Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (ankle) has been downgraded to out ahead of Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was initially listed as questionable, but will ultimately take a seat due to a lingering ankle injury. The expectation is that his playing time will be split up between Klay Thompson and Tyus Jones during Friday's game. Neither guard has been a consistent contributor lately, but Thompson has the higher update between the two of them. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of tip-off.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Cooper Flagg (ankle) won't play on Saturday versus the Utah Jazz. It will be the former Duke Blue Devil's second absence since injuring his ankle during Wednesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. With Flagg, Anthony Davis (finger), Daniel Gafford (ankle), and D'Angelo Russell (illness) all out, the Mavs should get increased production from Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson, and Max Christie (illness), who is available after missing the last two games, in a meeting with a Jazz team that has struggled defensively all season.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (illness) is probable for Saturday's game against Utah after missing two contests, setting up a return to a prominent role. Christie has been productive over his last nine games, averaging 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.4 three-pointers in 31.7 minutes, production that has held with Anthony Davis (finger) sidelined. His return could squeeze Brandon Williams, who started the past two games and played well, back into a bench role. Christie profiles as a strong hold in season-long leagues, with stable minutes and usage supporting streamer value if Dallas manages his workload cautiously.

Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (illness) will likely miss a second straight game after being listed as doubtful for Thursday's game against the Jazz, which finishes out his team's back-to-back. The Mavs didn't have Christie against the Bulls on Wednesday, and they also lost Cooper Flagg (ankle) in that contest. Flagg is also doubtful for Thursday's matchup, leaving lots of time and usage available in the backcourt for Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard, Jaden Hardy, and Naji Marshall. If Christie can make it back into the lineup before Flagg, he could get expanded usage and be an interesting fantasy option, but he'll need to beat this illness first.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (illness) won't play on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets. This comes as no surprise, since Dallas listed Christie as doubtful on the initial injury report. Christie's absence opens up a spot in the starting lineup. Klay Thompson and Ryan Nembhard are the main candidates to join the first unit. Wednesday's matchup looks like a great spot for Thompson, as Denver gives up the 10th-most three-point attempts in the league.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (illness) is listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. Christie is battling an illness and may be absent from the Mavericks' lineup for the first time since Dec. 22. The 22-year-old has made eight straight starts, averaging 15.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over that span. If Christie can't play in Wednesday's game, we may see Klay Thompson join the starting lineup. At the same time, Jaden Hardy could also have a larger role.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (illness) is considered probable for Thursday's matchup against the Golden State Warriors. He looks ready to return to the lineup on Christmas Day after missing two contests due to illness. Christie is averaging a career-high 11.4 points on 45.3 percent three-point shooting, also notching 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. However, Christie's production has been inconsistent since he was relegated to a bench role earlier this month, making him difficult to trust in fantasy.

Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (illness) won't play on Tuesday versus Denver, marking his second-straight absence. Under normal circumstances, his absence wouldn't be a significant concern. However, with Klay Thompson (knee) and P.J. Washington (foot) sidelined, Christie could have seen additional action. Fortunately, Brandon Williams (ankle) is available, which will help. D'Angelo Russell should also see more work while Williams is on the shelf. His next chance to suit up will be on Thursday for the Christmas clash with the Golden State Warriors.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (illness) won't take the court on Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The 22-year-old is battling an illness and could miss back-to-back games, as Dallas is also scheduled to play on Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. Christie's departure from the lineup creates additional playing opportunities for players like Klay Thompson and Jaden Hardy. This is a fantastic fantasy matchup for the Mavericks, as they face a team that has the third-lowest defensive rating in the league.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (shoulder) will be in the lineup on Monday against the Sacramento Kings. Christie was initially regarded as questionable for the game due to a shoulder sprain. This will be Christie's fourth appearance as a Maverick. He has looked great over his first few outings, averaging 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. With P.J. Washington (ankle) joining Anthony Davis (adductor) on the sidelines, Christie may be asked to do a bit more offensively on Monday night.

Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie is available for Tuesday's matchup with the 76ers. Christie was involved in the blockbuster trade involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. It will be his first game for the Mavs after he averaged 8.5 points, 2.7 rebound, and 1.4 assists in 46 games with the Lakers. It's unknown how much action Christie will see. However, the 21-year-old appears to have a bright future, so he's worth stashing on fantasy rosters even if he gets off to a slow start with his new squad.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (ankle) is available ahead of Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Christie returns to the floor after missing each of the last two games before the All-Star break. The absences of Cam Reddish (ankle) and LeBron James (ankle) should mean an increased role for Christie. He's worth a look as a possible deep league streaming option while he has an expanded role in the rotation.

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Max Christie (ankle) will skip a second consecutive game on Tuesday versus Detroit. The youngster sprained his right ankle last week against Denver. Christie has averaged 18.3 minutes per game across his last six appearances, so he's had a pretty significant part to play in the rotation lately. Newly signed Spencer Dinwiddie should pick up most of the available minutes on Tuesday, and his addition could make it very complicated for Christie for the rest of the way once he's available again.

According to Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, guard Max Christie (ankle) underwent an MRI. The 20-year-old, who's already been ruled out for Friday's meeting with the Pelicans, tweaked his right ankle during Thursday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets. The team is still awaiting the results, and the medical staff will examine him on Friday night. Christie has averaged 5.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 43 games this season. He's not a reliable fantasy asset. But Christie has started seven times during the 2023-24 campaign, so the streaming potential is there. Unfortunately, it appears he could miss time, potentially sitting out until after the All-Star break.

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. 

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Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Max Christie could be ready for a major step up in 2023-24, with the team reportedly very high on him. "There's excitement that he could follow Austin Reaves' footsteps, what he did the last couple of years," a league source has told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. Reaves, of course, had a superb finish to his sophomore campaign last season, becoming a key cog for the Lakers in the playoffs. Christie's numbers are comparable to Reaves' first year in the league, but he also featured a lot less, and the 20-year-old showed his full potential in the Summer League, averaging 19.8 points with 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists across five games in Sacramento and Las Vegas. It's now looking like we could also see him make significant contributions when the real action starts.

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Max Christie was the team's top scorer in Monday's Summer League clash with Miami, scoring 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting in a 107-90 loss. Most of the team struggled to score the basketball, but Christie did a very efficient job and didn't settle with only scoring either. The 20-year-old added six rebounds, four assists and one steal to his tally in 32 minutes. Christie averaged just 12.5 minutes and played only half of the games last season, so he'll be desperate to impress in the Summer League games to earn himself a bigger role for the 2023-24 campaign.