NBA Player News

Lillard’s score of 29 in the final round was enough to beat Kon Knueppel, who had 17, and Devin Booker, who had 27. The 35-year-old point guard won the three-point contest for the third time in his career, tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for most in NBA history. Lillard is out for the season after rupturing his left Achilles during last year’s playoffs.

Jackson was the starter throughout the preseason, so Saturday’s news is not a complete surprise. However, the confirmation makes him an even better option for fantasy managers who need a center in the later rounds of their drafts. Brook Lopez will be the backup, and that limits his fantasy value considerably.

Johnson, a positive voice in the Pacers’ locker room in recent years, was waived as the franchise finalized its Opening Night roster on Saturday. The team may bring him back later in the season if Johnson remains a free agent. However, because of salary cap implications, the Pacers will begin the season with 14 players on standard contracts instead of 15. The Pacers also waived Keba Keita and Rienk Mast, who were on Exhibit 10 contracts. Both are expected to play for the team’s G League affiliate.

Highsmith, who appeared in seven games for the Suns last season, was re-signed in August to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal. Waiving the veteran wing means Jamaree Bouyea will be on the Opening Night roster, and the Suns will use 14 standard contracts for luxury tax reasons. Bouyea’s contract will not be fully guaranteed unless he’s on the roster on January 10.

The 7-foot-5 Fall, who was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract in early September, did not play in any of the 76ers’ preseason games due to a hip injury. He’ll remain with the franchise on a two-way deal, potentially adding frontcourt depth once he’s cleared to return. Adem Bona is still recovering from a foot injury, while Ariel Hukporti went down for the season with a ruptured Achilles in Philadelphia’s preseason opener

Dybantsa, the first overall pick in June’s draft, sprained his left ankle during the second quarter of Friday’s preseason finale. Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said after the game that the rookie did not return out of precaution. The Wizards open their regular season on Wednesday against the Bucks, so Dybantsa will have a few days to rehab the ankle.

While it may not be a standard contract, Carter gains a little more security with the move to a two-way contract. The 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft, the 6-foot-2 guard failed to carve out a consistent role for himself in Sacramento before the Kings traded him to Atlanta in late June. Carter was waived by the Hawks in mid-September, catching on with the Celtics shortly thereafter. He’s unlikely to be a factor in redraft leagues this season.

Grimes, a starter for most of the preseason, came off the bench in Friday’s finale. That may be the role he’s expected to fill, especially as the Lakers await Collin Sexton’s return from injury. The second unit needs a perimeter player who can create offensively, even if the Lakers can stagger the minutes of stars Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Grimes can provide scoring, making him a worthwhile pick in later rounds.

While Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler both played 31 minutes in Friday’s preseason finale, Dončić played 19 minutes. However, that was the plan, with the Lakers holding their star point guard out for the entire second half. Like Reaves, Dončić will now carry an even heavier workload with LeBron James out of the picture. Even with turnover concerns, Luka will be one of the best fantasy players, regardless of league format.

For the first time this preseason, the Lakers had their new “big three,” Reaves, Luka Dončić, and Walker Kessler, on the floor together. Shot attempts were close, but the Lakers still need to build chemistry between their star guards and Kessler, the new starting center. Reaves shot 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, but fantasy managers drafting in the next few days shouldn’t worry.

With Aaron Gordon sitting out Friday’s preseason finale, the Nuggets inserted Brazile into the starting lineup. The rookie, who dropped 22 points on Wednesday against the Clippers, had another solid outing to end his first preseason. Brazile may not play heavy minutes, but he’s clearly done enough to crack the Nuggets’ rotation right away.