NBA News
Josh Giddey Progressing In His Recovery
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (ankle) took another step forward in his recovery, participating in contact drills during Wednesday's practice, according to head coach Billy Donovan. Giddey, who has been rehabbing a ruptured ligament in his ankle sustained during the Paris Olympics, had missed contact drills for two months. After being limited to a non-contact session the previous day, this marks a positive sign as the Bulls prepare for their preseason game in Cleveland just six days away. The team will continue to closely monitor Giddey's progress as he ramps up his involvement in training camp.
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Luka Doncic Will Be Re-evaluated In A Week For Bruised Calf
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (calf) will be sidelined for at least one week after sustaining a left calf contusion during a team workout, the Dallas Mavericks announced on Wednesday. The injury, however, is not expected to impact his readiness for the start of the upcoming NBA season. Doncic will be re-evaluated in a week, with the Mavericks' preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies set for October 7. During the 2023-2024 season, Doncic was a standout performer, averaging 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also earned a spot on the All-NBA First Team and played a pivotal role in leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. Battling Low-Level Hamstring Strain
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring) has been diagnosed with a low-level hamstring strain following an MRI. The former Defensive Player of the Year left the first practice of training camp after experiencing tightness in his hamstring. Head coach Taylor Jenkins described the MRI results as "good news," and emphasized there are "no concerns" about Jackson Jr. being ready for the regular-season opener. Jenkins also noted, "He's already responded well to treatment," and the team will work with the performance staff to determine his return-to-play timeline. Jackson Jr. will focus on recovery in the meantime.
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Ja Morant Says He’s Happy And Healthy
Memphis Grizzlies' star guard Ja Morant says he's ready to remind the league what a "happy Ja" can do. "I feel like a happy Ja is a scary Ja for a lot of people," Morant confidently shared during Grizzlies Media Day. The two-time All-Star enters this season with a renewed focus, having embraced the lessons from his challenges both on and off the court. After averaging 25.1 points per game before his injury, Morant's return is eagerly anticipated by Memphis fans. The former Rookie of the Year now looks to lead the team back into playoff contention.
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Zach Edey Working On His Three-Point Shot
Memphis Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey is looking to add a new weapon to his game: a reliable three-point shot. At 7-foot-4, Edey dominated the paint at Purdue, but as he enters the NBA, he's working to expand his range and improve his passing. Despite attempting only two three-pointers in 138 college games, developing an outside shot could transform both his game and the Grizzlies' offense by creating more spacing. If Edey can become a legitimate threat from deep while enhancing his passing, he'll bring an extra layer of versatility to Memphis. Fans will get their first glimpse of the rookie's progress in the preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, Oct. 7.
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Ja'Kobe Walter Expects To Be Good To Go In Three Weeks
Toronto Raptors shooting guard Ja'Kobe Walter (shoulder) hopes to be in game shape in three weeks. The 20-year-old rookie is recovering from a sprained AC joint. "Probably won't be doing anything on-court for this next week-and-a-half, for sure," Walter said. "But still, I'll be doing my strength and mobility work during that time. I should probably be back in, like, three weeks." The Raptors have their season opener scheduled for Oct. 23 against Cleveland, meaning Walter should be fine for the start of the regular season. However, missing training camp is definitely a blow for him, as he won't have a chance to build any chemistry with his teammates and could struggle for a place in the rotation because of it.
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Bojan Bogdanovic Not Cleared For Five-On-Five Work
Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) isn't doing any five-on-five work at the start of training camp. The veteran scorer has recovered from offseason wrist surgery but also had foot surgery, which is taking longer to heal. Bogdanovic is back in Brooklyn for a second stint after being involved in a trade that sent Mikal Bridges to the Knicks. He is expected to be a contributor off the bench, limiting Bogdanovic's fantasy value. However, the Nets will likely want to get rid of his expiring $19 million contract during the season, meaning the team could give Bogdanovic increased opportunities at some point to boost his trade value.
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Ausar Thompson Misses Start Of Training Camp
Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (blood clot) is being held out of contact drills at the start of training camp. Thompson was diagnosed with a blood clot last season and was shut down in March. The 21-year-old has been cleared for conditioning, strength training, and non-contact drills. Thompson has said he feels "perfectly fine," but there is currently no timeline for his return. After going off the board as the fifth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Thompson averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 25.1 minutes during his rookie campaign.
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Patrick Williams "Ready To Go" For Training Camp
Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (foot) is "ready to go" for training camp, according to team executive Arturas Karnisovas. Williams underwent season-ending foot surgery in March, and it was recently reported that he's dealing with discomfort in the same foot. This left a question mark hanging over Williams ahead of training camp. However, Karnisovas said the discomfort wasn't related to Williams' foot surgery, and the 23-year-old has been cleared for training camp. Williams has offered solid but unspectacular production as a starter in Chicago. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 27.3 minutes last season.
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Josh Giddey Recovering From Ruptured Ankle Ligament
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey is limited at the start of training camp due to an ankle injury. Giddey ruptured an ankle ligament while playing for Australia at the Paris Olympics. However, the 21-year-old has said he'll be "fine" for the start of the regular season, suggesting that if it were playoffs, he would be ready to play right now. It sounds like Giddey is in the final stages of recovery, and fantasy managers shouldn't worry too much about his status. The versatile Australian looks set for a big year on his new team, with Chicago seeing Giddey as the team's primary ball-handler.
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Keon Ellis Begins Training Camp As Starter
Sacramento Kings shooting guard Keon Ellis is working with the starting group to begin training camp. Kings head coach Mike Brown sees Ellis as a starter "for now." Sacramento has a spot open in the first unit due to Kevin Huerter's (shoulder) absence. Ellis' fantasy value will get a big boost if he sticks with the starters. The 24-year-old started 21 games last season, averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals. Ellis is mainly known as a defensive specialist, but he can contribute across the board if given enough playing time.
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Walker Kessler Beefs Up For Jazz Training Camp
Tony Jones of The Athletic reports that Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler beefed up to 272 pounds after weighing 245 last season. Starting in 40 games in 2022-23, the 23-year-old made only 22 starts in last year's campaign. A bulkier Kessler will again have to compete for playing time, with the Jazz having a deep frontcourt as Lauri Markkanen and John Collins will command most of the starter minutes. The young center will likely not be a fantasy factor for the 2024-25 season.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. Dealing With Hamstring Tightness
According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring) left Tuesday's practice after experiencing hamstring tightness. Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins confirmed Jackson will get an MRI exam to learn the extent of the injury. "We're anticipating a strain," Jenkins said. If the 25-year-old misses significant time, it will be a big blow to Memphis, as he averaged 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 32.3 minutes across 66 regular-season games last year.
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Scottie Barnes Excused From Start Of Raptors Camp
According to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (personal) has an excused absence from at least the start of training camp to attend to some personal things. He is expected to be at camp later in the week. Toronto will rely heavily on the 23-year-old this season as he is the undisputed superstar of this team. Last year, Barnes compiled his best season yet with averages of 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
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Myles Turner Expects Big Things From James Wiseman
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner expects big things from former Pistons center James Wiseman this season. "I feel like once he gets the opportunity that he's been looking for, he's going to take it and run with it. I genuinely want to see him succeed," Turner said at Monday's team's media day. Last season, Wiseman averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds across 63 contests in the Motor City. Alongside Turner, the 23-year-old could be a helpful addition to the Pacers front court, but he would likely not make an impact in fantasy this season.
Yesterday
Zach LaVine Happy To Be In Chicago
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is happy to remain in Chicago after being mentioned in trade rumors going back to last season's trade deadline. "I'm in a great situation, a great headspace," LaVine said during the team's media day on Monday. "I'm fully healthy right now, which I don't take for granted. Anything negative that will try to pin me and the organization rumors, drama, whatever it is, I leave that in the past." The 29-year-old played in just 25 regular season contests last year before having season-ending foot surgery in February. If LaVine stays healthy, he could be a force in fantasy, especially playing on a revamped Bulls team.
Yesterday
Darius Garland Denies He Wanted Out Of Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland has denied that he wanted to be traded in the offseason. Speaking during Monday's Media Day, Garland said the trade rumors were "definitely false" and that Cavaliers president Koby Altman was upset about what was being said and wanted Garland to remain with the organization. With the trade rumors squashed, Garland can now focus on producing a bounce-back campaign. His numbers dropped across the board in 2023-24 as Garland struggled to stay healthy. He managed to make only 57 appearances during the regular season. The 2022 All-Star has hit 60-plus games just twice during his five-year NBA career, and Garland's health is definitely something to consider for fantasy managers.
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Lauri Markkanen Happy To Remain In Utah
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is happy to remain on the team following an offseason full of trade rumors. "It was a nice feeling to know that a lot of teams wanted you to play for their franchise," Markkanen told Tony Jones of The Athletic. "It was kind of a cool thing to be honest. It tells me that I've been able to get a lot better as a player. But I tried not to think about it beyond that. I know that I wanted to come back to Utah, and that's where my priorities were." Markkanen, who signed a five-year, $238 million extension on Aug. 7, has been the main man in Utah for the last couple of campaigns, and his fantasy value could have taken a significant hit with a move elsewhere.
Yesterday
Tyus Jones Confirmed As Starter For Suns
Phoenix Suns point guard Tyus Jones will open the campaign as a member of the starting unit. Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer has said Jones will be a starter alongside Jusuf Nurkic and the team's Big Three of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant. Jones is coming off his first full season as a starter in Washington. Across 66 outings, he averaged 12.0 points with 7.3 assists. Considering the firepower Jones will have around him in Phoenix, his assists numbers should get a nice boost. However, his scoring will likely drop. Grayson Allen rolled as a starter among the Suns' stars last season. He should still play a big part in the rotation, but his fantasy value takes a hit with the move to the bench.
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LeBron James Believes He Has "A Lot In The Tank"
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is feeling great ahead of his 22nd NBA campaign and is ready to still make an impact at a high level. Speaking to the media on Monday, James noted he feels "really good physically," "real sharp, very fresh mentally," and that he still has "a lot in the tank." James will turn 40 on Dec. 30, but it looks like fantasy managers can count on getting another very productive campaign out of him. The four-time MVP notched 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists with a career-high 41 percent three-point shooting last term.
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