Coach JJ Redick has been a believer in James since he was drafted in 2024, and he's been impressed by the 21-year-old's continued development over the last few years. While roles have not yet been decided at this point in camp, it seems as though James could factor into the Lakers' plans for the 2026-27 season, as the team intends to play hard, fast and with physicality, per Woike.
Doncic is set to enter the 2026-27 season healthy after a hamstring injury forced him to miss time down the stretch of the regular season and the entire postseason a year ago. Redick's comments suggest Los Angeles intends to separate on-ball stretches for Doncic and Reaves, while also relying on the likes of Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Bronny James and Jaden Hardy to produce.
Stevens was waived by Sacramento in July, but he's since earned another opportunity after putting pen to paper on a deal with Chicago. He's been unable to catch on at the NBA level so far in his young career, and he's likely destined to begin the 2026-27 season in the G League.
The team has been content with a phased ramp up for Leonard to start training camp, and while coach Darko Rajakovic stated Thursday that the team will consider playing the star forward Saturday, it seems more likely that he'll sit out. Toronto has also indicated that a load management plan has been developed for Leonard ahead of the 2026-27 campaign to keep him healthy over the course of the season, which is something he hasn't been able to accomplish in recent years.
Lendeborg appears to be in a position to take on a substantial role right from the start of the 2026-27 season, and the Warriors are eager to see what he can do alongside the likes of Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski. He figures to see his share of work during the preseason to prepare him for his first NBA campaign.
Curry was also spotted with the first unit Thursday during 5-on-5 work, so it appears the 38-year-old is feeling strong heading into the preseason. The star point guard signed a two-year, $116 million contract extension in late September, and while concerns remain about his right knee, the Warriors don't appear to be overly concerned with his workload at this point, though he's sure to sit a few games of the preseason to ensure he enters the 2026-27 campaign as fresh as possible.
Christie has had nothing but positive things to say about Simmons so far in camp. "Nothing I read was true," said Christie. "I really enjoy being around the kid. He speaks. He enjoys basketball. He loves coaching, and he's special." Simmons is coming off a missed 2025-26 season, though he appears to be off to a strong start with his new squad. He's also been spotted getting in extra work with members of the Kings' coaching staff, per Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento.
Hart notes that he plans to continue to wrap his right ring finger, as undergoing surgery would mean a full joint replacement and the end of his playing days. He's evidently learned to play through injury, as he hit at a clip of 41.3 percent from beyond the arc over 66 regular-season games a season ago. "Some days it'll hurt to catch the ball. It just, it varies," said Hart. "I wish I could tell you when I wake up, what's gonna be good, what's gonna be bad. But yeah, I mean, some days it's good like a regular functioning finger. And other days it hurts to just close my hand, to make a fist."
This updates doesn't come as much of a shock, as Richard could find himself near the back end of the team's rotation if the Warriors can stay healthy this season. He put together a decent rookie campaign a year ago, averaging 6.5 points, 2.5 assists, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals over 69 appearances while Golden State was forced to navigate without Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton down the stretch.
This appears to be a precautionary move for the Raptors, who will take on the Heat in the preseason opener Saturday. Battle could be cleared to play Saturday, and he'll need to impress during the preseason to earn a role in the rotation.
Anderson's knee injury is considered to be minor, but his availability will be worth monitoring heading into Toronto's first preseason matchup against Miami on Saturday. The 33-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Raptors in July and is competing for a spot in the frontcourt rotation heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
Graves is competing for a reserve role entering his rookie season, so even though the injury is thought to be minor, it's currently costing him time on the court. He can be considered day-to-day for the time being.
Lane believes Thybulle is the third-best fit in the starting lineup behind Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia. Thybulle is primed for a big role as a three-and-D threat for the Lakers, but staying on the court has been an issue in recent years. He's logged just 45 regular-season appearances over the past two seasons and may not be trusted with substantial workloads, but Thybulle has managed to average at least 1.2 steals every year of his career despite never playing at least 26 minutes per game.
This was a no-brainer decision after Maluach was selected in the first round last year. Maluach could be primed to take on a significantly larger role in Phoenix's frontcourt, which has a major void due to Mark Williams' offseason shoulder injury.
This was the expectation as Dunn plays out the final year of his rookie deal in 2027-28 ahead of restricted free agency the following year. He figures to be contending for a bench role with the likes of Jordan Goodwin, Haywood Highsmith, Rasheer Fleming and perhaps even rookie first-rounder Koa Peat at training camp this fall.
