NBA Player News

Sasser is good to go after initially being probable for Saturday’s game. He’s only played eight minutes in each of the Pistons’ last two games, so the young guard’s availability will not affect fantasy basketball.

With many of the Spurs’ regulars sitting out Monday’s game, Barnes moved into the starting lineup. As expected, the veteran forward hunted his shot aggressively and earned multiple trips to the foul line. Given San Antonio’s depth when everyone is available, Barnes is unlikely to offer much value in most fantasy leagues this season.

With Jusuf Nurkić (toe) out for at least four weeks, Hayes is likely to be Utah’s starting center come Opening Night. He didn’t offer much rebounding value on Monday, and over his career, Hayes averages 5.8 rebounds per game when he starts. Fantasy managers shouldn’t expect much from him as a starter, but Hayes’s biggest value will be letting Jaren Jackson Jr. stay at power forward.

Jackson was whistled for five fouls during the first half, but his defensive aggression was likely influenced by the expectation that he’d be done at halftime. Jackson recorded a complete stat line in his 18 minutes, and he should be a highly valuable frontcourt player in category leagues this season. The key will be to stay healthy, as injuries limited Jackson to 48 games in 2025-26.

Peterson was the lone Jazz starter to see any action after halftime, logging nine minutes in the third quarter. The Jazz inserted Isaiah Collier (11 points, three rebounds, six assists, five steals, and one three-pointer) to start the second half, suggesting they currently view Peterson solely as a two-guard. His taking that role when he’s on the floor with Keyonte George isn’t a surprise, but Peterson may not get many point guard minutes when Utah’s PG1 sits.

Anunoby was one of three Knicks starters to finish Monday’s exhibition in double figures, joining Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite providing top-50 value each of the last two seasons, OG’s current ADP still sits in the high-60s. With that in mind, he could return excellent fantasy value in 2026-27, especially if he’s more aggressive in looking for his own shot.

Monday’s game was the first of two in as many nights for the Knicks, who visit the Raptors on Tuesday. Even if Brunson and the other starters are available, they may not play much in New York’s final road game this preseason. Unsurprisingly, Brunson was the most productive starter against the Timberwolves, and he’ll lead the way offensively on many nights during the regular season.

The partnership between Edwards and LaMelo Ball (10 points, three rebounds, seven assists, one block and one three-pointer) has looked good in the preseason. The Timberwolves clearly prioritized getting a playmaker to share the court with Ant-Man, and Ball fits the mold. There will likely be some growing pains once the results count, but this should be another big year for Edwards. He has a first-round ADP in 12-team leagues, and that’s fair.

With Julius Randle and Naz Reid out of the picture in Minnesota, McDaniels should have more room to operate as a scorer. He was very effective against the Knicks, shooting nearly 67 percent from the field overall and going 4-of-5 from deep. With an ADP in the nineties, McDaniels could be a steal in fantasy basketball this season.

Jonathan Kuminga was unavailable for Monday’s exhibition, so Williams took the starting lineup spot. He didn’t provide much offensively, but the Timberwolves didn’t need him to. Williams spent a considerable amount of time guarding Jalen Brunson, and proving that he can contribute defensively may be the former Jazz forward’s path to rotation minutes.

Coulibaly will be one of the first players off the bench for the Wizards once the regular season begins. He wasn’t a reliable fantasy option in his first three seasons, and the reserve role limits his ceiling in 2026-27. However, Coulibaly may benefit from a full season with Trae Young because he can get out in transition and finish. He should be rostered in dynasty leagues, but fantasy managers don’t need to select Coulibaly in most redraft leagues.