Nick Richards News, Rumors, Updates - Phoenix Suns

Remains third-string center Richards (coach's decision) didn't play in Monday's 121-115 loss to the Hornets.

Impact After missing two games last week with a sprained right ankle, Richards has been active for each of the Hornets' last three contests, but he's logged just three total minutes during that stretch. Though Richards is healthy, head coach Steve Clifford acknowledged after Monday's game that rookie first-round pick Mark Williams has replaced Richards in the rotation as the top backup to starting center Mason Plumlee, per Nick Carboni of WCNC Charlotte. Clifford added that he eventually envisions Richards getting involved off the bench, but for the time being, the third-year big man doesn't look like he'll be featured in most games while Williams' development remains a greater priority.

JANUARY 3, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Active but limited Richards (ankle) will play in a limited fashion Thursday against the Thunder.

Impact An earlier report noted that Richards would be the team's third option at center Thursday. It's unclear whether his limitations stem from his sprained ankle or if he has just been surpassed by Mark Williams on the depth chart, who has played well in the last two contests with Richards absent. Regardless, Richards should not be in any fantasy lineups Thursday and should be monitored moving forward.

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Small role expected if available Head coach Steve Clifford relayed Thursday that Richards (ankle) will not be the primary backup center versus the Thunder even if he plays, Sam Perley of the Hornets' official site...

Impact Richards will apparently play third fiddle at center behind Mason Plumlee and Mark Williams, who has played reasonably well over the last pair of games. Richards will likely draw a more considerable role in future tilts, but he's not expected to see too many minutes Thursday.

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Could play Thursday Richards (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable and could be available for Thursday's game against the Thunder, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Impact Richards was initially ruled out Thursday but may return after a two-game absence with a sprained right ankle. If the 25-year-old big man can suit up, Mark Williams will likely be left out of the Hornets' rotation.

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Remains sidelined Thursday Richards (ankle) is out for Thursday's game versus the Thunder.

Impact Richards' absence streak will extend to three games with a right ankle sprain. His next chance to play is Saturday's matchup with the Nets.

DECEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Out again Tuesday Richards (ankle) has been ruled out for Tuesday's matchup against Golden State.

Impact Richards will miss a second straight game due to a right ankle sprain. His next chance to suit up will come Thursday against the Thunder. Mark Williams should see backup center minutes.

DECEMBER 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ruled out Monday Richards (ankle) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Trail Blazers.

Impact Richards sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of Friday's loss to the Lakers, so his absence is not entirely surprising. P.J. Washington could see more minutes as a result, while Richards' next chance to play will come Tuesday against the Warriors in the second half of a back-to-back set.

DECEMBER 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Unlikely to play Monday Richards (ankle) is doubtful for Monday's game against Portland.

Impact Richards sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of Friday's loss to the Lakers, and it seems unlikely that he'll be able to suit up against the Trail Blazers. If he's unavailable, P.J. Washington could see a slight uptick in playing time.

DECEMBER 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Injures ankle Friday Richards left Friday's 134-130 loss to the Lakers in the fourth quarter due to a right ankle sprain.

Impact Richards compiled five points (2-3 FG, 1-1 FT), three rebounds and one steal across 12 minutes before exiting the contest. While the severity of the injury is unknown, his status for Monday's tilt with the Trail Blazers is up in the air for the time being. Rookie Mark Williams or second-year player Kai Jones could step in as the primary backup to starting center Mason Plumlee on Monday if Richards is unable to play.

DECEMBER 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Impressive effort off bench Richards chipped in 14 points (6-9 FG, 2-3 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal over 23 minutes during Monday's 125-119 victory over the Kings.

Impact Richards played an impactful role in helping to end Charlotte's eight-game losing streak, leading the team in rebounds and scoring 14 points to record his eighth double-double of the campaign. Two of those performances have come in his past three games, and Richards is playing well again following a four-game slump during which he averaged just 4.0 points and 3.3 boards on 37.5 percent shooting from the field. The third-year pro has taken advantage of a big increase in opportunity this season, averaging 9.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the charity stripe.

DECEMBER 20, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ball, Oubre lead Hornets past Kings to halt 8-game skid

LaMelo Ball scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets held off the Sacramento Kings 125-119 to stop an eight-game losing streak

DECEMBER 20, 2022 • Associated Press

Strong double-double Friday Richards finished with 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 FT), 11 rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 23 minutes during Friday's 125-106 loss to the Hawks.

Impact Richards outplayed Mason Plumlee in the loss, putting up his seventh double-double of the season. Plumlee did spend some time in the locker room in this one, affording a few extra minutes to Richards. The upside is clearly there for Richards, although until he usurps Plumlee in the rotation, he remains on the outside looking in when it comes to standard formats.

DECEMBER 17, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Grabs eight rebounds Sunday Richards posted nine points (2-5 FG, 5-6 FT), eight rebounds, one block and one steal in 21 minutes during Sunday's 131-113 loss to the 76ers.

