Luka Doncic Set to Make Preseason Debut on Tuesday
Luka Doncic (rest) is expected to play in Tuesday's preseason game against the Phoenix Suns. Doncic has competed as a full participant throughout Lakers training camp and is all set to make his first preseason debut. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers should anticipate that the 26-year-old star guard will be ready to go for the Lakers' regular season opener on October 21st against the Warriors.
Source: Dave McMenamin
ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports that Los Angeles Lakers guard Source: Dave McMenamin
Toumani Camara Misses Practice on Monday
Toumani Camara (knee) was held out of practice on Monday due to knee soreness, per Sean Highkin of Rip City Radio 620 Portland. Camara is now deemed questionable for Tuesday's preseason matchup with the Golden State Warriors. Despite the setback, the 25-year-old is still expected to be available on October 22nd for the team's regular-season opener against the Timberwolves. Last season, Camara provided strong all-around production, averaging 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals during 32.7 minutes per contest across 78 appearances.
Source: Sean Highkin
Portland Trail Blazers forward Source: Sean Highkin
Coby White Expected to Miss Remainder of Preseason
Coby White (calf) to suit up during the preseason but anticipates him to be ready for Opening Night. White is close to full recovery after dealing with a calf strain. Fantasy managers should expect the 25-year-old to have a solid upcoming season after he averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists after the All-Star break during the 2024-25 campaign.
Source: K.C. Johnson
K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reports on Monday that Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan doesn't expect guard Source: K.C. Johnson
Tre Mann Considered Questionable for Wednesday's Preseason Contest
Source: Roderick Boone
Dalton Knecht Impresses Offensively, Must Improve Defense to Earn Key Role
Dalton Knecht has turned heads in training camp, with head coach JJ Redick calling him the team's best offensive performer so far. Knecht's scoring efficiency matched LeBron James with a 117 offensive rating last season. However, his defensive struggles remain a concern, as evidenced by his 118 defensive rating, one of the worst on the roster. With the Lakers entering their first full season featuring Luka Doncic and chasing another championship run, Knecht's ability to evolve into a more reliable two-way player could determine how large a role he earns in Redick's rotation.
Source: Dave McMenamin
Los Angeles Lakers small forward Source: Dave McMenamin
Bucks Sign Alex Antetokounmpo to Two-Way Deal
Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 24-year-old appeared most recently for Aris B.C. of the Greek Basket League. Antetokounmpo was also formerly a member of the G-League Wisconsin Herd from 2022-24. This most recent Bucks addition won't likely impact the team on the floor this season, but could strengthen the team's bond to their superstar, as they look to extend him this upcoming offseason.
Source: Shams Charania
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Alex Antetokounmpo to a two-way contract on Monday, likely in another move to solidify their future with star Source: Shams Charania
Moses Moody Shut Down for Rest of Preseason
Moses Moody (calf) will miss the rest of the preseason due to a calf injury that he suffered during practice. ESPN's Anthony Slater reports that head coach Steve Kerr and the team are hopeful that Moody can return for the season opener. Kerr also said that he's "not too concerned," which comes as good news in the long run. Moody set career highs last season in games started (34), minutes per game (22.3), points per game (9.8), assists per game (1.3), and three-point percentage (.374). After signing a contract extension in October of 2024, Moody looks to be in the team's long-term future plans. He'll likely hold the most value as a streamer throughout the fantasy season whenever Stephen Curry and/or Jimmy Butler III are getting rest days. If he's unable to suit up for the first game, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, and Gary Payton II would likely see some added minutes.
Source: Anthony Slater
Golden State Warriors guard Source: Anthony Slater
Kel'el Ware Responding Well to Erik Spoelstra's Challenge
Kel'el Ware seems to be entering quite the pivotal season for both his development and relationship with head coach Erik Spoelstra. After a good rookie season, which saw him finish sixth in Rookie of the Year voting, Spoelstra has issued him a challenge through the preseason. He wants to see Ware consistently impact winning along with his box score. On Sunday, Ware finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and one assist, but ended up with a -12 in plus/minus. Spoelstra did say he was "encouraged" by Ware's preseason so far, and after his performance against the Orlando Magic, Spoelstra added, "He did some impressive things, I love the way he was on the offensive glass, and we'll just continue to work with him." Ware will likely have his place in deeper fantasy leagues, but it won't be surprising if he goes undrafted in smaller leagues until he can prove to Spoelstra that he deserves to get more opportunities.
