NBA

Less than one year after Mark Walter purchased a controlling share of the Lakers from the Buss family for $10 billion, the storied franchise is on the verge of changing hands again. Kushner and Iger were initially involved in the expansion process in Las Vegas, so it remains to be seen what Wednesday’s news means for that bid (and, by extension, a possible expansion team in Seattle). The transaction still requires league approval to go through, and if it does, Kushner will have to give up his minority share of the Miami Heat.

Watson remains a restricted free agent, and the Cavaliers are reportedly exploring ways to create enough salary-cap space to offer him a four-year deal. According to Stein, Cleveland has considered trade scenarios involving guards Dennis Schroder and Max Strus to shed salary. Watson is seeking a deal worth more than $25 million annually, but could also accept his $6.5 million qualifying offer from the Nuggets and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Whether he remains in Denver or heads elsewhere, Watson has the skill set needed to offer reliable fantasy value. That said, an opportunity to start would raise his ceiling, and that may not be possible in Denver next season.

The Warriors have roster spots to fill, but not much cap space to do it. Due to a left foot injury, Niang did not play at all in 2025-26, beginning his year with the Jazz before being sent to Memphis as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. As for Williams, he appeared in 66 games for the Mavericks last season, averaging 13.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 22.2 minutes. While he did record career-best averages, Williams’ increased opportunities came as a result of Kyrie Irving missing the entire season with a torn ACL. He and Niang are capable contributors if they were to land with the Warriors, but neither qualifies as a must-draft player in most leagues.

Beal’s first season with the Clippers did not go as planned, as he appeared in just six games before a fractured hip required season-ending surgery. The veteran guard opted out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent, and he’s yet to find a new home. Miami has been mentioned as a possible destination for Beal, but various reports have the team’s priority being Dallas wing Klay Thompson. The Clippers are in a state of flux right now because Toronto has put the Kawhi Leonard trade on hold while the NBA continues its investigation into the contract he and Los Angeles agreed to years ago. While a healthy Beal can offer tangible fantasy value, his inability to stay healthy in recent years makes him a risky draft pick in standard leagues.

Leonard was traded to Toronto in late June, with the Clippers receiving Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and future draft capital. However, the ongoing investigation into Leonard’s Clippers contract led the Raptors to pause the deal, as potential penalties could affect Toronto. Despite new information about an undisclosed sponsorship with Daktronics reported by Pablo Torre, Leonard is going through his offseason expecting to be a Raptor by the time training camp opens in late September. When available, Leonard is one of the best players to have rostered in fantasy basketball. However, the injury history combined with this investigation will give managers something to think about at draft time.

Per usual, the NBA will have its brightest stars playing on Christmas Day. The NBA Finals rematch will start the day at 12 p.m. ET and will be followed by Heat-Celtics, 76ers-Lakers, Thunder-Timberwolves and Nuggets-Warriors. Aside from the team and player rivalries that will add to the drama, this will also be LeBron James’ return to Los Angeles after spending the last eight seasons as a Laker.

The most important note here is the start time. Typically, there are two night games on opening night, but this game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET. Managers will have to set their lineups earlier than usual. There are still two night games, with the defending-champion Knicks hosting the new-look 76ers, which will be followed by a Western Conference Finals rematch, with the Spurs hosting the Thunder. All three games will be broadcasted on NBC and Peacock. Other nationally-televised games for the first week have been revealed as well, and the full schedule will be released this week.

The 55th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Olbrich spent his first NBA season with the Bulls on a two-way contract. He appeared in 37 NBA games as a rookie, averaging 2.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 9.3 minutes per outing. Olbrich spent this summer with the Warriors, contributing to a team that won the Vegas Summer League.

After splitting the 2024-25 season between the Nets and Clippers, Simmons did not play in the NBA in 2025-26. In fact, he did not play anywhere, with the time off allowing the former first overall pick to recover from back issues that helped torpedo what appeared to be a promising career. Simmons will not be under any restrictions at the player-led minicamp, and he reportedly hopes to represent Australia in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Regarding his NBA outlook, multiple teams have expressed interest in Simmons, according to Spears. He is said to be open to signing for the veteran’s minimum, which is likely the most that he would be able to sign for given the time missed.

Kawamura has appeared in 40 NBA games over two seasons, most recently spending the 2025-26 season with the Bulls on a two-way deal. In 18 NBA appearances for Chicago, the 5-foot-9 guard averaged 3.6 points and 2.6 assists in 11.6 minutes. Kawamura played for the Pacers’ summer league team in Las Vegas, doing enough to earn a training camp invite from the Clippers. He still has two-way contract eligibility, and that may be the path that Kawamura is asked to take in 2026-27.