NBA Player News

With Gary Harris (groin) expected to miss several weeks and Will Barton (groin) still considered week-to-week, this makes a lot of sense for Denver. With that said, Malik Beasley has been terrific lately with 15+ points in four out of his last six games, so Young might just be emergency depth. He’ll give the team another shooter after hitting close to 38% from deep last season.

Markkanen didn’t need much court time to get his buckets, and he led all scorers in the 2026-27 preseason opener. Production has never been a concern for Markkanen, as “The Finnisher” is a strong scorer, rebounder and shooter. Availability is the biggest concern for fantasy managers, but given his first-round upside, Markkanen is shaping up to be a draft-day value in Rounds 3-5.

Hayes joined the Jazz in the offseason after Utah traded Walker Kessler to the Lakers, and Hayes will serve as a backup option at center as he’s done throughout his career. He’s got appeal in deep leagues as a blocks specialist, but he’s unlikely to see big minutes as Utah has a deep frontcourt rotation.

Peterson also missed both of his three-point attempts. Though it was a poor effort offensively, Peterson was solid on the defensive end with six boards and a steal, and he chipped in two dimes to round out his final stat line. Better days are ahead for the No. 2 pick, and fantasy managers don’t need to read much into this performance.

The veteran point guard will open the season with Denver after the Nuggets signed him in March. He’ll operate as a depth option behind Jamal Murray, and Jones will have streaming appeal if Murray misses time.

The rookie out of Arkansas tied Julian Strawther for team lead in minutes, and he had a serviceable night, going 3-of-4 from the field and making an impact on defense. Denver doesn’t boast a deep bench, especially in the frontcourt, so Brazile has a real chance to earn meaningful rotation minutes in Year 1.

Jokić got some light run in the preseason opener, but he already has one of the season’s best highlights. The three-time MVP was stuck in the corner with Lauri Markkanen on him and made a ridiculous cross-court, behind-the-back pass to Cam Johnson, who splashed a triple from the opposite corner. Joker is an easy Top-2 pick in fantasy hoops for his ability to stuff the stat sheet, and Sunday’s highlight-reel assist is just a small taste of how the elite facilitator can get teammates involved.

While the Clippers won their preseason opener on Sunday, beating the Warriors 104-101, Strus’ injury dampened the mood. He played five minutes before leaving the game with a non-contact right foot injury. The plan is to evaluate Strus’ foot when the team returns to Los Angeles, but he could miss an extended period of time. With Brandon Ingram (heel/Achilles) already out, the Clippers don’t need to take another hit to their wing depth.

Despite the expectation that he’ll come off the bench, Murray-Boyles has a skill set that can make him valuable in category leagues. He didn’t shoot well on Saturday night, but the second-year forward/center led the Raptors in rebounds. Murray-Boyles didn’t record any defensive stats in his 20 minutes, but that shouldn’t be the norm for him once the games count. Managers in category leagues should benefit if they grab Murray-Boyles with a late-round pick.

What a difference a year makes for Poeltl, who was sidelined last preseason by a lower back issue. That lingering injury limited him to 46 games last season, eliminating most of the 7-footer’s fantasy value. Poeltl is healthy this preseason, and he logged 18 minutes in Saturday’s opener. He made changes to his regimen this offseason, and the hope is that this will pay dividends during the regular season. Poeltl has been a top-75 fantasy player in the past, and he offers a solid floor if he stays healthy.

Barrett was one of three Raptors starters to play into the third quarter in Saturday’s exhibition opener, alongside Jakob Poeltl and Ja’Kobe Walter. His field-goal percentage wasn’t great, but Barrett was active on both ends of the floor during his 18 minutes. He’s been a better option in points leagues than category leagues throughout his career, and that’s unlikely to change this season.