4 weeks agoMilwaukee Bucks guard
Gary Trent Jr. (elbow) left Sunday's preseason game with an elbow injury after 13 minutes of playing time. Trent looked to be in a lot of pain as he was escorted to the locker room, and the team confirmed that it was a hyperextension. A timetable for his return hasn't come out just yet as they're likely still running some tests and seeing how he feels, but a hyperextension could force a few weeks of missed time. Trent just joined the Bucks over the offseason to essentially replace
Malik Beasley, so his status will be important when the beginning of the season rolls around.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Eric Nehm
4 weeks agoToronto Raptors guard
RJ Barrett (shoulder) was forced to exit the team's preseason contest against the Washington Wizards on Sunday with an apparent shoulder contusion and was held out for the rest of the game as a precaution. Barrett was hit by a defender fighting through a screen and immediately went to the locker room to get his shoulder checked out. There hasn't been any official word on what the injury is just yet, so it seems like it's being labeled a "contusion" at the moment. Barrett finished Sunday's game with 17 points, two rebounds, two assists, and three turnovers on 7-for-10 shooting and 3-for-4 from downtown.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Josh Lewenberg
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
P.J. Tucker is away from the team right now as a mutually agreed situation while the team decides how to move forward with the former NBA Champ. Tucker expressed frustration with his role on the team last season and it looks like that hasn't been resolved heading into training camp and the preseason. Both sides agreed to take some time apart while the Clippers decide if they can trade him. Tucker has an $11.5 million price tag for this season after opting into the option, so teams haven't been very interested in his level of contribution for such a high price. The new tax aprons further complicate things, so it may be a while until we see Tucker on the court again.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Law Murray
4 weeks agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward
Brandon Ingram will not play in the team's first preseason game on Monday against the Orlando Magic. Head coach Willie Green confirmed that this decision is not injury related, it was actually a "collective decision" that he wouldn't play. At this point, it seems like it's more of a game to get a feel for some of the others on the team. There could be an underlying story here, but there haven't been any reports or rumors to suggest that right now. On unofficial depth charts, Ingram is still listed as a starting forward, but he's been the center of trade rumors for a couple of seasons now. His status will be something to monitor going into their second game on Friday.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Jim Eichenhofer
4 weeks agoNew York Knicks center
Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to suit up for the preseason opener on Sunday. Towns was traded to the Knicks in the end of September and is likely to make his team debut here. Head coach Tom Thibodeau said he plans on playing his starters, but didn't say how long they'd play. It's unlikely he pushes his starter too hard in an exhibition game, but at least Knicks fans will get to see their first taste of Towns.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Stefan Bondy
4 weeks agoWashington Wizards guard
Malcolm Brogdon (hand) suffered an injury on his shooting hand during Saturday's practice. Wizards' head coach Brian Keefe says that Brogdon is headed back to D.C. to get testing done on his hand. That being said, Brogdon won't be available for Sunday's preseason matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The team is likely going to be cautious with the oft-injured guard, so it wouldn't be shocking for him to miss some time. Hopefully this is a minor issue as Brogdon was expected to take on a significant role in the Wizards rotation this upcoming season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Josh Robbins
4 weeks agoToronto Raptors guard
Immanuel Quickley (thumb) won't play in Sunday's preseason matchup with the Wizards. The former Knick played well after being acquired by the Raptors ahead of the trade deadline last season, averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 39.5% shooting from behind the arc. As such, the team hopes to keep him on the floor throughout the 2024-25 campaign, so it's unknown how much action he'll see during the preseason. With
Scottie Barnes (rest) and
Bruce Brown (knee) out, the door is open for guys like
Ochai Agbaji,
Davion Mitchell, and
Jonathan Mogbo to get more minutes against Washington.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Blake Murphy
4 weeks agoPortland Trail Blazers guard
