NBA Player News

Smith Jr. was able to contribute a little bit in every category in this game, but the shooting woes continued. He is now 8-of-33 from the floor through two games this summer, which isn’t ideal for a player heading into his second season. Smith Jr. was once a five-star prospect, but he slipped in the draft after a disappointing season at Arkansas. He didn’t have a great rookie season, even with LaMelo Ball injured. If he doesn’t turn things around this summer, it will be difficult to be optimistic about him heading into this season.

Markkanen, who represented Finland at EuroBasket this summer, injured his wrist during his nation’s run to a fourth-place finish. However, Jazz head coach Will Hardy did not sound too concerned about the injury and its potential impact on the forward’s availability once the regular season begins. “It’s more maintenance. I’m lucky that I got to see this in San Antonio a bunch when guys were playing Eurobasket. They just competed really hard for a month and laid it all on the line,” Hardy said. “It’s nothing that we’re concerned about, but it’s just some bumps and bruises that we want to manage in this moment as he’s coming off of that. There’s nothing to be concerned about at all.” Markkanen was limited to 47 games last season, with the front office’s desire to improve its draft lottery odds being a factor. While the team has said it has no plans of tanking this season, the last two years have likely impacted how many managers view Markkanen, who isn’t guaranteed to be available during the fantasy playoff weeks. If he’s unable to get cleared for the start of the regular season, young players like Taylor Hendricks, Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh will be worth a longer look in drafts.

The second overall pick in June’s draft, Harper underwent left thumb surgery in early September. It was initially reported that the Spurs were aiming for the rookie guard to be healthy in time for the October 22 regular season opener, but he’s beaten that projection by just under two weeks. With De’Aaron Fox (hamstring) unlikely to be ready for the start of the regular season, Harper may be able to hit the ground running from a fantasy standpoint. He will be under a minutes restriction on Friday.

With Egor Dëmin unavailable due to a plantar fascia tear, Traoré and fellow rookie Ben Saraf have made up the point guard rotation for the Nets’ first two preseason games. After Safar received the starting nod in Brooklyn’s opener, Traoré was part of the first unit on Friday. Both provided limited production, with Saraf (9/1/0/1) logging 19 minutes and Traoré 17. While there remains hope that Dëmin will be healthy by opening night, Traoré or Saraf could be Brooklyn’s starting point guard on October 22 against Charlotte.

There’s no sugarcoating the fact that the 2024-25 season was a disappointment for Claxton, who started slowly and finished with decreased averages in points, rebounds and blocked shots. With this being the second year of the four-year deal he signed in the summer of 2024, maybe some of the pressure will be off of Claxton, especially with it being understood that the Nets are rebuilding. He remains a superior option for managers willing to punt on free-throw percentage, but the rebounds and blocked shots need to improve after they dipped last season.

Porter has scored 13 points in both of Brooklyn’s preseason games, but he’s been a prominent figure within Jordi Fernandez’s offense. His role will remain prominent due to Brooklyn’s lack of proven scorers, with the most significant concern being that MPJ’s playing time could decrease during the latter stages of the regular season. Porter’s new role in his new home makes him worth the risk for fantasy managers, especially those competing in points leagues.

With Thomas deciding in early September to sign his one-year qualifying offer, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer. While the Nets guard’s scoring ability has rarely been questioned, his ability to make things happen for his teammates has been up for debate. Making strides in that regard would go a long way toward ensuring Thomas gets the lucrative payday he desires. With the Nets embarking on a rebuild, should fantasy managers be concerned about a potential shutdown later in the season? That’s certainly something to consider, but Thomas’ opportunity will raise his ceiling, at least until the trade deadline.

During Friday’s game, it was reported that the Suns hope to have Jalen Green (hamstring) back on the court in time for the regular season opener on October 22, so Allen’s role takes on added importance. He’s started both of Phoenix’s preseason games, tallying 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field (4-of-10 from three). While his fantasy value in 2024-25 did not approach its 2023-24 levels, when Allen was a top-60 player in nine-cat, he’s capable of being a solid late-round option. Especially if there are lingering concerns regarding Green’s hamstring in the days before the regular season begins.

While the Suns reportedly hope to have Mark Williams (foot) available in time for the October 22 season opener, that isn’t guaranteed. Ighodaro, who appeared in 61 games as a rookie, has started the first two preseason games, which may be a harbinger of what’s to come if Williams cannot play. The second-year forward/center played 22 minutes on Friday and recorded a complete line that included four “stocks.” Nick Richards (9/4/0/1/2) and Khaman Maluach (10/5/2) played 11 and 20 minutes off the bench, respectively. Maluach offers the highest upside of the three, but Ighodaro is also worth taking a late flier on due to the uncertainty surrounding Williams.

After attempting five shots in his first action as a member of the Suns, Brooks’ shot volume was far more robust on Friday. He was the lone starter to hit double figures in attempts, leading all players with 18 shots on the day. Efficiency has rarely been a strength for Brooks, which has made him no better than a late-round option in fantasy, and even that would be generous. However, with Jalen Green (hamstring) sidelined, Brooks may be worth taking a flier on, especially if JG can’t get back in time for the October 22 opener against Sacramento.

The Suns needed overtime to beat the Nets in the first of two meetings the team will have in Macao, and Booker’s day ended during the third quarter. While he did not record any rebounds, the points, assists, and percentages are of greater importance to fantasy managers. Booker, the focus of double-teams at various points on Friday, only committed three turnovers while shooting 50 percent from the field. Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant are no longer in the picture, which means even more will be asked of Booker, especially if Jalen Green (hamstring) is not fully cleared in time for the October 22 opener against Sacramento.