NBA DFS Injury Pivots & Minute Adjustments (12/10/25)

Overview

• Injury tags on Maxi Kleber, Devin Booker, and Jordan McLaughlin create concentrated minute spikes for a small group of role players.
• Most of the value is clustered in the +5.4 to +6.8 min range, which can meaningfully shift ceilings without blowing up median projections.
• The slate revolves around how aggressively you leverage these specific minute gainers in different contest sizes.

Daily Pivots

Key Pivots

Alpha Pivot

Jake LaRavia projects for a massive +6.8 min boost if Maxi Kleber misses for LAL, the largest gain on the slate. That kind of bump can turn a fringe rotation piece into a clear value with real path to a ceiling game.

In single entry and three max, LaRavia profiles as a core decision point. You either embrace the extra minutes as stable floor and build balance around him, or you treat him as an over-owned role player and pivot to similarly boosted options.

Secondary Pivots

• Collin Gillespie also carries a +6.8 min gain if Devin Booker sits for PHO, offering comparable volume to LaRavia but in a different team context that can diversify builds.
• Nigel Hayes-Davis gains +6.0 min alongside Gillespie in the same PHO scenario, creating a natural low-cost pairing or a leverage alternative if ownership condenses on one of them.
• Deandre Ayton picks up +5.5 min if Kleber is out for LAL, giving you a higher-minute profile from the same game environment as LaRavia with a slightly smaller bump.
• Kelly Olynyk benefits from Jordan McLaughlin being out for SAS with +5.4 min, making him a frontcourt option that can soak up extra run and offer contrarian leverage relative to the LAL/PHO value.

Value Targets

• Jake LaRavia at +6.8 min is the cleanest salary saver for cash games and smaller fields, where locking in secure minutes and accepting likely ownership is typically optimal.
• Collin Gillespie and Nigel Hayes-Davis with +6.8 and +6.0 min are ideal for leverage builds: you can play one or both instead of the more obvious LAL value if the PHO injury news breaks in your favor.
• Kelly Olynyk at +5.4 min works best in larger tournaments as a lower-owned value pivot when the field over-prioritizes LAL and PHO injury spots.

Deep Rotation Notes

LAL - Frontcourt shift

• If Maxi Kleber sits, LaRavia's +6.8 min and Ayton's +5.5 min suggest LAL condenses heavily around those two, making them prime stacking candidates in LAL-heavy builds.
• Be cautious about over-exposing to LAL role players outside Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton, since the extra playing time is clearly flowing to them in this scenario.

PHO - Perimeter usage concentration

• Devin Booker being out funnels minutes directly to Collin Gillespie (+6.8 min) and Nigel Hayes-Davis (+6.0 min), consolidating the PHO backcourt/wing rotation.
• Building PHO stacks around one or both can differentiate you from lineups that only react to LAL news.

SAS - Frontcourt boost

• Jordan McLaughlin's absence leading to Kelly Olynyk gaining +5.4 min indicates SAS is likely bridging more lineups with extra frontcourt run instead of pure guard redistribution.
• Olynyk fits best in constructions that are already leveraging PHO or LAL value but need a different team source of minutes to avoid duplication.

Roster Construction

• If you commit to Jake LaRavia at +6.8 min as a core value, prioritize differentiating elsewhere with PHO or SAS pieces like Collin Gillespie or Kelly Olynyk instead of jamming all LAL value.
• For leverage builds, consider fading LaRavia and centering around the PHO duo of Collin Gillespie (+6.8 min) and Nigel Hayes-Davis (+6.0 min) as your primary salary relief.
• In large-field GPPs, cap exposure to any single value at heavy minute gains and rotate between LaRavia, Ayton, Gillespie, Hayes-Davis, and Olynyk so you benefit from the injury spots without being all-in on one volatile role player.