4 hours agoWashington Wizards forward Deni Avdija (back) was a limited participant in Tuesday's training camp practice due to back tightness. Avdija sat out the FIBA World Cup with a hip injury after missing the previous regular season's final three games with an elbow issue, so he's been fairly banged up over the last number of months. The 22-year-old doesn't appear to be dealing with a serious problem, however, so it's fair to expect Avdija to be healthy by the time Washington's 2023-24 regular year commences on Oct. 25. The 2020 No. 9 overall pick remains fairly raw offensively, but Avdija's multi-category upside after averaging 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists last year makes him a decent flier pick near the end of upcoming fantasy drafts.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Josh Robbins - The Athletic

5 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin said forward Khris Middleton (knee) was unable to participate in Tuesday's training camp, but implied he was getting work in separately. The Bucks seem to be bringing the 32-year-old along slowly ahead of the regular season after Middleton underwent a minor surgery to repair a lingering knee issue early during this past offseason. Middleton faced strict limitations on the way back from 2022 summer wrist surgery, playing 33 games (19 starts) and averaging 24.3 minutes for 15.1 points, 4.9 assists, plus 1.5 three-pointers a year ago. But the three-time All-Star averaged 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.2 dimes, and 2.6 threes across five playoff games, and Middleton might be arriving at a bit of a discount while carrying a late-sixth-round ADP in 12-team Yahoo drafts. Still, fantasy managers will want to see him back at camp soon to quell any fear of early-season minutes restrictions.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Eric Nehm - The Athletic

5 hours agoOklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said forward/center Chet Holmgren (foot) is fully recovered from his foot injury at Tuesday's training camp. This serves as confirmation that the 2022 No. 2 overall pick is good to go for his NBA regular-season debut after tearing up the Summer League this past July. Holmgren suffered a Lisfranc injury during last year's summer exhibitions, costing him his rookie campaign, but should slide right into OKC's starting center spot this fall. The 21-year-old is looking like the fourth or fifth scoring option in an up-and-coming Thunder lineup, but Holmgren's blocks and percentages upside could make it hard to let him slip past the top 50 in fantasy drafts this fall.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Clemente Almanza

5 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James' (foot) right foot is "reacting very well to offseason workouts," per beat reporter Mike Trudell. Entering his age-39 season, James should be ready to roll for the 2023-24 campaign, provided all goes well at training camp, after another spectacular regular season that saw him average 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 55 games last year. However, the 19-time All-Star's production slightly tapered off during the playoffs for consecutive postseasons, with last season's culprit likely being his foot injury. James remains one of fantasy's most well-rounded assets despite perhaps not being able to put forth the herculean efforts we once witnessed. Games played could be an issue for the 21-year veteran, but James is still a third-round fixture ahead of the forthcoming season, especially in points leagues, even if he is settling for more jump shots than ever.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Mike Trudell

6 hours agoMiami Heat guard Kyle Lowry "expects to be the starting point guard" for the team in the 2023-24 season. The 37-year-old said so himself when asked by reporters at training camp on Tuesday, but head coach Erik Spoelstra hasn't yet decided on a starting lineup. Lowry may possesses a seniority advantage of sorts and certainly came away as a big winner of the Heat bowing out of the Damian Lillard sweepstakes this offseason. But the six-time All-Star's best fantasy days are probably behind him, averaging 11.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.9 three-pointers last year with each figure marking his lowest in a decade. Miami could opt for a look at the returning Josh Richardson in the starting unit with Tyler Herro playing at the 1. With no guarantee he will start, Lowry barely looks worth a top-150 pick in fall fantasy drafts.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Wes Goldberg

6 hours agoGolden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expects guard/forward Klay Thompson to defend power forwards while on the floor with the team's current starting five. With Draymond Green (ankle) sidelined several weeks due to an ankle sprain, Kerr's decision to include the incoming Chris Paul in the starting lineup of Saturday's preseason opener likely became a cinch. However, it's a bit of a surprise to hear Kerr assign Thompson defensive duties at the 4 with Andrew Wiggins having spent a considerable chunk of minutes there during his Warriors career. Thompson's defensive versatility should see him switch on that end as much as any wing, so guarding players with more size on occasion shouldn't curtail his longevity. The three-and-D extraordinaire remains a worthy top-100 selection in upcoming fantasy drafts.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Dalton Johnson - NBC Sports Bay Area

