Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo (back) will return to the lineup on Monday against the Denver Nuggets, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. The talented big man has been nursing a lower back injury lately, missing two games. Pelle Larsson filled in for Adebayo in the starting lineup and will likely drop back to the bench on Monday, despite a pair of quality performances. Adebayo had a two-point dud in his first meeting with Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets this season. His recent form isn't encouraging either, as Adebayo has finished two of his last four appearances with fewer than 10 points.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (back) will suit up on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets. The veteran star is dealing with lower back soreness but is ready to make his ninth consecutive appearance in the second leg of a back-to-back. While Butler struggled to hit shots in Sunday's overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors, he still had a decent fantasy line with 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Monday night could also prove to be difficult on the offensive end for Butler, as the Nets have been among the NBA's best defensive teams in recent weeks.

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Sion James (illness) will remain in the lineup on Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks. He was initially handed a questionable tag on the injury report due to illness. James had a multi-week spell as a starter last month and could return to the first unit on Monday due to Kon Knueppel's (ankle) absence. However, even in a starting role, James has not been an appealing fantasy option, averaging 7.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (hip) is unavailable for Monday's matchup with the Toronto Raptors. Suggs will miss his seventh straight game due to a left hip contusion. Tyus Jones should continue to start while Suggs is sidelined. Jones will continue to be a short-term fantasy assists streamer posting averages of 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists during his last six appearances. Jase Richardson should also still see an expanded role this evening with Suggs on the shelf.

Katy Winge of Altitude Sports reports that Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman said there's a chance we see forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and guard Christian Braun (ankle) on this roadtrip for Denver. "Hoping at the back end of this road trip we see them," said Adelman. The Nuggets are in the midst of a seven-game road trip that began on Saturday in Orlando. Gordon has been out since November 21 due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain. Braun has been dealing with a left ankle sprain and has been sidelined since November 12. Both players are on the team's road trip and participated in a pregame workout before Saturday's 127-126 loss in Orlando. Fantasy managers should expect them to return likely during the first week of the new year.

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. (calf) will return from a two-game absence on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets. Trent Jr. recently sustained a calf contusion in a game against the Indiana Pacers, but the team has upgraded his status from questionable to available. During the season, the 26-year-old has been in and out of the starting lineup, averaging 9.6 points and 1.6 assists in 26.8 minutes. Unfortunately, Trent Jr. has not provided much fantasy production, and his performances against Charlotte have been even poorer, as he has notched 5.0 points per game across two contests.

Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff (ankle) is available for Monday's matchup with the Houston Rockets. Huff was tagged as questionable on Sunday for tonight's tilt due to a left ankle sprain. The 28-year-old has appeared in all 32 Pacers games this season and will play once again this evening. Despite posting 11 points, one rebound, two assists, one steal and three blocks on Saturday against Miami, he will likely make a minimal impact in fantasy going up against a solid Rockets defense.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell (hamstring) is set to suit up against the Houston Rockets. McConnell will return to the floor on Monday after missing Saturday's matchup against Miami due to hamstring soreness. The 33-year-old veteran backup point guard is averaging 10.0 points, 4.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 16.8 minutes per contest across 20 games this season. He's finished with 16 points in two of his last three outings, going into this evening.

Golden State Warriors center Al Horford (toe) is back on the injury report and won't play on Monday night in Brooklyn. The 39-year-old has been in street clothes more often than his uniform in his first season with the Warriors. When he's active, he's playing about 20 minutes per game, while shooting a career-low 36% from the field. Quentin Post will continue to start at center for Golden State, with Trayce Jackson-Davis filling in the gaps.

Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (knee) won't be a part of the rotation Monday night when the Suns visit the Washington Wizards. The second-year forward is managing soreness in his right knee, which caused him to miss Saturday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Dunn sees about 22 minutes of action per game, mostly off the bench, and averages 7.2 points, five rebounds, and 1.3 steals. The Phoenix rotation is ravaged by injuries, and the coaching staff used a committee approach to fill the gaps on Saturday. Starters Collin Gillespie and Royce O'Neale, along with sixth-man Jordan Goodwin, have seen increased roles recently.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (Achilles) is slated to miss a sixth consecutive game with left Achilles tendonitis on Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks. The veteran remains without a timetable to return, putting his status for Wednesday's matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder also in doubt. Forward Kris Murray (quad), who has started during Grant's absence, is questionable. Murray hasn't taken advantage of his increased minutes (7.2 points per game in his last five starts), and Sidy Cissoko likely won't either if he's forced into the lineup.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (suspension) will serve the first game of his two-game suspension on Monday against the New York Knicks. The league handed down the suspension after Alvarado got into a fight with Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams on Saturday night. Alvarado will also sit out the matchup with the Chicago Bulls on New Year's Eve. The reserve guard is averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 assists, and one steal per game. Jordan Poole should see an uptick in minutes off the bench behind starting point guard Jeremiah Fears.

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (knee) won't play in the second night of a back-to-back on Monday, following an extended absence with a knee sprain. The 25-year-old played just under 24 minutes on Sunday after missing the previous 15 games, scoring 12 points and grabbing seven rebounds. With fellow starter Jakob Poeltl (back) also sidelined, Ochai Agbaji and Sandro Mamukelashvili should pick up starts again when the Raptors host the Orlando Magic.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (back) will miss his fourth-straight game with a back injury when his team hosts the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Poeltl missed two games earlier this month and aggravated the injury after about seven minutes of playing time on December 21st. Toronto will also be without forward RJ Barrett (knee), so Sandro Mamukelashvili is likely to pick up his fifth start in the last seven games. He's averaged 17.2 and 7.2 rebounds in those starts and is squarely on the fantasy basketball radar.

Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (suspension) will miss Monday's meeting with the Washington Wizards. He'll get a night off without pay for his role in a physical altercation with Jose Alvarado during Saturday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Williams will likely be back on Wednesday in Cleveland. In the meantime, Oso Ighodaro, averaging 6.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in six starts this season, is expected to replace Williams in the rotation.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) won't play on Monday against New Orleans. The 2018 No. 36 overall pick was on the court for Saturday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, finishing with six points, nine boards, two steals, and one block. He'll sit this one out to rest before presumably returning on Wednesday night versus the San Antonio Spurs. With Robinson out of the mix, Ariel Hukporti and Guerschon Yabusele might see more work, although neither player can be trusted from a fantasy standpoint despite the favorable matchup.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (illness) won't play on Monday against OKC. With Trae Young (quadriceps) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) ruled out, Johnson would have been in line for an expanded role. Unfortunately, he's not feeling well, so only time will tell if he'll be healthy enough to get back on the court on Wednesday versus the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. While Johnson is on the shelf, Onyeka Okongwu, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are the favorites to lead the way offensively. On the other hand, streaming consideration can be given to Zaccharie Risacher, Vit Krejci, and Asa Newell. However, it might be a tough night for anyone on the Hawks' roster in a meeting with the top defensive team in the National Basketball Association.

Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (knee) won't suit up on Monday night against the Suns. The veteran logged 23 minutes in Sunday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies, finishing with 10 points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block. As usual, he'll sit out the second of back-to-back contests. With Kyshawn George (hip) also ruled out, Justin Champagnie might enter the starting lineup. The 24-year-old has averaged 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in eight starts throughout the 2025 campaign. With that in mind, Champagnie is worth streaming in most fantasy formats even if he comes off the bench behind Bilal Coulibaly.

Washington Wizards guard Kyshawn George (hip) won't play on Monday against Phoenix. He was active for Friday's win over the Toronto Raptors, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists. However, the 22-year-old is now battling a left hip flexor strain, forcing him out for a second-straight contest. With Khris Middleton (knee) resting, Tre Johnson is the favorite to remain in the starting lineup. The 2025 No. 6 overall pick got the start in Sunday's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, ending the night with 14 points, four assists, one steal, and one block in 26 minutes of work. Johnson will likely see a little more action, giving him a favorable fantasy outlook despite a challenging game on tap.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) won't play on Monday night when his team hosts the Atlanta Hawks due to a left soleus strain. Hartenstein has missed several games with lower-body injuries this season, but it remains to be seen how much time he'll miss this time around. The Thunder will also be without big Jaylin Williams (heel), so it wouldn't be surprising if the coaching staff goes with a smaller lineup against the Hawks.