NBA Player News

Porter Jr. was waived by the Jazz on Monday, and he announced his retirement about six hours later. He spent 11 years in the NBA after being drafted by the Wizards with the 3rd overall pick in 2013. He was an elite fantasy player from 2015-2019, but he hasn’t been as relevant in recent years. He won a championship with the Warriors in 2022 but only played 23 games for Toronto over the last two years since then. He didn’t make an appearance for Utah after being traded at the deadline.

Having suffered a severe finger injury before the Paris Olympics, Exum missed only one game for Australia. He was given a clean bill of health before training camp, but now the Mavericks guard is dealing with a wrist injury that could require surgery. According to Charania, the team is evaluating treatment options for Exum. He was unlikely to be a reliable fantasy asset this season, with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving playing most of the perimeter minutes, but the injury does not help matters. Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, and Jaden Hardy would figure more prominently in the rotation if Exum is sidelined for an extended period.

For Denver’s preseason opener, Braun answered the question of who would fill the void left by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The 2022 first-round pick didn’t provide much offensive production, but he did a solid job on the glass while also tallying one steal and one blocked shot. Nuggets coach Michael Malone hasn’t made any definitive statements regarding the starters for the regular season, so the door may remain open for Julian Strawther to work his way into the mix. In 23 minutes off the bench on Friday, he tallied 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot, and one 3-pointer. Strawther may not be the defender that Braun is, but he does offer a little more offensively, especially in the perimeter shooting department.

There’s no need for alarm; Horford is healthy. This was simply a coach’s decision, with the 38-year-old center getting the night off. Luke Kornet started Friday’s 107-103 victory, finishing with six points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 21 minutes. Horford will be the starting center until Kristaps Porzingis is cleared to return from offseason leg surgery. However, he did not play both ends of any back-to-backs last season, and fantasy managers should expect the same in 2024-25. Kornet, Xavier Tillman (currently sidelined due to a knee issue), and Neemias Queta would take on a heavier workload on those nights.

Williams, limited to six games last season due to a knee injury, is already back on the shelf. According to the Trail Blazers, during training camp this week, he suffered a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring. The Time Lord will be re-evaluated in two weeks, and his absence frees up additional opportunities for lottery pick Donovan Clingan to earn rotation minutes. As for the center rotation, Williams’ injury history could impact Portland’s ability to move him via trade if they decide to take that route. After a period in which he was a bonafide fantasy target, Williams isn’t worth the risk in most leagues, even as a late-round flier.

Pritchard can put together some impressive offensive performances but remains behind Jrue Holiday and Derrick White on the depth chart. Holiday, White, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown were all shut down at the half of Boston’s preseason opener, giving Pritchard more room to operate as an offensive focal point. While worthy of late-round consideration in deep leagues, he’s likely to be nothing more than a streamer in standard leagues.

With Brandon Ingram still in a Pelicans uniform, there may be a glass ceiling on Murphy’s fantasy value this season. The hamstring injury means he may not be a full go when the regular season begins. Murphy’s absence will boost Herb Jones’ fantasy value, while Jordan Hawkins could crack the back end of the rotation. Last season, Murphy averaged career-highs in points (14.8), rebounds (4.9), and assists (2.2) per game last season while shooting 44.3% from the field and 38% from deep.

Richardson’s season ended last March after requiring shoulder surgery. It is keeping him sidelined to start training camp, but he appears close to being ready. Until then, Duncan Robinson, Alec Burks and Jaime Jaquez Jr. will play a few extra minutes during the preseason.

Primo appeared in two games for the Clippers last season and in four games for the Spurs the year before prior to being waived. Primo will have a chance to make the Bulls’ roster in training camp, and there is a good chance that he ends up with their G-League squad this upcoming season.

Reports indicated that the starting shooting guard job will come down to either Braun or Julian Strawther. It appears that Braun got the nod on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean that the job is his. This situation is worth keeping an eye on, since whoever starts at shooting guard will receive a nice boost in fantasy.

Davis worked out with the Bucks in August, but the team did not make a move to sign him. He’s now in camp with the Bucks, attempting to land the team’s final guaranteed contract. Milwaukee has 14 players under standard contracts, and second-year wing Andre Jackson Jr.'s deal is not guaranteed. He may be Davis’ competition for a roster spot.