NBA Player News

To clear out the cap space needed to complete the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, the Knicks waived Morris and Chuma Okeke on September 28. The door was open for a potential return, but Morris has reportedly decided to seek out other options. His status will not impact fantasy basketball, as he’s unlikely to be guaranteed rotation minutes wherever he lands.

Cleveland played Thursday’s game without Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, resulting in Jerome being inserted into the starting lineup. The experienced backup missed most of last season due to a right ankle injury, with his absence being most impactful when the Cavaliers were also without Mitchell and Garland. That led to Craig Porter Jr. (14 points, four assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 24 minutes) being an occasionally credible streaming asset, but there may only be room for one in this season’s rotation.

With Jarrett Allen being the only regular starter in the lineup for Thursday’s game, Tyson was one of the replacements in his second NBA preseason game. The first-round pick out of Cal had a productive night, shooting the ball well from the field while recording a full stat line. The lone issue was the turnover count, with Tyson racking up four, but that’s to be expected of most rookies. Once the regular season begins, he’s likely to take a back seat due to Cleveland’s experience on the wings. But Tyson is worth selecting in dynasty leagues, as he boasts a fantasy-friendly skill set that could pay dividends down the line.

The Pacers wing’s 3-point shooting should stand out regarding his performance on Thursday. While his accuracy improved from Year 1 to Year 2, with the Pacers wing making 37.4% of his shots last season, Mathurin averaged 3.6 attempts per game. After taking three 3-pointers in Tuesday’s preseason opener against the Hawks, he fired up eight on Thursday. Mathurin doesn’t provide much production in the defensive categories, so a boost to the 3-point category would make him more valuable to fantasy managers.

Turner was back in the lineup after missing Indiana’s preseason opener. While he did miss all three of his 3-point attempts, there isn’t a need for concern. Turner’s return meant Indiana could roll out the starting lineup that led the team to last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, and this should be the quintet that opens the season on October 23. Turner may not be selected as early as the second round in most drafts, but he’s capable of approaching that level regarding fantasy value.

Reaves will sit out Thursday’s exhibition with an injury that is not serious. His absence could mean more opportunities for Max Christie; however, he will be on a minutes restriction in Milwaukee. Also due to be restricted are Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish, so most of the second-half perimeter minutes may go to players who are most likely headed to the G League.

Irving and Thompson did not play in Monday’s preseason opener against the Grizzlies, delaying the latter’s unofficial Mavericks debut. They’ll play against Utah but only see action during the first half. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd will gradually bring them along, with Irving and Thompson likely to play beyond halftime of Monday’s exhibition against the Clippers. Next Thursday’s matchup with Milwaukee will be a “dress rehearsal,” so look for the duo to play starters’ minutes in that one.

George did not play in Philadelphia’s exhibition opener against the New Zealand Breakers on Monday, but no injury was mentioned. We’ll get our first idea of how he fits in with his new teammates, although Joel Embiid (knee) remains sidelined. A tremendous fantasy asset last season, George can offer similar production in 2024-25, especially if Embiid paces himself in an attempt to be fully healthy for the postseason.

Embiid tore the meniscus in his left knee in late January, not returning to action until early April. According to 76ers coach Nick Nurse, the 2023 MVP undergoing an evaluation of his knee was part of the plan. That said, fantasy managers may be a bit concerned, given the timing of this evaluation. With Embiid making it clear earlier this preseason that he’s prioritizing being healthy for the postseason over individual regular season achievements, Andre Drummond is worth drafting in most leagues.

Nurkic and Allen sat out Tuesday’s meeting between the teams in East Lansing, with the former being on the bench with his teammates. Mason Plumlee should remain in the starting lineup, but fantasy managers should keep an eye on second-round pick Oso Ighodaro. The rookie big out of Marquette played 21 minutes off the bench on Tuesday, tallying seven rebounds and four assists. Ighodaro could have deep-league value this season due to his ability to be a supplementary playmaker. Allen’s absence means more playing time for another rookie, first-round pick Ryan Dunn, and he also played well against the Pistons on Tuesday.

Robinson, who underwent a second surgery on his ankle in May, was not with his Knicks teammates in Charleston, S.C., for training camp last week. Instead, he remained in New York to continue his rehabilitation plan. Robinson’s absence and the lack of clarity on a return timeline was one reason why the Knicks consummated the Karl-Anthony Towns trade before the start of camp. While KAT will be the unquestioned starter, the question is who backs him up. Precious Achiuwa was only used as a power forward last season, and second-round pick Ariel Hukporti has performed well during the preseason. Jericho Sims may also be in the mix, but he failed to do much with extended minutes in the past.