NBA Player News

Sabonis will miss a second straight game due to tightness in his lower back. But, he has been cleared to resume on-court activity, so a return to action may not be too far away. Trey Lyles and Doug McDermott moved into the starting lineup on Saturday, but the matchup may lead to Alex Len figuring more prominently in the rotation.

Markkanen was matched by Sweden’s Ludvig Hakanson with 28 points, but Finland ended up getting the win. Markkanen has been able to carry the offensive load for Finland in recent years, and that should continue for the rest of EuroBasket as he prepares to be the focal point of the offense in Utah once again.

Sengun helped Turkey get the victory in their first game of EuroBasket, and he did a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor, nearly recording a triple-double. Cedi Osman, who last played in the NBA during the 2023-24 season, led the team in scoring at 20 points, but Sengun was the star of the show and will continue to fill that role throughout the tournament.

Porzingis looked good in the scrimmages leading up to EuroBasket, but he struggled in Latvia’s first game of the tournament. He had more turnovers than missed shots and missed all five of his attempts from deep. They’ll need him to be better to bounce back in their next game.

Schroder always steps up his performance when playing internationally, which helped Germany win the FIBA World Cup in 2023. He’s off to a strong start this summer after he signed a three-year deal with the Kings in July, and he’ll look to carry this success into a starting role with Sacramento this upcoming season.

Wagner turned in a strong performance to help Germany, who went undefeated at the FIBA World Cup in 2023, start off Eurobasket with a monster victory. Wagner should be in for a big season with the Magic, and it’s good to see him playing well this summer. Germany is one of the favorites to win the tournament, and more performances like this from Wagner will help make that happen.

Vucevic will continue to be the star for Montenegro, but he doesn’t have much help, which is why the team was on the wrong end of a lopsided score. Aside from the uncharacteristic poor performance at the free throw line, this was a monster performance from Vucevic. Expect more games like this from him for the rest of Eurobasket.

Krejci is the lone NBA player on Czechia’s team, and he was the leading scorer, but this wasn’t a dominant performance for him. Krejci will continue to carry the offensive load for them throughout Eurobasket, but it won’t change his status as a reserve in Atlanta next season.

Queta, who underwent knee surgery in May, appears to be healthy and ready to compete for the starting center spot in Boston. If this Eurobasket performance is an indicator, Queta will certainly have a case to be part of the opening group for the Celtics. Managers shouldn’t expect this level of production to carry over to the NBA, but he will be worth a late-round pick if he gets the starting gig.

Lithuania kicked off Eurobasket with a convincing win over Great Britain, and Valanciunas, the lone NBA player on either roster, was the leading scorer and rebounder in this game. He’ll continue to be a focal point for Lithuania throughout the tournament before heading to Denver to play behind Nikola Jokic next season.

According to the Cavaliers, Strus suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot during a recent workout. He’ll miss three to four months, meaning the starting guard/forward may not be available until after Thanksgiving. With Darius Garland (toe) likely out until the end of October at the earliest, Cleveland will likely begin the 2025-26 season without two starters. Strus’ absence means more opportunities will be available to De’Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson when training camp opens in late September. Hunter would be the safest choice for fantasy managers, while Merrill offers value as a three-point shooter. Tyson, who played sparingly as a rookie, would be the “wild card” for the Cavaliers.