3 weeks agoLos Angeles Clippers guard
Bones Hyland missed Tuesday's preseason clash against Brooklyn with left hip soreness. Hyland could really use a good preseason to boost his stock in Los Angeles, and the hip problem is definitely a setback for him. The 24-year-old did well in the Clippers' preseason opener against Golden State at the weekend, tallying seven points and four rebounds in 13 minutes. Hyland's next chance to play comes on Friday against Portland.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Law Murray
3 weeks agoPhoenix Suns shooting guard
Damion Lee (groin, leg) is reportedly fine following his early exit from Tuesday's preseason game against Detroit. The 31-year-old veteran went to the locker room with three minutes played in the fourth quarter after he was hit in the groin/leg area. However, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports noted after the game that Lee is "all right." Lee missed the only shot he took in the game and grabbed one assist with one steal across five minutes of action before being forced to exit. After averaging over 20 minutes a night last season, Lee will likely find it tough to get meaningful minutes in 2024-25 following the backcourt additions of
Tyus Jones and
Monte Morris.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Gerald Bourguet
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Clippers small forward
Derrick Jones Jr. (head) is reportedly okay after getting hurt in Tuesday's preseason clash versus Brooklyn. Jones Jr. was hit to the head in the second quarter, exiting the court while holding a towel to his face. Shortly after the incident, Jones Jr. was ruled out for the rest of the game with a head contusion. However, The Athletic's Law Murray has reported that Jones Jr. is "fine" and there shouldn't be anything to worry about going forward. The eight-year veteran is projected to be a starter for the Clippers this season after inking a three-year, $30 million contract as a free agent in the summer.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Law Murray
3 weeks agoCleveland Cavaliers guard/forward
Max Strus (hip) was limited to nine minutes in Tuesday's preseason contest against Chicago. He had zero points with two rebounds and one assist before being forced to exit the game due to a right hip contusion.
Dean Wade started the second half in Strus' place. Cleveland returns to action on Thursday versus Indiana and might elect to keep Strus out of the lineup as a precaution ahead of the regular season. The 28-year-old sniper missed 12 games last term.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chris Fedor
3 weeks agoWashington Wizards guard
Malcolm Brogdon (thumb) underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. The 31-year-old was traded to Washington during the offseason after averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 41.2% shooting from deep with the Blazers in 2023-24. Unfortunately, he was limited to only 39 games. Without question, Brogdon is a force whenever he's on the floor. However, his injury woes over the years make him a risky fantasy option. That won't change until he proves he can stay healthy.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Washington Wizards
3 weeks agoMilwaukee Bucks guard
Gary Trent Jr. (elbow) didn't practice on Tuesday. However, head coach Doc Rivers said the former Raptor might play in Thursday's preseason matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. Even if he doesn't, Rivers added that Trent didn't need an MRI on the hyperextended left elbow he sustained in Sunday's loss to the Pistons and will "be fine." The 25-year-old is coming off a down season, averaging 13.7 points. With that in mind, Trent is capable of starting or coming off the bench, so he'll likely see more than enough minutes on a Milwaukee team that lacks depth, meaning he should have more than a handful of potent fantasy showings this season.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Eric Nehm
3 weeks agoAccording to Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, guard
Lonzo Ball (knee) will suit up at some point during the preseason. He wasn't active for Tuesday's exhibition against the Cavaliers. Yet, Ball's impending return is still much sooner than most anticipated. The 26-year-old hasn't played since January 2022 and has undergone multiple knee surgeries since, including a meniscus transplant. As a result, he'll likely be brought along slowly early in the 2024-25 campaign. However, with
Josh Giddey,
Coby White, and
Ayo Dosunmu in the picture, there are more questions regarding Ball's role than answers. With that said, he'll likely make appearances with the starting lineup this season. Still, Ball isn't expected to be a consistent fantasy producer.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
3 weeks agoToronto Raptors forward
