NBA Player News

Collins’ and Kessler’s absences will open up additional minutes for the likes of Omer Yurtseven, Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks, though none of those players offer tremendous fantasy appeal. Dunn’s absence should free up some extra playing time for Jason Preston and Talen Horton-Tucker.

It could be precautionary, but it is still worth noting. The Kings host the Trail Blazers for a preseason game on Tuesday, so Cardwell’s status for that may paint a better picture. With Maxime Raynaud expected to miss the start of the season with a right knee injury, Cardwell will likely start the year as the backup center, assuming he’s healthy.

Waived by the Clippers on September 25, the 7-foot-5 Sharp joins the Raptors and will compete for the team’s open two-way contract slot. He went undrafted in the 2024 draft and spent the last two seasons with the Mavericks’ G League affiliate. If he earns a two-way slot, Sharp is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball this season. To make room for Sharp, the Raptors have waived guard Chucky Hepburn.

Hopefully this will provide more clarity as to when Porziņģis will be available to suit up. As of now, Steve Kerr said he is “leaning towards” starting Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green on opening night. Whenever he gets healthy, Porziņģis will be a significant piece in the Warriors’ rotation.

Murray has missed multiple practices and a preseason game with this toe injury, though head coach Jamahl Mosely said previously it was just precautionary. At this point, there’s no reason to think Murray will miss the season opener, and if he continues to miss preseason games, Jeremiah Fears will continue to start in his place.

Leonard sat out previous preseason outings, though it wasn’t because of an injury. He’ll suit up against New York for the first game of his second stint with Toronto. Expect him to play a limited role in the exhibition match.

Brown practiced fully over the weekend and participated in 5-on-5 on Monday morning. However, he’ll miss their preseason matchup with the Wizards on Monday night. He should be ready to go on opening night, as long as there aren’t any setbacks following his preseason debut on Wednesday.

Between Golden State and Atlanta, Hield wasn’t a fantasy basketball factor last season. Could that change in Chicago? He’s played consistent rotation minutes off the bench this preseason, and the veteran guard shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. While Hield had a good showing, there’s no need to consider him in drafts. If he is consistently productive during the season, you can pick him up off the waiver wire.

After logging 32 minutes in Friday’s exhibition against the Grizzlies, Wilson played 17 on Sunday. The rookie forward committed five turnovers, but his shooting improved when compared to his 7-of-17 night against Memphis. With the Bulls rebuilding, Wilson will have a lot of leeway on offense, and he should be one of the NBA’s top rookies. Fantasy managers will simply hope that efficiency won’t be too much of an issue.

While Johnson’s production was expected to take a hit after his move to Denver, his debut season in the Mile High City was disappointing. In addition to the perimeter shooting struggles, availability was once again an issue for the veteran forward. Johnson has played 58 games or fewer in each of his last four seasons, another reason why he’s slipped down draft boards. While capable of offering top-100 value, fantasy managers can’t use that early of a pick on Johnson, given the recent history.

Jokić needed just three quarters to record a triple-double, logging 26 minutes. At this point, there’s little to say about the three-time MVP’s fantasy outlook. Regardless of league format, Jokić should be a top-2 pick in drafts, with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama being the alternative.