4 weeks agoChicago Bulls guard
Lonzo Ball (knee) was an active participant during Friday's practice and 5-on-5 scrimmage. The 26-year-old is hopeful to be on the court for Opening Night. Ball hasn't suited up for a game since January 2022, so it's great to see him getting back on the court. It's unclear what kind of role Ball will have on this rebuilding Bulls roster.
Josh Giddey figures to start at point guard, so possibly Ball fills in as the primary backup. When healthy, Ball was a reliable ball handler and an above average defender, but that was two years ago. The Bulls are expected to have heavy restrictions on Ball, which is going to make him tough to trust in fantasy leagues.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Julia Poe
4 weeks agoPortland Trail Blazers center
Robert Williams III (hamstring) will miss at least the next two weeks of action. Ugh, Williams was limited to six games last season and now he's injured before the regular season begins. He suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain, so the team will re-evaluate him in two weeks. His absence should open up more playing time for lottery pick
Donovan Clingan. The rookie big man could find himself with a sizable role on this rebuilding roster. Williams won't be an ideal fantasy option even as a late round flier with
Deandre Ayton and Clingan both in the mix for minutes at the center spot.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Portland Trail Blazers
4 weeks agoDallas Mavericks guard
Dante Exum (hand) could end up missing an extended period of time. Exum suffered a severe right wrist injury that could require surgery. The Mavs are evaluating treatment options, but it seems likely that Exum is going to miss the beginning of the regular season. Exum figured to serve as a depth option behind
Kyrie Irving and
Luka Doncic on the perimeter. Now,
Spencer Dinwiddie,
Quentin Grimes, and
Jaden Hardy will likely absorb more playing time. The Mavs should give a timetable on Exum once they decide whether or not he'll have surgery.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
4 weeks agoBrooklyn Nets power forward
Trendon Watford is being evaluated for a hamstring injury. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez has announced that several players are dealing with hamstring issues before the start of preseason, and Watford is among them.
Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) has already been ruled out for Tuesday's preseason opener, and Watford could join him on the sidelines along with
Day'Ron Sharpe (hamstring). Watford played well to close out the season last year, but he was limited to only 13.6 minutes per game across the campaign. A good preseason would help Watford in a battle for a regular spot in the rotation, but unfortunately, he's dealing with an injury even before the action has started.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: C.J. Holmes
4 weeks agoBrooklyn Nets center
Day'Ron Sharpe is under evaluation for a hamstring injury. The Nets have already ruled out starting center
Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) for Tuesday's preseason opener and could be without another big man. Sharpe has been stuck behind Claxton in Brooklyn but played a fairly prominent role for the team in 2023-24. He averaged 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 15.1 minutes. Similar levels of productivity can be expected from Sharpe in the upcoming campaign.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: C.J. Holmes
4 weeks agoBrooklyn Nets center
Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) will not play in Tuesday's preseason opener against the Clippers. He is dealing with hamstring soreness. It looks like Claxton could be limited throughout the preseason, but it doesn't sound like it's a serious issue for him, and there's a good chance Claxton will be fully ready for the regular season. The Nets begin the campaign on Oct. 23 versus Atlanta. Brooklyn will expect big things from Claxton in 2024-25 after signing him to a four-year, $100 million extension in the summer.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: C.J. Holmes
4 weeks agoDetroit Pistons forward/center
Isaiah Stewart will be used as a center in the upcoming campaign. Stewart started his career as a center but played the last two seasons mostly as a power forward. Now, he's set to feature as a center again, a position Stewart prefers. The six-foot-nine big man is expected to work as a backup behind
Jalen Duren. It remains to be seen how Pistons head coach J. B. Bickerstaff splits the minutes between the two, but it's hard to imagine Stewart getting close to the 30.9 minutes he averaged last season, meaning his fantasy stock will take a hit.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Omari Sankofa II
4 weeks agoOklahoma City Thunder forward/center
Jaylin Williams (hamstring) will sit out the preseason. Williams has sustained a right hamstring strain, and the team will re-evaluate him after the preseason. The Thunder kick off their regular-season slate on Oct. 24 versus Denver. Williams saw his playing time drop during his sophomore campaign in 2023-24, as he averaged 13.0 minutes across 69 games. The addition of
Isaiah Hartenstein will make his life even more difficult in Oklahoma City. With
Kenrich Williams (knee) also out, we should see a lot of
Ousmane Dieng in preseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Joel Lorenzi
4 weeks agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Trey Murphy III (hamstring) will likely miss the start of the season. The 24-year-old sustained a right hamstring strain in Wednesday's practice, and the team announced that Murphy III will be re-evaluated in three weeks. New Orleans starts its campaign on Oct. 23 against Chicago. Murphy III mostly came off the bench for the Pelicans last term but continued to play an integral part in the rotation, averaging 29.6 minutes per game.
