NBA Player News

Wood, who hasn’t played yet in 2024-25, is experiencing soreness after beginning his ramp up for a return to the hardwood. The Lakers’ reserve big man is likely a while away from being a serviceable fantasy asset this season.

Okoro missed the final three games of the preseason due to a quad contusion, but he’s on track to return for Wednesday’s season opener. Okoro is a better on-the-court player than fantasy asset, so managers outside of deep leagues can leave him on the waiver wire.

Hawkins will tend to a stomachache and miss the first game of the season. The two-way guard’s next chance to make his Bulls debut will come Friday against the Bucks.

White, George and Tatum were all locks for the starting lineup, but the remaining two spots were up for grabs. Walsh will slot into the final wing spot, and Robinson will replace Neemias Queta as the starting center. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla experimented with lineups throughout the 2025-26 campaign, and that may be the case in 2026-27.

Aldama is still recovering from March knee surgery, and it will cost him at least the first game of the 2026-27 season. Aldama’s absence should free up more playing time for rookie Morez Johnson Jr.

Reed Sheppard will still be involved in Houston’s rotation, but Smart - who signed a two-year deal with the Rockets in July - will be the next man up when VanVleet sits out one leg of back-to-back sets. Smart’s fantasy value is largely tied to VanVleet’s availability, giving him little standalone appeal outside of deep leagues.

Dybantsa sustained the injury in the preseason finale, and it’s serious enough to keep him out through at least Wednesday. It’s unclear when he’ll be available, but Dybantsa’s next chance to take the court will come Friday against the Raptors. For as long as Dybantsa is out, Bilal Coulibaly and Khris Middleton are likely to see bumps in playing time and usage, with Coulibaly the favorite to fill in with the first unit.

Wagner has been dealing with a right shoulder injury since the preseason finale on October 16, but he’s trending in the right direction ahead of the season opener. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his status ahead of tip-off.

McDaniels’ contract now runs through the 2029-30 season, with the ability to negotiate another extension as soon as 2028. With the Timberwolves trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid this offseason, McDaniels has a higher offensive ceiling than in previous seasons. He could be one of the steals of the upcoming fantasy basketball season.

Given Edgecombe’s importance to the 76ers, Monday’s decision was unsurprising. His contract for the 2027-28 season will be worth a little over $12.2 million.

Williams missed time during the preseason with a heel injury, so his absence from the injury report is a positive development. However, with Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Aday Mara also available, JayWill may not get the minutes needed to impact fantasy basketball on Tuesday.