Suder didn't make it particularly deep into Bulls camp on an Exhibit 10 contract. His next steps could take him to the G League's Windy City Bulls.
The move vacates a two-way roster spot for Houston. The undrafted rookie now sets his sights toward finding other opportunities around the league this preseason.
Head coach Steve Kerr is in full support as well, offering Podziemski encouragement Wednesday to fire away from downtown. Podziemski opened last season as a part-time starter before moving into a full-time position with the first unit post-All-Star break, averaging 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals in his final 27 regular-season games, and he could become a lethal threat from deep especially once Jimmy Butler (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (undisclosed) are both in the mix.
Melton is fully recovered now, but playing through the discomfort resulted in him shooting just 29.4 percent from deep during the regular season, his lowest mark since 2019-20 with Memphis. The swingman is competing at training camp with Gui Santos and Yaxel Lendeborg for a starting role, and Melton has shown he is capable of being an effective nine-category fantasy player when healthy after averaging at least 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 three-pointers in five straight seasons.
Smith got a chance to start for the Bulls at times in 2025-26 as they searched for Nikola Vucevic's replacement, averaging 12.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.8 blocks in 24.6 minutes per tilt across 21 regular-season games as a starter. Now that Nic Claxton is in the picture, Smith appears primed to revert to the No. 2 center role in 2026-27, which could cap his upside from a fantasy perspective. Availability has also been a concern for Smith throughout his career, as he's never reached the 70-game mark in any of his first six seasons and couldn't finish last year with the aforementioned calf problem.
With Brandon Ingram (Achilles) sidelined to begin the season, Los Angeles is already short on proven playmakers beyond Darius Garland. Bradley Beal (knee) appears ticketed for a reserve role, meaning Wagler has a chance to be the team's second scoring option behind Garland while Ingram is sidelined.
House figures to be a member of the G League's Salt Lake City Stars after being waived. He played for the San Diego Clippers last year.
Lue also notes he'll push Garland when needed, so it sounds like the Clippers are planning to give the star guard all the usage he can handle amid Brandon Ingram's (Achilles) absence. Provided he stays healthy after playing a career-low 45 regular-season games last year, Garland has the upside for a career campaign with a rebuilding Los Angeles team.
Despite LeBron James' offseason exit, Knecht still likely finds himself behind newcomers Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Cameron Carr, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams on the depth chart. A different situation may be needed for Knecht to attain fantasy relevance in 2026-27.
Thompson already averaged a career-high 25.9 minutes per game last regular season, but it sounds like the Pistons are ready to trust him with an even larger workload. His shooting form remains a work in progress. Thompson has never shot higher than 65 percent from the foul line or 25 percent from deep, but the swingman has seen his assist and steal totals rise in each of his first three seasons and carries plenty of multi-category upside in the mid-to-late rounds of fantasy drafts.
The door is open for Gonzalez to claim a larger role at training camp in the wake of Jaylen Brown's departure to Philadelphia. The camp battle between Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman and Sam Hauser will remain one for fantasy managers to keep tabs on this fall, though it's possible Boston will ultimately take a hot-hand approach with the three throughout the course of the year.
Although the big man will remain a limited participant in training camp as he continues his rehab from a hip impingement, it sounds like his absence from game action will extend into the regular season. Deandre Ayton should have the backup center role all to himself until Vukcevic is cleared to return to the floor.
Christie already made a career-high 68 starts a year ago, and he appears to be the early favorite to start at shooting guard over newcomer Zaccharie Risacher and Naji Marshall. The sharpshooter should see plenty of open looks from long range, now that Kyrie Irving is back in the fold, but Christie is just a late-round fantasy flier as the expected third- or fourth-scoring option in the Dallas offense.
It sounds like Olynyk is heading overseas after spending the entire offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The journeyman center has spent the past 13 years of his career in the NBA, most recently making 41 regular-season appearances off the bench for the Spurs.
Barrett is set for unrestricted free agency next summer following the expiration of his rookie contract extension, originally signed as a member of the Knicks in 2022. The 26-year-old swingman tends to be a better fantasy investment in points leagues. He's never shot at least 75 percent from the free-throw line and has averaged at least one steal just once in his career.
