NBA Player News

While the Thunder will be without four of their usual starters, the Nuggets are without all five of theirs. Hardaway and Brown may be the safest options for fantasy managers in active leagues, but all five can offer value in their respective roles given Denver’s limited depth.

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.

The Knicks signed Miličić to an Exhibit 10 contract a few days ago, opening the door for him to join the franchise’s G League affiliate. If the former Tennessee forward spends 60 days in Westchester, he’ll receive a bonus worth up to $91,000 in addition to his G League salary.

Gill, who appeared in 55 games in 2025-26, returns to Washington for a seventh season. He averaged nearly 18 minutes in those 55 appearances, contributing 5.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. While Gill will once again be a positive influence within the Wizards’ locker room, he’s unlikely to get the opportunities needed to impact fantasy basketball.

Traded to the Timberwolves in late August as part of a deal designed to free up the cap space Minnesota needed to sign Jonathan Kuminga, Konchar has reportedly found a new home. Between Memphis and Utah, he appeared in 26 games last season, averaging 5.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 26.2 minutes. While availability has been a concern and the Knicks’ rotation limits his fantasy ceiling, Konchar can be an asset in deeper category leagues.

Whitmore, limited to 21 games last season because of deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, was waived by the Cavaliers in August after the team acquired him in the Peyton Watson trade. Interestingly, Watson’s former team is reportedly considering the free-agent forward as training camp approaches. Whitmore has yet to carve out a consistent role in the NBA, but the former first-round pick could be worth a roll of the dice for a Nuggets team that can use added wing depth. While unlikely to be much of a factor in redraft leagues, landing a roster spot would clearly preserve what little value Whitmore has in dynasty leagues.