NBA

The break means Shamet will miss Wizards’ training camp, but there’s a chance he’ll be back in time for the season opener against Indiana on October 25. If he’s forced to miss time into the regular season, Johnny Davis and Corey Kispert might find some extra minutes.

With the Celtics sending Robert Williams to Portland as part of a trade to acquire Jrue Holiday, there’s a clear need for additional depth in the frontcourt. With that being the case, the decision to reportedly sign Gabriel to a training camp deal is unsurprising. He appeared in a career-high 68 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes. However, Gabriel’s play with South Sudan at the FIBA World Cup truly grabbed the Celtics’ attention. Gabriel, who worked out for the Celtics well before Sunday’s trade, will compete with Luke Kornet (whose contract for this season is not guaranteed) and two-way contract recipient Neemias Queta for rotation minutes in training camp.

Before finalizing their training camp roster, the Clippers still had some work to do, and Preston was the first “casualty.” The 33rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-4 point guard missed the entire 2021-22 season after undergoing foot surgery. Preston was unable to establish himself as a rotation player last season, averaging 8.9 minutes per game in 14 appearances. The Clippers’ decision to sign Joshua Primo to a two-way contract on Saturday likely impacted their decision to waive Preston. This move does not impact fantasy basketball.

While it’s been reported that Lee suffered a meniscus injury, there was no word on the severity. Consider the veteran guard, who was in a position to provide the Suns with additional depth, to be out indefinitely. Lee wasn’t a great fantasy option last season, and that was likely to be the case this season regardless of his health. The newly acquired Grayson Allen and Nassir Little are two of the many wing players who will compete for rotation minutes when training camp opens on Monday.

Even if they hadn’t acquired Damian Lillard from Portland, the Bucks were in need of additional depth at the point guard position. They have reportedly addressed that issue, with Payne coming to terms on a one-year deal. Starting 15 of the 48 games he appeared in last season, Payne averaged 10.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.4 3-pointers in 20.2 minutes. While Lillard’s presence does limit Payne’s ceiling, he’s worth using a late-round pick on due to Milwaukee’s lack of options at the point guard position.

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is on the move, as he was one of two players sent to Portland in exchange for Jrue Holiday. In addition to Brogdon, the Trail Blazers will receive Robert Williams, a 2024 first-round pick (via Golden State) and a 2029 first. While Brogdon was productive off the bench in his lone season with the Celtics, things ended on a sour note. He injured his right elbow during the Eastern Conference Finals, with it being unknown if surgery would be required. Boston then tried to include him in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, but things fell through when the Clippers expressed concern about Brogdon’s health (Marcus Smart would be traded to Memphis to complete the deal). Brogdon can be a quality fantasy option when healthy, but his value in Portland is unknown. He may be in a situation similar to Holiday, where his career “clock” and desire to compete for a championship doesn’t mesh with the franchise’s ongoing rebuild. Don’t be surprised if Portland looks to find Brogdon a new home, as that would protect the minutes of young guards Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons.

Portland found a new home for the recently acquired Jrue Holiday, and they got themselves a solid haul. Heading to the Pacific Northwest are Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-round pick (conveyed from Golden State to Portland via Boston), and a 2029 first. While the Time Lord was a fantasy favorite at one point in time, some of the luster was lost due to injury issues. Williams only appeared in 35 games in 2022-23, and he’s hit the 60 games played mark just once in his first five NBA seasons. With Portland having also acquired Deandre Ayton via the Damian Lillard trade, Williams will likely come off the bench, which limits his fantasy value significantly.

Well, one day after it was reported that the Trail Blazers were expected to move Holiday by Monday, he’s on his way to Boston. This move boosts Boston’s perimeter defense, as they traded Marcus Smart to Memphis earlier this offseason. Holiday has consistently provided top-50 fantasy value, which should remain the case despite sharing the court with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. His arrival in Boston will impact Derrick White the most, as he was a player many pointed to as a potential fantasy breakout candidate. White, whose usage was unlikely to change much due to the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis, takes a hit here, even though he should remain in the starting lineup.

Williams, acquired via sign-and-trade in July, joins Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as the players locked into Kidd’s starting lineup. This news is unsurprising, given Dallas’s lengths to add him to the roster. And that security gives Williams a better chance of offering consistent fantasy value than he did in Boston. In 23 starts, Williams averaged 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.0 3-pointers per game, shooting 49.7% from the field, 45.1% from three, and 77.1% from the foul line. Given the career track record, many fantasy managers may wait until the later rounds of drafts to select Williams. But that may be too late due to the new role and the catch-and-shoot opportunities that will be available playing off of Doncic and Irving.

Due to two significant ankle injuries, Ball was limited to just 36 games last season. While the availability issues lowered his value significantly in roto leagues, Ball remained a quality point guard with regard to per-game value. And the aim heading into the 2023-24 campaign is to have him do even more work in the two-man game. “He can be a great, great pick-and-roll player,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “We want to get him involved in more pick-and-rolls with different combinations. Not just with centers. With the other perimeter players also. He’s terrific anyway, but that can get his game to the next level.” Ball averaged a career-high 8.4 assists per game last season, and even with the ankle issues he’s worth using a first-round pick on in most fantasy leagues.