NBA Player News

Harden, Leonard and Zubac being the starting lineup for the Clippers’ preseason opener was to be expected. However, with Bradley Beal (knee) still working his way back from offseason surgery, Bogdanović will start at shooting guard. He had an injury scare during EuroBasket this summer. However, while Bogi was limited early in training camp, the limitations did not last long. Also of note is Jones receiving the starting nod at the four, with John Collins coming off the bench. Many assumed Collins would slot into the starting role when he was signed in the summer, but Jones has a legitimate shot at beginning the regular season as a starter.

Jones was waived by the Kings to make room for them to sign Precious Achiuwa. Detroit will use their 15th roster spot to add Jones, though he won’t be more than a depth piece. Don’t expect to see him be part of the rotation.

Tillman won’t be available, but he has played sparingly this season. His few minutes per game will be divided between Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Chris Boucher, with Queta the only one playing enough to warrant a roster spot.

Indiana has dealt with a ton of injuries in the backcourt this season, which led to them signing McClung in the first place. However, they’ll pivot to a veteran guard who they nearly signed in September. Morris will likely have a role, but he isn’t a player that will contribute consistently for fantasy managers.

Dosunmu practiced on Thursday after Chicago’s last two games, which is a positive sign for his chances of playing against Milwaukee. If he does return, Dalen Terry and Jevon Carter will be pushed back out of the rotation after playing small roles over the past two games.

The Suns could be without Grayson Allen on Thursday, but they do appear likely to get Jalen Green (hamstring) back in the lineup. Allen had been starting in place of Green, so the Suns could make an easy one-for-one swap in the starting rotation if Allen is indeed out.

Adebayo left Wednesday’s game after only eight minutes with what was referred to as a foot injury. He had an MRI on Thursday, and the results appear to be great news for the Heat. A big toe sprain could linger, and the Heat are likely to be cautious with their big man this early in the season, but it’s a relief for the team that Adebayo has avoided a major injury. Kel’el Ware should start in place of Adebayo and see a big boost in production until Adebayo returns.

The 40-year-old and not appeared in a game so far this season as he battles sciatica. Progressing to contact drills is certainly a good sign, and the team says he’ll be reevaluated in approximately 1-2 weeks. Given his age and the desire to have him healthy for the postseason, it seems fair to assume that the team may wait another two weeks for that evaluation and to update his timeline. Luca Doncic and Austin Reaves will continue to carry the load for the Lakers in the meantime.

White has been sidelined since August with a strained calf but appears to be inching closer to a return. Donovan said the 25-year-old would do on-court work with player development staff after practice on Thursday, and then the team would evaluate where he is in his recovery timeline. Tre Jones has been starting in place of White but will be pushed to the bench when White returns.

The 25-year-old did not play on Tuesday against the 76ers while nursing a quad injury, but he does seem to be on track to return on Thursday. He’s averaged 16.2 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game off the Bulls’ bench, so his return would certainly be a welcome one. Dalen Terry and Jevon Carter have taken on extra minutes with Dosunmu out but will be pushed out of the rotation when Dosunmu returns.

Walsh came into November as a forgotten man in Boston’s rotation, playing just four total minutes in October. However, he played 19 minutes against the Rockets on Saturday and then was up to 24 minutes on Wednesday. These were not garbage-time minutes either, as Walsh checked into the game in the first quarter. He was a plus-27 on the night and received praise from head coach Joe Mazzulla after the game, so it’s possible that Walsh could pick up extra minutes at the expense of Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman going forward.