NBA

Antetokounmpo was not present at the start of the Bucks’ training camp, as he had remained in Greece after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Being able to travel is a surefire sign that the Bucks star has been given a clean bill of health, which is the most important news. No decision has been made regarding Antetokounmpo’s availability for Monday’s preseason game against the Heat, but one can likely assume that neither he nor Milwaukee will look to rush things. The Bucks begin their regular season on October 22 against the Wizards.

DiVincenzo was limited last season by a case of turf toe on his left great toe, missing six weeks in the middle of the season as a result. However, while he did decide to pass up the opportunity to play for Italy at EuroBasket to rest the toe, the Timberwolves guard also decided against surgery. “I had the option to get surgery. I elected not to,” DiVincenzo said Monday. “Surgery would have put me out, I think, five, six months, and we put a plate in the shoe to restrict that mobility of my toe. … Because now the season ended, I pulled the plate out of my shoe. I want to get back to being my normal self, and so it’s all precautionary. There’s nothing to worry about to start the season.” DiVincenzo’s role may expand this season, whether he starts or comes off the bench, as starting point guard Mike Conley turns 38 later this month and the Timberwolves lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency.

Friday’s exhibition opener was not Fears’ official “welcome to the NBA” moment, but the rookie struggled with his shot and turnovers in Melbourne. The lottery pick missed all six of his three-point attempts and committed five turnovers in his 22 minutes off the bench. No Dejounte Murray (Achilles) may give Fears additional room to earn early rotation minutes, but the Pelicans don’t lack bench depth on the perimeter, either. Jose Alvarado (11/3/1/1 with three three-pointers) remains the backup point guard, and former first-round pick Jordan Hawkins (11/5/2 with one three-pointer) is looking to make a more significant impact in his third NBA season. That makes it difficult to expect Fears to be much more than a late-round flier in standard league drafts.

After starting 67 of the 73 games he played as a rookie, Missi came off the bench in Friday’s preseason opener with Kevon Looney getting the start. Is this something that would hold once the regular season begins? If so, that would be an issue for fantasy managers considering Missi, especially with the Pelicans trading up to draft Derik Queen in June’s draft. Missi did play more minutes than Looney (three points, three rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot) on Friday, logging 20 minutes to the veteran’s 18. But this is something to watch throughout the preseason, and Queen’s eventual full return from wrist surgery will be another variable in the competition for rotation minutes.

If there’s a player on the Pelicans roster who fantasy managers appear high on, it’s Murphy, as his ADP is comfortably within the top 50. He’s coming off the best season of his NBA career, having established career-best averages in points, rebounds and assists. The lone negative for Murphy in fantasy basketball was that he only played in 53 games due to a torn labrum that ended his season in March. If he can remain healthy, Murphy can provide top-50 value, but he’s failed to hit the 60 games played mark each of the last two seasons.

Poole made his unofficial Pelicans debut on Friday, starting and playing 20 minutes in the team’s preseason victory in Australia. With Dejounte Murray (Achilles) sidelined, Poole stands to have the ball in his hands quite often to serve as an on-ball playmaker. However, that’s also the case for Zion Williamson (five assists, two turnovers), who led the Pelicans in assists on Friday and offered a slightly better assist-to-turnover ratio than Poole (four assists, three turnovers). Murray’s absence does raise Poole’s fantasy ceiling, but fantasy managers also have to consider that he’s adjusting to a new team.

With Dejounte Murray (Achilles) still sidelined, Williamson will have additional opportunities to serve as a primary playmaker within the Pelicans’ offense. He looked sharp in his 16 minutes on the court on Friday, leading the team in assists while committing just two turnovers. Of course, talent has never been the concern regarding Williamson’s fantasy value; availability has. He only appeared in 30 games last season and has surpassed 60 appearances twice in his first six seasons. The availability concerns may push Zion down some draft boards, despite appearing slimmer than he has in years past.

According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Jakučionis has been diagnosed with a sprained left wrist. The good news is that the MRI returned negative, so the rookie guard is not dealing with a fracture. It’s unknown how much time Jakučionis will miss, but being out now means he won’t have the chance to compete for the minutes that have become available due to Tyler Herro’s ankle injury. Jakučionis isn’t a must-draft player in standard leagues, but he’s worth tracking throughout the preseason.

With Joel Embiid (knee) sidelined, Thursday’s exhibition was Bona’s most recent audition for the right to serve as the 2023 MVP’s backup once the regular season begins. Early foul trouble was an issue for the 6-foot-10 Bona, who may have played a bit more had he not picked up two fouls in the first quarter. Andre Drummond (two points and three rebounds) only played eight minutes, but he’s a far more proven option than the second-year post out of UCLA. Bona’s energy and athleticism may give him the upper hand in the competition for the backup center role, which has some streaming value due to Embiid’s injury history. But he must avoid the silly fouls to make good on that upside.

Edgecombe was one of two 76ers to play at least 30 minutes on Thursday, with forward Dominick Barlow (6/10/2/1) being the other. The rookie guard was utilized in multiple roles in his exhibition debut. He played off the ball when sharing the floor with Tyrese Maxey and got a few opportunities to initiate offense when the star guard rested. What truly stands out at this extremely early juncture is Edgecombe’s athleticism, which could be an asset for the 76ers, especially as they await the returns of Jared McCain (thumb) and the recently re-signed Quentin Grimes. While Dallas’ Cooper Flagg will be the first rookie selected in drafts, Edgecombe has an excellent argument to be next off the board.