09/04/2026, 6:52 PM

Joining crowded backcourt

Chris Haynes of NBA TV reported when the trade went down that the Trail Blazers had a Morant and Lillard backcourt pairing in mind, so it'll be interesting to see how the ball-handling responsibilities are divvied up in 2026-27 should they stick to that plan. Morant endured yet another injury-plagued campaign in 2025-26 with the Grizzlies, making just 20 appearances while shooting a career-low 41.0 percent from the floor and 23.5 percent from deep, and he's reached the 60-game mark just one time over his past five seasons. With plenty of questions surrounding his fit in his new digs, the dynamic 27-year-old point guard is shaping up as a difficult fantasy player to rank as a high-risk, high-reward gamble in the second half of drafts.

09/01/2026, 7:52 PM

Leads China to victory

Hansen starred for China on Monday, leading the club in scoring and rebounding. Hansen, a 2025 first-rounder, is looking to carve out a more prominent role in his second season with Portland, but he'll likely need to overtake Robert Williams and Micah Potter for a rotation spot. That in mind, Hansen's most likely pathway to steady playing time likely resides with the G League's Rip City Remix.

09/01/2026, 5:15 PM

Not cleared for qualifiers

Avdija explained that he wanted to represent Israel but that Portland wasn't willing to risk his health while he recovered from what he described as a complex back injury. The 25-year-old dealt with the issue beginning in January but still put together a breakout 2025-26 campaign, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists across 66 regular-season appearances while earning his first All-Star selection.