help Tyson maintain his value. Wade played 16 minutes in his return and then 27 minutes in his second game, so he’s likely to play near 30 minutes a game in the coming weeks.

Advertisement

Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg returned this week after missing two games, but Daniel Gafford has been battling an ankle injury, which has led to more minutes for Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell. None of the big men are worth chasing other than Naji Marshall, who is at the center of some trade rumors and could be dealt into a bench role on a contender soon.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets’ injury list is incredibly long. Cameron Johnson remains out indefinitely, but Jonas Valanciunas and Christian Braun could both return this weekend, while Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are managing bumps and bruises that don’t figure to keep them out long. Peyton Watson has been incredible in the interim, averaging 20.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks in the last seven games, which is top 40 value in fantasy basketball.

Advertisement

Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham has been dealing with an illness and a hip injury, which have limited his minutes, but neither appears to be overly serious. Tobias Harris has returned and immediately resumed his normal role, which has limited Isaiah Stewart‘s usage and value. You have to wonder if the Pistons would be better off trading Jaden Ivey since their rotation is so deep that he rarely plays.

Golden State Warriors

The biggest injury of the week was Jimmy Butler going down with a torn ACL. I covered that injury and the fallout for the Warriors in a video this week.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets had been operating at the status quo for a while, but Steven Adams is now likely to be sidelined for over a month with a severe ankle sprain. In the one game since that occurred, we saw Josh Okogie move back into the starting lineup, but Tari Eason played more minutes. We also saw Clint Capela only play 12 minutes, so he may not see the boost in time that many expected.

Advertisement

Indiana Pacers

Isaiah Jackson returned from injury but is only averaging 11 minutes per game in his three games back. There’s just very little to be excited about or to discuss here.

Fantasy Basketball Week 2 Injury Report: Luka Dončić, Anthony Edwards headline the list of sidelined stars

The Pacers, Lakers and Thunder are among the teams with lengthy injury reports at the halfway point of Week 2.

Los Angeles Clippers

Kawhi Leonard has missed the last three games with a knee injury, which has allowed Jordan Miller to step up. Miller is averaging 14.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.6 steals over his last seven games. That’s been a nice boost for the Clippers, but when it comes to on-court production, this is really just a two-man team with some rotating pieces around them.

Advertisement

Los Angeles Lakers

Austin Reaves is inching closer to a return, which would likely lead to a minutes hit for Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia. However, until that happens, this remains even more of a two-man team than the Clippers, with not one Lakers player in the top 135 in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks other than LeBron James and Luka Dončić.

Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant returned from his calf injury, but the Grizzlies are still dealing with injuries to a few other players and sorting out a rotation that seems destined to be impacted by the trade deadline. I recorded a video this week going into all of it.

Advertisement

Miami Heat

Kel’el Ware has been battling a hamstring injury, which has hurt his minutes and production. Tyler Herro is also dealing with a rib injury that will sideline him at least another week. That has led to plenty of minutes and production for Jaime Jaquez Jr. and a slight boost for Davion Mitchell.

Milwaukee Bucks

Man, does it seem like Giannis Antetokounmpo wants out. He’s taking the fewest shots that he’s ever taken. With Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique) also getting hurt again, we’re likely to see a lot of Ryan Rollins over the next few weeks. We could also see Gary Trent Jr. back in the rotation and/or Bobby Portis take on more work.

Advertisement

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves are pretty healthy right now, so there’s not much to say here, but I did record a video on just how good Anthony Edwards has been this season.

New Orleans Pelicans

Zion Williamson is dealing with an illness right now, and Herb Jones is still battling his ankle injury. Yet, no new players have really stepped up. Derik Queen is in a bit of a slump but remains a top 80 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks. There’s little else of note here.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are a bit of a mess right now, as I covered in a video this week. The good news is that Jalen Brunson returned from his ankle injury, and Landry Shamet made his return from a shoulder injury, so the team is healthy. Other than Josh Hart, who admitted he came back from his ankle injury early because the team was struggling. The biggest question surrounding the Knicks right now is whether or not they can win with Karl-Anthony Towns or if he needs to be moved at the deadline.

Advertisement

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are not only dealing with an injury to Jalen Williams, which I discussed in a video this week, but Ajay Mitchell also got hurt on Wednesday night. With Alex Caruso also battling a groin injury, expect a lot of work for Aaron Wiggins, but the Thunder’s impressive depth is starting to be tested right now.

Orlando Magic

Jalen Suggs is still inching closer to a return from a hip injury, but Franz Wagner returned late last week for the Magic’s game in Berlin, Germany. I covered the fallout from his return in a video last week.

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers are continuing to monitor minutes for Joel Embiid and Paul George as the two veterans recover from knee injuries. Good thing for Philadelphia that Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a bona fide star and the face of the franchise, as I covered in a video this week.

Advertisement

Phoenix Suns

The Suns got Jalen Green back this week and are now playing Grayson Allen a full complement of minutes with him fully recovered from his own injury. My colleague, Noah Rubin, broke all of that down in a video this week.

Portland Trail Blazers

Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday are back, but Portland is continuing to monitor their minutes. That has allowed Caleb Love to remain in the rotation. Shaedon Sharpe has also had a nice month of January, and is averaging 23 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over his last six games. That’s top 50 value in fantasy basketball.

Advertisement

Sacramento Kings

Domantas Sabonis has returned, but the Kings are going to be cautious with his minutes as they look to keep him healthy and trade him at the deadline. One name to watch is Dylan Cardwell. He has entered the rotation and flashed some intriguing ability and skills on the glass. If the Kings do make some trades, he could see a big bump in minutes and usage.

San Antonio Spurs

Devin Vassell (thigh) remains out, and Luke Kornet is dealing with an adductor injury, so Julian Champagnie continues to see big minutes, and the Spurs are starting to increase Victor Wembanyama‘s playing time. This team operates through Wmeby, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle, so those are really the only three names to know for fantasy purposes.

Advertisement

Toronto Raptors

RJ Barrett (ankle), Jakob Poeltl (back), and Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) remain sidelined. That has really just led to more usage for Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who are both top 20 players over the last week. Sandro Mamukelashvili has also stepped up of late and has some value as long as Murray-Boyles remains out (which might not be long).

Utah Jazz

The Jazz injury list is long because tons of guys are listed as Questionable as the team rotates which players to give days off to in their quest to tank but not do it so obviously. That has led to more minutes and usage for Brice Sensabaugh, who has taken advantage of the opportunity and should continue to play big minutes with the stars resting.

Advertisement

Washington Wizards

Bilal Coulibaly is hurt yet again, and Khris Middleton is battling an illness. This team is now driven by Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr, with Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson occasionally popping up for solid performances.