NBA Player News

With LeBron James (illness) out of commission, Dinwiddie will join Los Angeles’ usual starters. Dinwiddie averaged 12.7 points, 4.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 triples in three previous starts for the Lakers this season.

No one had any questions regarding whether or not Green would be a starter; he will be in the Warriors’ starting lineup. The question is, where will he play: power forward or center? While he refused to reveal his complete starting five, Kerr said that Green would be part of that group, but no decision was made regarding which position. The answer impacts multiple players, including Trayce Jackson-Davis, Kyle Anderson, and Kevon Looney. Of the three, TJD offers the highest fantasy upside, and Golden State’s defense improved when he started alongside Green last season. Anderson can also provide solid value, although he’s spent most of his career coming off the bench. If fantasy managers are to roll the dice on any of those options in drafts, it should be Jackson-Davis.

While Wiseman has not been a full participant in Pacers training camp, the injury has not sidelined him entirely. Signed to a two-year deal in July, the former second-overall pick will compete with Isaiah Jackson for backup center minutes behind Myles Turner. Fantasy managers should not consider selecting Wiseman in their drafts.

The 35th overall pick in this summer’s draft, Furphy’s opportunities to compete in camp have been limited due to injury. He tweaked both ankles, restricting his availability in practice. The Pacers will not practice on Thursday to allow Furphy and the team’s other banged-up players additional recovery. Due to Indiana’s depth, Furphy will only be an option in dynasty leagues this season.

Acquired from the Knicks as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Randle is a ball-dominant scorer whose fit alongside Anthony Edwards has been questioned by some. However, there’s no question in Finch’s view regarding Randle’s place within the rotation. He sees Randle as a starter, sliding into the void left by Towns. If Randle can increase his 3-point production and limit the turnovers, there’s a chance he will provide reliable mid-round fantasy value. This also leaves Naz Reid in his usual sixth-man role, capping his fantasy potential in 2024-25.

With the Knicks waiving Marcus Morris and Chuma Okeke to free up cap space to absorb Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract, there’s room for another veteran in training camp. Enter Warren, a scoring wing who finished last season in Minnesota. He’ll need to earn a roster spot during camp; if that happens, Warrer would likely receive a deal worth the veteran minimum. He is not a player who fantasy managers should have on their draft boards.

Wednesday’s injury update from Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins was great news for fans and fantasy managers. The team will continue to exercise caution with Jackson as he rehabs his hamstring, but the expectation is that he’ll be a full go when Memphis opens its season on October 23. In the meantime, Santi Aldama may take on more minutes alongside Zach Edey but don’t expect him to be an impactful fantasy option once Jackson’s cleared to play.

The 9-year vet last appeared in an NBA contest during the 2021-22 season when he logged 53 games for the Pelicans and Trail Blazers. Snell may get a shot to join the parent club at some point during the regular season, but fantasy managers shouldn’t expect meaningful production even if he does.

We’ll keep our eyes out for further updates, and fantasy managers should do the same as they head into 2024-25 drafts. It’s unclear how serious this injury is, but Doncic will have three weeks to recover before his season starts. Dallas tips off the new campaign on October 24 against San Antonio.

The Knicks and Hornets swapped some reserves in order to complete the deal that sent KAT to New York and Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo back to Minnesota. These guys help complete the deal, but there is no fantasy impact whatsoever here.

The rest of the team was available to practice, but these three were held out. This early into training camp, it is likely precautionary, though Leonard is worth keeping a close eye on as draft season approaches. He underwent a knee procedure during the offseason, and while they are insistent that he will be available for opening night, that could change.