NBA News
Paul George Diagnosed With A Bone Bruise
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Paul George (knee) was diagnosed with a bone bruise. He will be re-evaluated in one week. While there is "no structural damage," the timeline could mean George will miss the start of the regular season. The latest update shouldn't impact his fantasy value ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, barring a setback. However, with the 76ers looking for a championship, fantasy managers may be without George until the team is absolutely certain he is ready to roll. With that in mind, Eric Gordon, who averaged 15.4 points, 1.0 steals, and shot 45.1% from deep in 24 starts with the Suns last season, may spend time with the first five until George can return.
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Scotty Pippen Jr., Grizzlies Agree To A Four-Year Deal
Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. agreed to a four-year contract with the team. The 23-year-old spent time in the G League and the Los Angeles Lakers before ending up in Memphis last season. He appeared in 21 games for the Grizzlies, averaging 12.9 points and 4.7 assists. With Derrick Rose recently announcing his retirement, Pippen is now expected to operate as Ja Morant's backup this season. He'll likely make some appearances with the first five, giving him streaming potential at some point during the 2024-25 campaign.
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Kelly Olynyk Unavailable On Tuesday
Per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk (back) will not suit up for Tuesday's preseason game against the Celtics due to lower-back stiffness. For the 33-year-old, it will be the second consecutive game that he's missed. Olynyk will get another opportunity to play Friday for the Raptors' final preseason game against Brooklyn. During the 2023-24 campaign, the big man averaged 9.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, playing in 78 games with Utah and Toronto.
2 hours ago
Anfernee Simons May Suit Up Wednesday
According to Sean Highkin of RoseGardenReport.com, head coach Chauncey Billups said Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (ankle) practiced Tuesday and could "potentially" play in Wednesday's exhibition contest against Ratiopharm Ulm. Simons has been dealing with minor ankle soreness. If he can't go on Wednesday, the 25-year-old will have another chance to suit up on Friday for Portland's final preseason game. The guard could significantly impact fantasy this season after coming off a strong 2023-24 campaign, averaging 22.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists across just 46 games. His season was limited due to ankle and knee injuries.
2 hours ago
Brandin Podziemski Waiting For Mask After Suffering A Broken Nose
According to ESPN's Kendra Andrews, Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (nose) won't suit up for Tuesday's preseason game against the Lakers. The 21-year-old is waiting for a mask after taking a hit from teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis during Sunday's contest versus the Pistons. After an impressive rookie season, Podziemski is competing for a starting spot with De'Anthony Melton, as there is an opening with the loss of Klay Thompson.
3 hours ago
Paul George's Left Knee Passes Initial Evaluation With Further Imaging To Come
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George does not appear to have any long-term damage after suffering a left knee hyperextension during Monday night's 104-89 preseason win over the Atlanta Hawks. "Everything checked out ok," 76ers coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Tuesday. The 34-year-old is set for more tests later in the day. Before Monday's injury, George wasn't set to suit up for the team's preseason game on Wednesday. If George is to miss a lengthy amount of time going into the regular season, Caleb Martin and KJ Martin are likely to see an uptick in minutes on the court.
3 hours ago
Julius Randle Set For Timberwolves Debut On Wednesday
Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Julius Randle (shoulder) is expected to make his team debut in Wednesday's preseason clash with the Bulls. This will mark his first action since January when Randle hurt his right shoulder. He will likely have restrictions for the game, but it will be interesting to see Randle in a Timberwolves uniform. Unfortunately, Randle won't get many chances to work up some chemistry between him and his teammates before the season starts because Minnesota plays its final exhibition game on Thursday, and it's hard to imagine Randle playing on back-to-back nights after missing so much time.
11 hours ago
Stephen Curry Good To Go On Tuesday
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (finger) will jump back into the lineup for Tuesday's preseason action against the Lakers. Curry hurt his finger on Friday against Sacramento and sat out Sunday's matchup against Detroit. However, he's good to go again on Tuesday for Golden State's penultimate preseason game. Curry has yet to exceed 16 minutes in the preseason while steadily working himself into shape for his 16th season in the Association. With him shooting a below-par 4-for-14 from deep in preseason, the veteran star clearly still has some rust to shake off.
11 hours ago
Andrew Wiggins Ready For Preseason Debut On Tuesday
Golden State Warriors small forward Andrew Wiggins (illness) is expected to make his preseason debut in Tuesday's matchup against the Lakers. He has been battling an illness lately and will be limited to 15-20 minutes in the contest. Wigging is currently projected to kick off another campaign as Golden State's starting small forward, but there are a lot of fresh faces in town, all vying for playing time. Wiggins already saw his playing time drop in 2023-24, when he was limited to 27.0 minutes a night after averaging 30-plus minutes per game in each of his first nine NBA seasons. This, combined with shaky shooting, resulted in Wiggins averaging a career-low 13.2 points. He should be motivated to perform well in order to restore his value to the team.
11 hours ago
Kawhi Leonard Ruled Out For Rest Of Preseason
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) has been ruled out for the rest of the preseason. Following Monday's 110-96 win over Dallas, the Clippers have one more game to go on their preseason schedule. Leonard hasn't seen any action in preseason after undergoing offseason knee surgery. Speaking ahead of training camp, Leonard seemed confident about being in the lineup for the regular-season opener against Phoenix on Oct. 23, but that now seems far from certain. James Harden's usage numbers will likely go through the roof if Leonard isn't healthy to start the campaign, with Nicolas Batum or Amir Coffey taking over his spot in the starting lineup.
11 hours ago
Coby White Continues To Battle A Groin Issue
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (groin) remained sidelined for Monday's preseason contest against Milwaukee. White scored a game-high 21 points in Chicago's preseason opener against Cleveland on Oct. 8 but has missed practice time and two games since then. His injury has been described as groin tightness, which doesn't sound too serious, and there's still every chance White suits up on opening night against New Orleans next Wednesday. There are two more preseason games scheduled for the Bulls, starting with Wednesday's clash versus Minnesota, where Lonzo Ball (knee) is expected to make his long-awaited comeback.
11 hours ago
Jamal Murray Battling A Knee Problem
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray tweaked his knee over the weekend. According to Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, Murray's knee began to feel "funny" during the warm-ups ahead of Sunday's preseason matchup versus Phoenix. Murray started the game but logged only 19 minutes and didn't take the court in the second half. He finished with 1-for-6 shooting, going 0-for-3 from three-point range. The Denver star couldn't get his shots to drop but did a decent job in other areas, picking up three rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Considering his previous health issues, Murray's status will be a huge concern for Denver, with the team scheduled to start the 2024-25 campaign next Thursday versus Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook's fantasy stock would get a big boost if Murray were to be out for an extended period.
12 hours ago
Paul George Suffers Left Knee Hyperextension Monday Night
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George suffered a left knee hyperextension during Monday night's 104-89 preseason victory over the Atlanta Hawks. George suffered the injury early in the second quarter and did not return to the game after. The 34-year-old said he's "not too concerned" about the injury, potentially easing nerves for both Sixers fans and fantasy owners about the severity of the situation. No timeline has been released for George's potential recovery timeline and until then he should be considered day-to-day. However, given his lengthy injury history, fantasy owners should have a contingency plan in place should George be forced to miss any time. After signing a four-year $212 million contract this offseason, Philadelphia will likely do all it can to keep George healthy. Should he miss any time in the regular season Caleb Martin and KJ Martin are likely to pick up more playing time.
20 hours ago
Isaiah Collier Out For At Least 10 Days With Hamstring Strain
Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (hamstring) has officially been diagnosed with a hamstring strain and will miss at least 10 days. According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the 10-day mark is when the team will re-evaluate how he feels and determine if he needs to miss any more time. That timeline means that he'll have to miss the season opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, but has a shot to return to the court for their second game against the Golden State Warriors. Collier is still a depth option at the moment, but the rookie has the chance to raise his spot on the depth chart throughout the season.
Yesterday
Spurs Trade For Then Waive Jalen McDaniels
The San Antonio Spurs have traded for Jalen McDaniels and a second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The Spurs then waived McDaniels to maintain flexibility with their roster and cap space down the road. This move helped the Spurs gain some more draft capital and also allowed the Kings to navigate through some salary and luxury tax hoops after acquiring DeMar DeRozan. McDaniels will now look to latch on to another roster before the regular season kicks off.
Yesterday
Brandin Podziemski Suffers A Broken Nose
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (nose) was forced to leave Sunday night's preseason game after taking a hit from teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis. On Monday, it was confirmed that the second-year guard suffered a broken nose. Brett Siegel reports that Podziemski will be fitted for a face mask and is not expected to miss the start of the regular season. Despite Buddy Hield and De'Anthony Melton coming in to help alleviate the loss of Klay Thompson, Podziemski is set to take on a bigger role than last season. The 21-year-old averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 threes per game in his rookie year.
Yesterday
Joel Embiid May Not Play Back-To-Backs For Rest Of His Career
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been notorious for going into the playoffs with some sort of injury year after year. He suffered fractured orbital bones in his face twice, knee injuries twice, and last season tried to return from yet another knee injury while dealing with Bell's Palsy. During media day, Embiid said that when the team was bounced from the postseason, he texted general manager Daryl Morey and told him they needed to do whatever it took to keep him healthy for the playoffs. He added, "If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career." This sentiment has been reiterated often over the last few seasons, but it looks like it may finally come to fruition now that Embiid is more serious about it. If that allows him to be healthier throughout the entire year, it may end up increasing his fantasy value as well.
Yesterday
Fred VanVleet Intends To Stay In Houston For Long Term
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet signed a three-year deal with the team during the off-season in 2023 after spending seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors. When he got to Houston, they were showing that they were ready to move forward with their younger core but also wanted to start winning. So, VanVleet came in to play the veteran role to bring his younger teammates along. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, he said "I didn't come here to be a rental." VanVleet also stated he came to Houston for a long-term home and has a great relationship with all of his teammates. He has one more guaranteed season in his contract before a team option in 2025-26. With a $44.8 million price tag in that option year, the 30-year-old might have some negotiating to do if he remains in Houston while they try to retain their young core at the same time.
Yesterday
Jarred Vanderbilt Still Working Towards Being Ready For Regular Season
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) missed the last couple of months of last season due to foot injuries. He then underwent surgeries on both feet in May and has been rehabbing since then. Head coach JJ Redick said that "He's following our ramp-up protocol," and "he has not done any contact work." On top of that, he said that Vanderbilt hasn't even participated in non-contact drills in training camp or preseason so far. While Redick and the Lakers are "hopeful" that he returns for the start of the regular season, there's no official timetable for Vanderbilt's return.
Yesterday
Lonzo Ball, Bulls Targeting Wednesday For Official Return
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (knee) has missed the last two and a half seasons due to multiple surgeries on his left knee, which rendered him unable to climb stairs, let alone play basketball for a while. According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, the team and Ball are targeting Wednesday's preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves as his first game back. His minutes will likely be monitored, and he'll be eased back into the rotation as the season goes on since this will be his first game since January of 2022.
Yesterday