Shaedon Sharpe (shoulder) suffered a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder. As a result, he's expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. The 21-year-old averaged a career-high 15.9 points last season. However, he was limited to 32 games due to an abdominal injury, so the latest update on his health isn't ideal. Unfortunately, it's hard to justify him earning a spot in most fantasy formats to begin the 2024-25 campaign, especially since he was expected to come off the bench. With that in mind, Sharpe is worth monitoring throughout the year in case an injury to
Anfernee Simons or
Deni Avdija allows him to rejoin the starting unit.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto
4 weeks agoPhoenix Suns center
Jusuf Nurkic (finger) won't play in Sunday's exhibition against the Lakers. According to head coach Mike Budenholzer, the big man injured his left middle finger during scrimmage. It's unknown how severe the injury is. However, Nurkic will be re-evaluated in a week, meaning he could miss the entire preseason. The 30-year-old played well enough in 2023-24 to justify his presence in fantasy lineups, averaging a double-double (10.9 points, 11.0 rebounds) with 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals. Without him,
Mason Plumlee would be in line to start, although
Bol Bol and
Royce O'Neale can play bigger if necessary.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Gerald Bourguet
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Lakers center
Anthony Davis is expected to play in Sunday's preseason clash with the Suns. The 31-year-old didn't play on Friday night versus the Timberwolves to rest. However, he'll likely see limited action in his first exhibition of the year. Davis had a stellar 2023-24 campaign, averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.3 blocks. He also logged a career-high 76 games. Although Davis' percentage from deep isn't the best, he still has plenty to offer fantasy managers in any format. As far as Sunday's contest is concerned, Davis' presence against Phoenix could mean less work for
Jaxson Hayes, who had 14 points in 21 minutes with the starting lineup on Friday.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Mike Trudell
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James plans to play in Sunday's exhibition versus the Suns. The veteran didn't suit up for the Lakers' preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, James will get on the floor for this one, although he'll likely see limited action. With that said, his presence could still mean fewer minutes for others, especially
Dalton Knecht, who is coming off a 16-point performance on Friday.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Mike Trudell
4 weeks agoToronto Raptors forward
Scottie Barnes (rest) won't play in Sunday's preseason matchup with the Washington Wizards. The 23-year-old is healthy. However, he recently rejoined the team after missing a few days of training camp due to a personal issue, so he's not ready to get on the floor. Despite missing time due to a hand injury, Barnes had the best season of his career in 2023-24, averaging 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals. His shooting percentages have also improved. As such, he has All-Star potential in 2024-25, so fantasy managers should draft him accordingly.
Bruce Brown (knee) and
Immanuel Quickley (thumb) will also sit this one out, so there's a good chance guys like
Ochai Agbaji,
Jonathan Mogbo, and
Ulrich Chomche could benefit from a fantasy standpoint.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Blake Murphy
4
weeks
agoMemphis
Grizzlies
guard
Marcus
Smart
is
reportedly
on
the
New
York
Knicks'
radar.
It's
unknown
how
serious
New
York
is
about
acquiring
the
2022
NBA
Defensive
Player
of
the
Year.
It's
also
not
clear
how
the
Knicks
would
orchestrate
such
a
move,
considering
the
read more...
4 weeks agoCharlotte Hornets forward
Cody Martin (thumb) is currently considered day-to-day and won't suit up for Sunday's preseason opener. Martin suffered a thumb laceration and a sprained wrist while attempting to make a block during training camp. The 29-year-old is only expected to miss a few days and should be fine for Opening Night. The veteran forward figures to compete for backup minutes with
Seth Curry and
Tidjane Salaun. Martin is unlikely to have reliable fantasy value off the bench, but he'll still be an asset off the bench for Charlotte.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Hornets PR
4 weeks agoChicago Bulls guard
Josh Giddey (ankle) was on the court for 5-on-5 scrimmage during Friday's practice. The young guard has been battling with an ankle injury throughout the offseason. Luckily, it appears Giddey is back to full health which is great news as the regular season gets closer. Giddey figures to take over as the starting point guard in Chicago. However,
Lonzo Ball (knee) and
Ayo Dosunmu should also be in the mix for playing time at the point guard spot. The rebuilding Bulls should be able to give Giddey enough playing time for him to carve out fantasy value for himself.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Julia Poe
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