NBA Player News

Alvarado appeared to tweak something during Tuesday’s loss to the Lakers, but he was still on the floor in crunch time. The point guard’s sore oblique will keep him out for at least one game, likely resulting in more minutes at point guard for Jordan Poole. Jordan Hawkins could enter the rotation, but there’s no need to stream him.

The contract extension comes after Detroit finished as the Eastern Conference’s top seed for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Thompson started 72 of 73 regular-season games en route to earning a spot on the NBA All-Defensive First Team. He averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, and will enter his fourth NBA season with a chance to build on his overall game. A jump in offensive production would boost his fantasy value.

Larsson carved out a solid role for the Heat last season, starting 54 of the 70 regular-season games and averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game overall. He should again be a part of the nightly rotation in his third NBA season for a Miami team that expects to have a much higher ceiling with the offseason acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo. From a fantasy perspective, Larsson could take another leap in production and build in 2026-27 on a strong end to his second season.

Days after NBA insider Marc Stein called Denver a “team to watch” on Whitmore, the former first-round pick has officially agreed to a two-way deal. A blood clot in his shoulder limited Whitmore to 21 appearances for the Wizards last season, and he has not played 60 games in any of his three NBA seasons. His rookie season was Whitmore’s most productive, as he averaged 12.3 points per game with the Rockets. The move to Denver won’t affect redraft leagues, but Whitmore could remain in play in dynasty leagues if he can turn the two-way deal into something more.

After two seasons of inconsistent play, George took a significant step forward in 2025-26. The 6-foot-4 point guard recorded career-high averages in points, assists and steals. Averaging 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.5 three-pointers per game, George cemented his status as the point guard the Jazz will lean on as they look to move up the pecking order in the Western Conference. While having a healthy Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. may cut into George’s scoring, his assist production could increase in 2026-27.

After missing the entire 2024-25 season recovering from a torn ACL, Bey had the most productive season of his NBA career to date. Starting 64 of the 72 games he played, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.1 three-pointers while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 84.1 percent from the foul line. Injuries to other wings freed up additional opportunities for Bey last season, but the contract extension shows he has clearly locked down a key role.

Bona, who is expected to compete with Ariel Hukporti for the backup center job, suffered the injury while representing Turkïye during FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The 76ers announced that he’ll be re-evaluated when training camp begins at the end of the month. While Bona’s injury won’t significantly affect his fantasy draft value, missing regular-season games would remove a potential safety net for managers who select Joel Embiid.

Mere days after his return to Toronto became official, Leonard is reportedly closing in on a lucrative contract extension. According to Fischer, the talented forward is eligible for a deal worth up to $126 million over two years. Leonard is going into the final season of a contract that will pay him just over $50 million. So, while the collective bargaining agreement limits how many years he can sign for, Kawhi’s average annual salary would get a nice bump if the extension comes to fruition.

With Mark Williams set to miss months after shoulder surgery, the Suns reportedly add another frontcourt option. Reath appeared in 32 games for the Trail Blazers last season before the Hawks acquired him ahead of the February trade deadline, and Atlanta waived him shortly after. Reath played just 8.1 minutes per game in Portland before undergoing foot surgery in January. While healthy, his prospects for achieving fantasy relevance in Phoenix aren’t much better. Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro will be Williams’ primary replacements, with Ighodaro starting 24 games last season.

Exhibit 9 contracts are non-guaranteed contracts for training camp that protect the team if the player suffers a significant injury before the start of the regular season. With the Knicks lacking cap space and needing depth, experienced veterans that can be had on minimum contracts like Agbaji and Wiseman are useful additions. Neither player should have much of an impact in fantasy leagues, though.

An Exhibit 9 contract pays the league minimum and is non-guaranteed, which would allow the Knicks to move on from Brown if he suffers a significant injury before the start of the regular season. Brown, a 2023 NBA Champion with the Nuggets, appeared in all 82 games for Denver last year. He averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. It’s not difficult to imagine Brown carving out a bench role for himself with the defending NBA Champions.