Impact Richards bounced back from two straight poor performances and nearly recorded a double-double Sunday. The outing was fairly representative of his last 11 games as he's averaging 8.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in that span. The 25-year-old is getting regular playing time for the first time in his career and is averaging 18.9 minutes per game through 27 contests.

DECEMBER 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Double-double off bench Richards accumulated 11 points (5-6 FG, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds and two assists across 20 minutes during Monday's 119-117 loss to the Clippers.

Impact The third-year center recorded his sixth double-double of the season, four of which have come in the last eight games. Richards is averaging 9.8 points, 8.9 boards and 0.8 blocks in 20 minutes a night over that stretch as he emerges as a solid second-unit player.

DECEMBER 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Effective in limited action Richards chipped in 12 points (5-6 FG, 2-3 FT) and nine rebounds across 13 minutes during Friday's 117-116 victory over Washington.

Impact Richards continues to be a strong per-minute producer. It's challenging to roster him through the ups and downs in standard leagues, but those in deep formats can probably stream him effectively during four-game weeks. Over the past 10 games, he's averaging 9.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 19.1 minutes.

DECEMBER 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Oubre scores 28, Hornets snap T-Wolves' 5-game win streak

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points, and the Charlotte Hornets stopped Minnesota’s five-game win streak with a 110-108 victory over Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves

NOVEMBER 26, 2022 • Associated Press

Rozier's big 4th quarter leads Hornets past Sixers 107-101

Terry Rozier scored nine of his 22 points in the final 5 minutes as the Charlotte Hornets rallied past the Philadelphia 76ers 107-101 in a matchup of injury-riddled teams

NOVEMBER 24, 2022 • Associated Press

Second straight double-double Richards contributed 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds and one assist over 17 minutes during Sunday's 106-102 loss to the Wizards.

Impact Richards put together another solid showing, and he did so in nearly half the playing time he saw Friday against Cleveland (30 minutes). He's now registered four double-doubles through 18 games this season and is averaging 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 19.5 minutes.

NOVEMBER 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Stellar night on boards Richards amassed 13 points (5-10 FG, 3-4 FT), 14 rebounds and three blocks across 30 minutes during Friday's 132-122 double-overtime loss to Cleveland.

Impact Richards secured his third double-double of the 2022-23 campaign and swatted away a season-high three shots. His scoring production has been inconsistent at best through the first month of the season, however, as he had been held to just 11 total points over his last two matchups heading into Friday's clash. Richards has shown that he can score in double figures, but fantasy managers shouldn't count on this type of performance on a nightly basis.

NOVEMBER 19, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Strus scores 31, Heat roll past sliding Hornets 132-115

Max Strus scored 31 points, making eight 3-pointers, and the Miami Heat spoiled LaMelo Ball’s return to the Charlotte lineup by beating the Hornets 132-115

NOVEMBER 13, 2022 • Associated Press

Two blocks in loss Richards registered eight points (4-6 FG), six rebounds and two blocks in 24 minutes during Monday's 108-100 loss to Washington.

Impact Richards continues to play a steady role off the bench as the Hornets' backup center, and while he's a capable rebounder and shot blocker, he's not doing quite enough to justify starting in most leagues. However, if Mason Plumlee or P.J. Washington were to sustain an injury, Richards would be in line for a significant bump in playing time. Over his last five games, Richards is posting 7.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 18.8 minutes.

NOVEMBER 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Durant scores 27, leads Nets past Hornets 98-94

Kevin Durant scored 27 points, including two big jumpers in the final minute, as the Brooklyn Nets erased a double-digit, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the short-handed Charlotte...

NOVEMBER 6, 2022 • Associated Press

Impresses in limited minutes Monday Richards produced four points (2-3 FG, 0-2 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one block in 19 minutes during Monday's 115-108 loss to Sacramento.

Impact Richards continues to come off the bench behind Mason Plumlee and yet was able to impact the game on both ends of the floor. His energy is yet to translate into fantasy value but it is clear that he brings something to the table every time he steps foot on the court. At this point, he is better suited for deeper formats but can have some limited streaming value if managers in standard leagues can grab him on the right night.

NOVEMBER 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Third double-digit outing off bench Richards supplied 14 points (5-7 FG, 4-5 FT) and six rebounds in 20 minutes during Friday's 113-93 loss to the Magic.

Impact Richards tallied another double-digit scoring total for Charlotte in the loss, his third straight such game this season. In five games this season, Richards is averaging 13.0 points and 7.8 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per contest.

OCTOBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Center tiers: Bol Bol, Nick Richards among early season movers up the fantasy hoops ranks Eric Wong shares his tier rankings for the center position, noting that Bol Bol has made himself a priority add with his early-season play.

OCTOBER 28, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

NICK RICHARDS NEWS

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Ball, Oubre lead Hornets past Kings to halt 8-game skid

Oubre scores 28, Hornets snap T-Wolves' 5-game win streak

Rozier's big 4th quarter leads Hornets past Sixers 107-101

Strus scores 31, Heat roll past sliding Hornets 132-115

Durant scores 27, leads Nets past Hornets 98-94