NBA Player News

With Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein sidelined, Wiggins and Cason Wallace moved into the starting lineup on Wednesday. Wiggins had a good night shooting the basketball, making three of his seven attempts from beyond the arc while recording a stat line that only lacked a blocked shot. While Wallace wasn’t as productive offensively, his final line included three steals and two blocks. The fantasy upsides of Wiggins and Wallace depend on the availability of the Thunder starters; both are worthwhile streamers when the team is shorthanded, albeit for different reasons.

The Kings just can’t keep a backup big healthy. Maxime Raynaud (knee) and Dylan Cardwell (calf) are both set to miss time, so Achiuwa got the start with Domantas Sabonis getting the night off. Achiuwa exited early with a right ankle injury after having a productive night. If he is also forced to miss the start of the season, Jonathan Mogbo would be next in line to back up Sabonis.

Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori has been toying with the starting lineup in the preseason, with Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson starting in this game, while Morant and Jrue Holiday came off the bench. Morant was still productive, and it’s clear the four guards will all have a significant role. Morant and Holiday will reportedly start in their next preseason game, and the starting unit for opening night still hasn’t been decided.

If there were concerns about Avdija’s usage with all the changes to Portland’s backcourt, he has addressed those during the preseason. Clearly, he’s still the focal point of the offense. He has averaged 24.5 points in 23 minutes per game through two preseason appearances. It’s a tiny sample size, but Avdija is still going to be a fantasy stud this season and have the ball in his hands a ton.

Suiting up for the first time as a Laker, Kessler was able to produce at a high level in just 16 minutes. He was able to showcase his fantasy appeal, even with Luka Dončić getting a rest night. That pick-and-roll duo should be excellent for fantasy managers, and Kessler has a chance to finally cash in on the fantasy potential that he showcased during his first two seasons.

This was a little taste of how good Reaves can in fantasy basketball this season. Of course, Luka Dončić was sidelined, which allowed Reaves to score 23 points in just the first half. Dončić will be primary source of offense, but when he’s sidelined, Reaves will see a ton of usage, with the only downside being his turnovers. Reaves will still be productive enough when Dončić is healthy to be worth taking in the second or third round of drafts.

Lendeborg’s strong preseason continued in this game, though it is worth noting that he tweaked his left ankle in the third quarter. He shot his free throws before exiting and wasn’t limping and was able to return to the game. There’s no reason to think it will impact his status for opening night, where he should be part of the Warriors’ starting unit.

Podz signed a five-year extension with the Warriors just a few days ago, showing how important he is to their future. He has been solid so far during the preseason and should be an important piece for the Warriors once again this season. Following a rough start to last season, Podz closed the year out well and will look to carry some of that momentum into this season.

McCain led Oklahoma City in scoring in just 19 minutes in the overtime win. Sam Presti already hyped him up before the preseason began, and he has shown why during the preseason, having now hit 13 triples across three games. When the team is fully healthy, his role will likely be too limited for him to make an impact for fantasy managers, but it should be large enough for him to be an important piece in OKC’s rotation.

Mara came off the bench with Isaiah Hartenstein making his preseason debut, but he was still able to make a solid impact in his 19 minutes. Mara has been productive during the preseason, and with Chet Holmgren (quad) and Jaylin Williams (heel) having been sidelined for the preseason so far, there is a chance Mara ends up playing a large role early on behind Isaiah Hartenstein. It’s a situation worth monitoring with the regular season set to start in just one week.

Tyrese Haliburton’s performance was incredible, but Zubac’s numbers shouldn’t be overlooked. If this game was an indicator, he should be in for a monster season with Haliburton feeding him the ball. This stat line came in just 18 minutes, making it even more impressive. His sixth-round ADP could end up being a bargain, and he will be vital to the Pacers’ chances of making more noise in the playoffs.