NBA Player News

Cater is back after sitting out Thursday’s loss to the Hornets. His return means that Goga Bitadze, who logged 19 minutes on Thursday, will head to the bench. Moritz Wagner should remain in the backup center role.

It has been quite the preseason for da Silva, who has averaged 18 points and four triples per game thus far. He was at his best last season when Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner were sidelined, and he will be prepared to step up if either player misses time. It’s good to see him play well, but he likely won’t get this much of an opportunity when the team is healthy. Anthony Black, who hasn’t played during the preseason, will likely be the team’s sixth man when he is healthy, but da Silva should still play a significant role.

Wagner played limited minutes in Orlando’s first two preseason games, but he was unleashed in this one. Through three preseason games, he now has 18 assists, and even with Jalen Suggs (illness) in the lineup, Wagner was still the primary playmaker. Wagner’s career high for assists per game is 4.7, but that mark dropped to just 3.3 last season. If Sean Sweeney opts to utilize him as a playmaker more, and he is able to stay healthy, Wagner can be a fantasy stud.

It had been a rough preseason for Banchero thus far, so it was good to see him have a productive outing. He has been a polarizing player in fantasy basketball throughout his career, mostly because of his subpar efficiency. This field goal percentage is not sustainable for him, but any improvement under new head coach Sean Sweeney would do wonders for his impact.

After missing Orlando’s first two preseason games, Suggs was back in the mix to take on Cleveland. He didn’t play as much as the other starters, but there was no reason for him to overdo it in his first exhibition game. Still, it was good for Suggs to log 13 minutes in this game, and he’ll have one more chance to play before the regular season begins as they wrap up the preseason against the Heat on Friday.

Watson showcased how he’ll be able to make an impact in fantasy hoops this season despite likely not being heavily featured on offense. He’ll certainly get his opportunities, but is fantasy impact will come through well-rounded production, mostly on the defensive end. He’s currently going outside the top 100 in drafts and should be seen as a late-round flier that can step up offensively when Cleveland is dealing with injuries.

Following a red-hot summer league stint, Thomas has been able to find more success in the preseason. He only played 13 minutes in this game, but he was able to pour in the points in this one. He shouldn’t be on redraft radars, though he may have some solid games if James Harden misses time at any point this season.

Mitchell played 25 minutes in this exhibition and was able to get off to a hot start, though he didn’t have as much success in his limited second-half action. Mitchell did more playmaking in this game as well and should continue to be a solid source of assists this season, though his dimes did drop off after they traded for James Harden. He’ll have nine days off before the regular season starts for them in Philadelphia next Thursday.

After missing practice on Monday, Cardwell is now set to miss the start of the season. Maxime Raynaud (knee) has also been ruled out for the start of the season, so the Kings will be thin down low behind Domantas Sabonis. Precious Achiuwa will likely be tasked with filling the void in a limited capacity.

The six-year vet has seen his role blossom from rotational microwave-scorer in Year 1 to key piece of Boston’s 2023-24 title run and 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year. Pritchard enjoyed the most productive season of his career in 2025-26, posting career-highs with 17 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists across 32.6 minutes. Jayson Tatum is back in the mix to open the season, but Pritchard should remain a key scorer and playmaker, and the extension he signed is a reflection of the team’s confidence in him as a foundational franchise player.

With Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet locked into their spots in the Spurs’ rotation, Reed will likely be the third center in his rookie season. If there’s one area where he can be valuable, it’s on the glass. Reed grabbed 17 boards on Monday, including eight on the offensive end. That doesn’t make him a redraft-league target, but you should roster the first-round pick out of UConn in dynasty leagues.