Jordan Hawkins and
Matt Ryan could get extra action without Murphy III.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoSan Antonio Spurs guard
Keldon Johnson (foot) says that he is healthy and in shape heading into the start of next season. Johnson missed the final four games of the regular season in 2023 due to a foot sprain. The 24-year-old is heading into his sixth season and is now considered a veteran on this rebuilding roster. Johnson saw a regression in some stats last season, but still remains a reliable contributor on this roster. The Spurs added
Harrison Barnes via trade this offseason, so Johnson will likely head to a bench role to start the season. Despite that, Johnson should still have a significant role as he averaged nearly 30 minutes per game over the course of his career. Fantasy managers should consider Johnson healthy as he looks ready to contribute at the beginning of the season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Sports Illustrated
4 weeks agoThe Chicago Bulls have signed guard
Joshua Primo to an Exhibit 10 contract on Thursday. The 21-year-old is a former 12th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs from 2021. Primo lasted two seasons with the Spurs before joining the Los Angeles Clippers briefly last season. The young guard certainly has the potential to be a contributor in the NBA, but hasn't be given much of a chance outside of his rookie season. Primo will get a chance to earn himself a role on the Bulls during training camp, but he's likely going to spend most of his time in the G-League. The addition of Primo doesn't mean much for fantasy managers, but it'll be interesting to see if the Bulls are able to jumpstart his career.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Darnell Mayberry
4 weeks agoToronto Raptors forward
Chris Boucher (knee) has put in the work and reportedly has an improved mindset heading into the 2024-2025 season. The 31-year-old was limited to 50 games last season due to a knee injury. Before that, Boucher was growing frustrated with his role on the team. Boucher has been a bench player each of the last two seasons and saw only 14.1 minutes per game in 2023. Boucher is unlikely to have a much bigger role in 2024 with
Jakob Poeltl starting at center and
Scottie Barnes covering the power forward spot. However, Boucher appears to be more accepting on his role and is ready to put in the work as a depth player.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Michael Grange
4 weeks agoDenver Nuggets guard
Christian Braun was seen playing with the starting unit during Thursday's practice. It looks like Braun is the favorite for the starting shooting guard spot heading into training camp. Braun is coming off a decent year last season as he averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across 20.2 minutes per game in 82 contests. He figures to compete with
Julian Strawther for the starting shooting guard spot to begin the season. Whoever wins the gig should see a boost in fantasy value while playing with the starting five. Braun is heading into his third season with the Nuggets and has taken a step forward in each of the last two seasons.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Harrison Wind
4 weeks agoMiami Heat guard
Josh Richardson (shoulder) continues working his way back from season-ending shoulder surgery from last March. The 31-year-old is reportedly close to returning and was seen getting up shots after practice earlier this week. Richardson still isn't a full participant in practice, but is expected to be ready by the beginning of the regular season. Richardson could be sidelined for the beginning of training camp, which could mean more reps for
Alec Burks and
Duncan Robinson. Richardson finished with 9.9 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists across 25.6 minutes per game. The expectation is that the Heat will ease Richardson back into action, but he could be an interesting fantasy option once he's back to full health.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Anthony Chiang
4 weeks agoSan Antonio Spurs power forward
Jeremy Sochan is working on improving his shooting and has said it's going "well." The 21-year-old is a man of many talents but has struggled to shoot efficiently on the NBA stage. His shooting form looks strange, to say the least, and Sochan even uses a one-handed technique for his free throws. He has been a 44.4 percent career shooter, hitting 28.5 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. Despite the shooting struggles, Sochan has averaged 11.3 points for his career. With improved shooting numbers, his scoring output is bound to rise. Sochan's productivity should also get a boost in 2024-25 with the presence of elite playmaker
Chris Paul, who is masterful in finding open looks for his teammates.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Josh Paredes
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