Source: Anthony Chiang - Miami Herald
Miami Heat center Source: Anthony Chiang - Miami Herald
Derrick White Stuffs the Stat Sheet Against Cavaliers
Derrick White was up to his usual all-around heroics in the team's preseason win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The veteran combo guard finished the game with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three blocks across 22 minutes while shooting 4-for-9 from the floor and 2-for-7 from three. White has been a huge part of the Celtics' success ever since he came to Boston, and his value for category leagues has been immense. As one of the best guards for rebounding and block numbers, he'll likely be a hot commodity again across all fantasy leagues.
Source: ESPN
Boston Celtics guard Source: ESPN
Austin Reaves Displays Smooth Scoring Abilities Against Warriors
Austin Reaves put together a very efficient shooting night in the preseason win over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The 27-year-old finished the game with 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting overall, 2-for-4 from three, and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. He also contributed three assists, three rebounds, one steal, and one block, but coughed up five turnovers. Reaves should be a good mid-round pickup in both points and category leagues, since he'll likely be asked to be the a top two option a lot of nights. Last season was one of his best yet with averages of 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.
Source: ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Source: ESPN
Brandin Podziemski Drops 23 Points Against Lakers
Brandin Podziemski posted a solid outing against the Los Angeles Lakers in Sunday's preseason game. Entering his third year, the former 19th-overall pick is looking to step up his game yet again. In Sunday's exhibition game, he finished with 23 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and one steal while shooting 10-for-16 from the floor and 3-for-7 from beyond the arc. While he likely won't carry a heavy workload every night this season, Podziemski is a big part of their future while he learns from Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III. Through two seasons, he's averaged 10.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 turnovers across 26.7 minutes per contest. As of right now, he'll likely be a solid, later-round pickup in category leagues.
Source: ESPN
Golden State Warriors guard Source: ESPN
Keegan Murray to Undergo Surgery
Keegan Murray (thumb) will undergo surgery to repair a torn left ulnar collateral ligament. He will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks. Murray was selected No. 4 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and has appeared in 233 regular-season contests. Although he's coming off a down year in terms of production, he's still averaged 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 37.2% shooting from behind the arc throughout his career. The 25-year-old is currently eligible for a rookie scale extension. However, he has logged at least 76 games in each of his three seasons in the National Basketball Association, so his durability shouldn't be a concern. Until Murray is cleared to return to the court, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine might shuffle to the three and four spots, with Malik Monk entering the starting lineup. Of course, that could change periodically while Murray is on the shelf.
Source: Anthony Slater
Sacramento Kings forward Source: Anthony Slater
Russell Westbrook, Kings Have "Strong Mutual Interest"
Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings have a "strong mutual interest" in a contract heading into the 2025 campaign. The Kings struggled to get production from the bench in 2024, so adding Westbrook could go a long way in helping the team stay competitive throughout the season. The 36-year-old averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds last season for the Nuggets. However, he declined his $3.5 million player option to become a free agent. Sacramento has an open roster spot, although only time will tell if both sides can work out a new deal. While Westbrook should still have some gas left in the tank, his MVP days are likely well behind him. Still, he should offer flashes of fantasy production throughout the season, assuming he eventually lands a contract.
Source: Shams Charania
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, free-agent guard Source: Shams Charania
Deandre Ayton Still Waiting to Build Chemistry With Lakers Stars
Deandre Ayton, the team's marquee offseason addition, revealed Wednesday that he has yet to share the floor with superstars Luka Doncic or LeBron James. With James expected to miss the first few weeks of the season, Ayton's ability to mesh quickly will be crucial to keeping Los Angeles competitive out of the gate. The 27-year-old big man averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds across 40 games with the Trail Blazers last season but has battled inconsistency and injuries throughout his career. The Lakers are banking on Ayton's presence inside to stabilize the frontcourt and complement Doncic's playmaking once the team's full roster is healthy.
Source: Valentina Martinez
Los Angeles Lakers center Source: Valentina Martinez
VJ Edgecombe Will Not Play on Friday
VJ Edgecombe (hip) is dealing with a sore hip, which held him out of practice on Thursday. Beat reporter Kyle Neubeck states that the rookie will not play on Friday, and he's considered day-to-day. Edgecombe is expected to practice next week and even participated in shootaround on Friday morning. This issue seems to be more precautionary than anything else, but his return to practice would still be something to monitor. Edgecombe was the third-overall pick in this year's draft and displayed some insanely athletic plays during the two preseason games against the New York Knicks. With Jared McCain (thumb), Paul George (knee), and Joel Embiid (knee) all on the mend, Edgecombe could see a sizeable chunk of minutes to start the season.
Source: Kyle Neubeck
Philadelphia 76ers guard
Source: Kyle Neubeck