NBA Player News

Robinson returns to the injury report for Game 5 of the NBA Finals but he is available to play. The Knicks ' big man logged 13 minutes in Game 4 and grabbed five rebounds. Robinson will continue to have a similar role as New York looks to close out the series.

Because of a hamstring strain suffered in early April, Dončić did not play at all during the postseason. He’s good to go now, with the Lakers’ cornerstone saying during Media Day that he will not be restricted when the team opens training camp. That’s great news for the Lakers and fantasy managers, as Dončić should be an early first-round pick in all drafts. However, given his importance to a team moving on without LeBron James, Dončić may be given a light workload during the preseason.

DiVincenzo suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during the first round of last season’s playoffs. Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd refused to provide a concrete timeline when asked about the guard’s recovery in early September. Still, DiVincenzo made it clear on Monday that he expects to play at some point this season. While we certainly hope that’s the case, fantasy managers have no reason to stash him in an IL slot. Just be alert for the day when DiVincenzo is cleared to resume on-court activities. In the meantime, his absence boosts Ayo Dosunmu’s fantasy value, as he should be the first guard off the bench.

Acquired from the Pelicans in early September, Peavy recently sprained his ankle. According to Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman, it will be “a while” before the team gets to see the 2025 second-round pick on the court. Peavy’s absence won’t affect fantasy basketball, but it does mean one less wing competing for rotation minutes when camp opens.

Avdija’s back has been an issue at times over the past two seasons, even causing him to miss Israel’s FIBA World Cup qualifiers this summer. The good news is that he’s on track to be fully available when the regular season begins. Avdija did not say whether there would be any restrictions when the Trail Blazers open training camp on Tuesday, but fantasy managers should feel comfortable selecting him in drafts. The concern is the number of playmakers on the roster, with Damian Lillard (Achilles) healthy and Ja Morant now in the fold after being acquired from the Grizzlies. With those two available, Avdija’s fantasy ceiling likely drops.

While Porter was a surprisingly valuable player for fantasy managers last season, he played only 38 games before being shut down in late March. The good news is that Porter will go into training camp at full strength. However, with Milwaukee adding multiple guards to their roster, including Tyler Herro and lottery pick Brayden Burries, KPJ’s fantasy ceiling likely took a hit. He should be drafted, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo no longer in the fold, but managers will need to keep their expectations for Porter in check.

This is a major blow for the Clippers as they enter the post-Kawhi Leonard era. During his media availability, Ingram said he’s considered week-to-week. With BI on the shelf, Max Strus, Keaton Wagler and Gradey Dick are all candidates to see increased run. The rookie Wagler has the most upside and makes for a fine, late-round selection in fantasy drafts.

Lillard, who did not play last season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, was cleared to resume 5-on-5 in late April, so his statement at Trail Blazers media day is not a surprise. Lillard said that he’s “operating like I wasn’t hurt,” which is music to the ears of fantasy managers. However, one concern as he begins his second stint in Portland is the team’s perimeter depth. The Trail Blazers acquired Ja Morant from Memphis, and they also have holdovers Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson. That may lead to Lillard’s workload being managed early in the season, potentially lowering his fantasy ceiling.

After spending the first eight seasons of his NBA career with the Knicks, Robinson moved north and signed with the Celtics in free agency. One question for the 7-footer is how much he’ll be able to play after ankle issues limited his minutes in each of his final three seasons with the Knicks. Robinson, likely to serve as Neemias Queta’s backup, expressed confidence that he’ll be able to play more after averaging 19.6 minutes per game last season. “Oh, definitely. I feel very confident in myself,” Robinson said. “I’ve been working on my body this whole summer. Figuring things out. And I’m very confident in myself right now.” If he can get his playing time into the mid-20s, that would make Robinson a viable option for fantasy managers, especially those willing to punt free-throw percentage. However, Queta’s presence does limit Robinson’s fantasy ceiling.

After suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in the second round of the 2025 playoffs, Tatum surprised many by returning to action in early March. However, the Celtics star played only 16 games before a lingering left knee issue kept him out of Game 7 of Boston’s first-round series against Philadelphia. The good news is that Tatum spent most of his offseason getting “stronger and more explosive” instead of rehab, and he “feels great” going into training camp. That’s excellent news for the Celtics and for fantasy managers, who should look to select Tatum in the first round of standard league drafts.

Duren is still embroiled in contract negotiations after turning down a $200 million deal from Detroit, and he could be headed toward signing a $9.6 million qualifying offer. The deadline to sign the qualifying offer is Thursday, and if Duren pursues that option, he would become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Sacramento has been linked to Duren as a team that would potentially pay him what he wants, but he could entertain offers from other suitors. John Collins is an interesting later-round flier in standard leagues, and Paul Reed makes a fine pick in deeper leagues.