Head coach Mark Daigneault said Wednesday that Mitchell "got himself healthy" during the offseason and praised the guard's conditioning and overall form early in camp. Mitchell's unrestricted participation indicates he's moved past the calf injury that ended his 2025-26 campaign and should be available for Oklahoma City's preseason slate.
Bona has been recovering from a foot sprain he suffered during the offseason. According to Nurse, there's a chance Bona could be back for a portion of the preseason. He is currently penciled in as Joel Embiid's backup for the upcoming season.
This is a tough blow for Fall, as he's already facing an uphill battle to make the final roster. A return Oct. 16 for Philadelphia's final preseason game isn't out of the question based on this timetable.
Hartenstein has been a full go for several weeks after tweaking his ankle while playing for Germany during the offseason. He's expected to play a similar role in 2026-27 and is fresh off a three-year, $75 million extension.
Thompson praised Conwell's conditioning, defense and left-handed jumper, noting that the rookie picked up full-court defensively during practice and had previously beaten him in a shooting drill this summer. The No. 37 overall pick averaged 18.8 points while attempting 9.6 three-pointers per game during his final collegiate season at Louisville, and his combination of shooting and defensive effort could help him compete for a rotation role as a rookie. The hip issue that flared up during Summer League is seemingly behind him.
This is a tough blow for the point guard who was penciled in as the top backup behind Davion Mitchell. If he misses only a couple of weeks, Smith could be back in time for their final preseason contest Oct. 16.
Davis was spotted going through on-court work alongside Trae Young during Wednesday's practice, providing further confirmation that he's healthy entering his first full season with Washington. The veteran big man should have the opportunity to ramp up throughout camp and the preseason without injury-related limitations.
Young's 2025-26 campaign ended with him sidelined by a right quadriceps contusion and lower-back irritation after appearing in just five games for Washington following his midseason arrival. His participation during the second day of camp indicates he's moved past those issues and enters the preseason healthy.
Clayton missed the entire Summer League due to a sprained right knee, but he made no mention of it during Media Day. Clayton is competing for a roster spot in Memphis and is looking to make an impact in the preseason.
Wells has been cleared for full basketball activities after undergoing toe surgery in March and is practicing without restrictions during camp. His availability should give him plenty of time to ramp up during the preseason while competing for a prominent role on the wing.
Pippen continues to go through camp without any health-related restrictions, clearing the way for him to compete normally throughout the preseason. The guard's full participation is encouraging after he underwent a toe procedure back in March. As Memphis begins sorting out its backcourt rotation ahead of the regular season, Pippen's battle with Ty Jerome will be one to watch.
Porter's procedure ended his 2025-26 campaign after 38 regular-season appearances, during which he averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per game. His clearance for camp indicates he's moved past the knee issue entering 2026-27, though Porter will face increased competition for backcourt minutes following the offseason addition of Tyler Herro.
Herro's availability at the start of camp is an encouraging sign after he dealt with injury issues during the 2025-26 campaign. The veteran guard should have an opportunity to ramp up his workload throughout the preseason as Milwaukee prepares for its regular-season opener.
Head coach Will Hardy said Tuesday that Jackson's familiarity with the roster doesn't change the fact that he's still early in the learning process after appearing in only three games for Utah last season. Hardy was encouraged by Jackson's communication during the Jazz's opening practice and highlighted the big man's versatility as something that gives the team several options. Developing chemistry with Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George should be Jackson's point of emphasis throughout training camp.
Maxey described Caldwell-Pope as "fantastic" Tuesday and highlighted the veteran wing's potential value as an example for younger players such as Justin Edwards. Caldwell-Pope's championship experience and defensive ability should give him an opportunity to carve out a regular role in Philadelphia's rotation while also providing a veteran presence for the team's younger wings.
Head coach Mike Brown indicated that the Knicks intend to feature Towns at the elbow more frequently, allowing the big man to facilitate with the ball in his hands. The approach could give Towns more opportunities to create for teammates while opening additional actions for OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges away from the ball.
The Raptors have now secured their backup point guard through the 2029-30 season. Last regular season, Shead averaged 6.6 points, 5.4 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game across 82 outings (12 starts). He's poised for a similar role in 2026-27.
The Mavericks have been managing Johnson's workload ahead of his rookie season, with May noting that the 20-year-old participated in every other live session Wednesday. Additionally, May said Monday that the power forward is getting close to practicing in full. Still, the Michigan product's status will be worth monitoring ahead of Dallas' preseason opener against the Rockets on Friday, Oct. 9.
