Jason

Preston

Collins’ and Kessler’s absences will open up additional minutes for the likes of Omer Yurtseven, Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks, though none of those players offer tremendous fantasy appeal. Dunn’s absence should free up some extra playing time for Jason Preston and Talen Horton-Tucker.

Before finalizing their training camp roster, the Clippers still had some work to do, and Preston was the first “casualty.” The 33rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-4 point guard missed the entire 2021-22 season after undergoing foot surgery. Preston was unable to establish himself as a rotation player last season, averaging 8.9 minutes per game in 14 appearances. The Clippers’ decision to sign Joshua Primo to a two-way contract on Saturday likely impacted their decision to waive Preston. This move does not impact fantasy basketball.

With Moussa Diabate (ribs) sitting for a second consecutive game, the Clippers needed more production on the glass from their first-round pick. And Brown came through, hitting double figures in the rebounding category while recording a full stat line. He didn’t shoot the ball well from the field, but give the rookie credit for not letting that influence his overall game. Jason Preston also put up a points/rebounds double-double, tallying 13 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in his 27 minutes on the court. Depending on how the Clippers address their roster (read: James Harden) before the start of training camp, Brown could be in line to earn rotation minutes in the fall.

Moon is one of the most experienced professionals playing in Las Vegas this week, and he looked the part on Monday. The veteran guard did a good job of balancing getting looks for himself with setting up his teammates, and the six assists were countered by zero turnovers. While he’s had prior NBA experience, Moon has only played in 18 games for the Clippers over the last two seasons. With Jason Preston (two points, three rebounds, and five assists in 24 minutes) having a non-guaranteed contract for next season, Moon could be in a position to make a run for that spot. The end result of that “competition,” if there is one, would not impact fantasy basketball.

Preston has spent the majority of his first two seasons in the G-League or injured, but the improvements are happening. The Clippers are built to win now, so it may be a few more seasons before Preston ends up seeing real time in the NBA. However, it’s encouraging to see him orchestrating the offense and playing as effectively as he did in this game.

Preston didn’t play at all during the 2021-22 season due to a foot injury, and when healthy last season, he only appeared in 14 games. Staying healthy has been an issue, and the hope is that the procedures he underwent in the spring will provide the young guard with a boost moving forward. Preston underwent LASIK surgery in April, which improved his vision significantly. And there was also surgery to repair a deviated septum, which will help Preston with his breathing. And being healthy heading into Summer League is a big deal, as the Clippers have until July 18 to decide whether or not to guarantee his salary for next season. Preston’s expected to be used on and off the ball by Clippers Summer League coach Dahntay Jones.

Jackson joins Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Marcus Morris on the sideline for Sunday’s game. This means Jason Preston will play rotation minutes as Terance Mann’s backup. He isn’t worth streaming due to the lack of production, however. And with Mann still rostered in less than 20% of Yahoo leagues, he’s the first one fantasy managers should rush to add.

Jackson briefly exited Saturday’s win over the Hawks but was able to return, and the Achilles may have been why. With John Wall already ruled out, Jason Preston would be in the rotation if Jackson is also sidelined. With Terance Mann available, Preston would not be worth streaming in most leagues.

Jackson has been coming off the bench the last five games, but that wasn’t the reason for him only playing 14 minutes in this game. Tyronn Lue said that his back tightened up, which limited his minutes. With John Wall out for the at least the next few games, there will be plenty of playmaking opportunities on Wednesday. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s status up in the air for the second leg of the back-to-back, we could see Jason Preston play a larger role if Jackson isn’t able to play.

Jackson took a hard fall late in the first half of Tuesday’s win over Portland, so it’s no surprise his name is on the injury report. John Wall is the player to target if Jackson cannot play, and he should be the starter in this scenario. Jason Preston, who scored his first NBA points on Tuesday, would remain in the backup role.