12 hours agoAccording to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant can travel and practice with the team while serving his 25-game suspension. The 24-year-old was observed displaying a handgun during an Instagram video back in May, resulting in the league taking action. Morant, undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the National Basketball Association, will still draw interest from fantasy managers, even with the suspension. Considering he's permitted to practice and travel, it shouldn't take him long to return to All-Star form once he's allowed to take the floor in a few months.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Tim Macmahon

13 hours agoBoston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (foot) reported he "feels great" and is "ready to go" for training camp without restrictions. The 28-year-old suffered a bout of plantar fasciitis during the FIBA World Cup, so there were concerns regarding his availability for the start of camp. Fortunately, it appears he's good to go and should be on the floor for the C's to open the season against the New York Knicks. The oft-injured Porzingis is coming off his best season in years, finishing 2022-23 by averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 38.5% from deep in 66 games in Washington. As long as he remains healthy, he should continue to be a productive fantasy option, although his points total will take a hit now that he's paired with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Jared Weiss

13 hours agoAccording to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is expected to join the team in Colorado for training camp. While Wojnarowski couldn't specify an exact day the 2018 MVP would arrive, he speculated it could be as soon as today. A stalemate remains between Harden and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey regarding the former's trade request. But this situation is far from resolved, as nobody can say how engaged the 34-year-old will be once he arrives. At any rate, Harden's fantasy appeal will continue to take a hit until he's traded or vows his commitment to the franchise.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski

19 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis has an ambitious plan for the 2023-24 NBA season, saying he wants to play in all 82 regular-season games. The injury-prone big man was limited to only 56 appearances a season ago and hasn't managed more than 75 outings across an entire campaign during his 11-year career. However, Davis' offseason work has been praised by Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and general manager Rob Pelinka, so it seems like he has certainly given his all to stay available for the team for an entire season. After being declared the "face of the franchise" by LeBron James during Monday's media day, 2023-24 promises to be a pivotal year for Davis.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Brad Turner

19 hours agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (ankle) is in doubt for the team's season opener, but general manager Trajan Langdon hopes to have him available. Last week, the Pelicans announced Nance had received a biological injection to stimulate the healing process in his left ankle, and he is expected to return to basketball activities in two to three weeks. The 30-year-old enjoyed his first full season in New Orleans last term, shooting a career-high 61 percent from the field and contributing 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds off the bench. Langdon also hopes to get guard Jose Alvarado (ankle) in the lineup for the season opener, which comes on Oct. 25 for the Pelicans against Memphis.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Will Guillory

19 hours agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson declared on media day that he worked on being "unguardable" in the offseason. The 23-year-old is looking to return to court with a bang after last playing on Jan. 2 and logging just 29 outings in 2022-23. Williamson can be a one-man wrecking crew on the court, but he's struggled to stay healthy since making his league debut in 2019-20. However, he's had a much more professional approach in his preparations for the new season, which should make him more durable. "This was the first summer where we've seen Zion take his profession seriously like that and invest in it off the court on his own in a way that I think is meaningful," Pelicans executive David Griffin said on Monday. 2023-24 could be a monster year for Williamson if he avoids injury troubles.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Brett Usher

19 hours agoOklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams (wrist) is reportedly fully healthy ahead of the 2023-24 NBA campaign. His season was cut short by a left-wrist injury last term. Williams ended up having multiple procedures to fix the issue, but it was all planned, and he made a full recovery over the summer. Before getting shut down in March, Williams managed to register a career-high 4.9 rebounds per game and matched his record with an eight-point scoring average. He's not an outstanding talent but does many things well and should maintain a regular spot in the Thunder rotation.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Justin Martinez

19 hours agoBrooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson will miss the start of training camp due to a hamstring injury. The team announced Johnson suffered a mild left hamstring strain during an on-court workout last week. The injury is a bit of a blow for the 27-year-old, who has started preparing for his first full season in Brooklyn, but it sounds like it's not a very serious issue, and Johnson should be available for the team soon. Johnson's numbers received a big boost with his mid-season move from Phoenix last term, and it will be exciting to see what he can do in a Nets uniform across a full season.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Erik Slater

19 hours agoToronto Raptors center Christian Koloko won't be at the team's training camp and has been ruled out indefinitely with respiratory issues. This is quite worrisome news, as Koloko already missed the Summer League with the same problem. The Cameroon-born seven-footer debuted in the NBA last season, posting 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.8 minutes. Health troubles limited Koloko to 58 appearances in his rookie campaign, and it's unfortunate that he is dealing with another issue ahead of his second year.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet