NBA

While second-year center Yves Missi spent most of last season as the starter, he isn’t guaranteed to take on that role in 2025-26. In addition to trading up to draft the currently injured Derik Queen (wrist) in June’s draft, the Pelicans signed veteran Kevon Looney in free agency. Looney started both of the team’s exhibition games in Australia, but Missi played more minutes. And Green has some non-negotiables when it comes to who will earn the right to start come opening night. “Who goes out and competes the hardest? Who gives us the opportunity to start games well?” Green said Thursday. “For all of our bigs, that’s the non-negotiables for us. Time will tell. We’ve got two more games, then we’ll go from there.” Until Queen is cleared to resume full contact, Missi is the option who possesses the highest fantasy upside among the healthy Pelicans.

James has been unavailable due to a glute issue, and Redick’s comments indicate no sense of urgency to get him back on the court for LA before the regular season tips off. James is expected to be ready for the season-opener against Golden State on October 21, though fantasy managers should continue to monitor his health in the coming weeks.

Demin will join Haywood Highsmith (knee) on the sidelines, and they should be the only two Nets unavailable against Phoenix. Lewis notes that Drake Powell could make his preseason debut, so fantasy managers - particularly those who play in dynasty formats - should pay close attention.

It’s not immediately clear how serious Edgecombe’s injury is, but fantasy managers should keep an eye on the rookie’s status throughout the preseason. The No. 3 pick in this year’s draft is poised to see significant rotational minutes in Year 1, and he’s a solid, late-round selection in 2025-26 fantasy drafts.

Payne will compete for a spot in Indiana’s final rotation. He’s got a shot to compete due to Tyrese Haliburton’s season-long absence and a number of key injuries across the roster. Wright will look to join another NBA team before the 2025-26 campaign tips off.

McConnell left Tuesday’s matchup with Minnesota early with the injury, and it will keep him sidelined until at least early November, meaning he’ll miss time to open the season. For as long as McConnell is out, Quenton Jackson, Johnny Furphy and Ben Sheppard are all candidates for increased run behind Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin in Indiana’s backcourt.

Holiday, acquired from the Celtics during the offseason, only played 17 minutes in his unofficial Trail Blazers’ debut. The veteran guard did not shoot the ball well, but he was solid otherwise, making plays for others and committing just one turnover on the night. With Scoot Henderson likely to miss the start of the regular season with a torn left hamstring and Damian Lillard out for the season as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles, Holiday will have to take on point guard duties for the foreseeable future. After seeing his fantasy value take a hit in Boston last season, Holiday will be worth the investment in Portland.

During an in-game interview in the summer, Kings general manager Scott Perry said the team envisioned Clifford being capable of filling all three positions on the perimeter. The first-round pick out of Colorado State played on and off the ball Wednesday night, recording a team-best nine assists while committing three turnovers. With Malik Monk (8/2/2/1 with one three-pointer) and Keon Ellis (8/1/0/1 with one three-pointer) in the fold, Clifford may not be locked into the backup point guard role. However, his versatility makes the rookie an intriguing prospect for the future.

Despite his scoring average decreasing by nearly three points per game last season, Murray still managed to provide top-100 fantasy value. Rebounding had much to do with his fantasy value remaining solid, as the Kings forward averaged a career-high 6.7 boards per game. Murray didn’t rebound much in Sacramento’s preseason opener, but he did offer excellent defensive stats, notably blocking four shots. That’s a number he’s reached just once in his first three seasons, April 7, 2024, against the Nets. Murray’s ability to remain a top-100 player will depend on what he can do defensively, as once again, he stands no higher than fourth in the offensive pecking order.

Schroder made his unofficial Kings debut Wednesday night, playing 24 minutes. While the veteran point guard did tie for the team lead in rebounds, he only recorded one assist. Schroder was a valuable rotation piece for the Pistons to end last season, but that did not translate into reliable fantasy value. Getting to start in Sacramento may raise his ceiling, but that isn’t guaranteed, especially with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis needing their touches.