RJ Barrett (shoulder) will miss the remainder of the preseason after suffering an AC joint strain in Monday's preseason meeting with the Wizards. The 24-year-old was traded to Toronto ahead of last season's deadline after spending his entire career in New York. He had the most productive stretch of his career in 32 games with the Raptors last season, averaging a career-high 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Barrett also shot 39.2% from deep, the second-best mark of his career. His status for the opener against the Cavs on October 23 is up in the air. But if the former Knick can't suit up for that one,
Ochai Agbaji would likely take his spot in the rotation.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Eric Koreen
3 weeks agoDarnell Mayberry of The Athletic reports that Chicago Bulls guard
Josh Giddey (ankle) will play against the Cavaliers on Tuesday. The 21-year-old guard has been battling an ankle injury throughout the offseason but hasn't had any setbacks most recently and has taken contact in practice. Giddey could see plenty of action playing for the rebuilding Bulls and may have some fantasy value as the season progresses.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Joe Cowley
3 weeks agoLaw Murray of The Athletic reports that Los Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard (knee) will not play in Tuesday's preseason game against Brooklyn. Leonard has yet to be cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages after undergoing a procedure on his right knee in May. The Clippers are cautious as the 33-year-old's health has been an issue since joining the team in 2019. When Leonard is available, he is a fantasy force, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals across 68 contests one season ago.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Law Murray
3 weeks agoAccording to Law Murray of The Athletic, Los Angeles Clippers center
Mo Bamba (knee) will not suit up against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. Bamba will miss his second consecutive preseason game, and his participation has been limited during training camp. He spent last season with the 76ers, averaging 4.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks across 57 games. The 26-year-old can be dominant defensively, but he is not known to make an impact in fantasy.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Law Murray
3 weeks agoPer Michael C. Wright of ESPN, San Antonio Spurs point guard
Chris Paul will make his preseason debut on Wednesday after signing a one-year, $11 million contract with the team in the offseason. Paul's production has dipped significantly after being in the league for almost 20 years. He played in 58 games for Golden State in last year's campaign, averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals. The 39-year-old's presence will be essential for the development of center
Victor Wembanyama and the other young players on the team.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Michael C. Wright
3 weeks agoAccording to ESPN's Michael C. Wright, San Antonio Spurs center
Zach Collins (shoulder) will not play in the team's preseason game against the Magic on Wednesday. Despite not suiting up in the preseason, the 26-year-old has been participating in 5-on-5 drills during training camp after having shoulder surgery in April. Last season, Collins averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.8 blocks in 69 regular season contests. Saturday, he has another chance to make his preseason debut against Utah.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Michael C. Wright
3 weeks agoCharlotte Hornets guard
Nick Smith Jr. is battling a groin injury. He missed Sunday's preseason opener against the Knicks and will be re-evaluated in one week. This means Smith Jr. will have to sit out at least two more preseason games. Charlotte faces Miami on Tuesday and Memphis on Thursday. After going off the board as the 27th pick in the 2023 draft, Smith Jr. had his debut campaign in 2023-24. He averaged 5.9 points across 14.3 minutes in 51 outings. However, Smith Jr. was a 20-point scorer in the G League while averaging 5.5 assists, showing that he has the ability to make noise in the right circumstances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Charlotte Hornets PR
3 weeks agoDallas Mavericks power forward
P.J. Washington did not play in Monday's preseason game versus Memphis due to left hip tightness. It doesn't sound like a serious issue for Washington, but this might not end up being the only game he sits out, as the Mavericks won't want to take any risks ahead of the regular season. The team is already dealing with several injuries. Washington proved to be a great mid-season pickup for the Mavericks last term and should enjoy another fine campaign in Dallas. He averaged 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals after moving from Charlotte to Texas. There should also be room for improvement for the 26-year-old, as Washington's shooting numbers dipped a bit on his new team.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Mavs.com
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