Charlotte Hornets forward/center Naz Reid recorded 13 points and four rebounds in 16 minutes during Tuesday's 124-90 preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He shot 3-for-9 from the field, 1-for-5 from three, and 6-for-7 at the line. Head coach Charles Lee highlighted Reid's versatility and ability to create out of mismatches after the game. Reid averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 26.1 minutes with Minnesota last season, mostly in a reserve role. If he sticks in the starting lineup in Charlotte, the extra minutes should give him more chances to score and rebound.

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe recorded eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 18 minutes during Tuesday's 124-90 preseason win over the Charlotte Hornets. He shot 4-for-9 from the field in his first game back after season-ending surgery on his left thumb. With Nicolas Claxton now in Chicago, Sharpe enters the season as Brooklyn's starting center after averaging career highs of 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 18.7 minutes last year. A larger workload gives the 24-year-old a chance to become a useful source of rebounds while his passing adds some upside at the position.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Aday Mara recorded 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in 18 minutes during Tuesday's 116-110 preseason loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The No. 12 overall pick was perfect from the floor, hitting all five of his shots while going 2-for-2 at the line. Mara flashed the rim protection and passing that made him a lottery pick out of Michigan, but regular minutes could be tough to find in Oklahoma City's crowded frontcourt. Another strong preseason outing could help Mara earn a few more minutes, but his shot-blocking remains the clearest reason to keep an eye on him.

Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson bounced back with 23 points in Tuesday's 117-106 preseason loss to the Denver Nuggets, adding three rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes. The No. 2 overall pick shot 10-for-18 from the field but just 1-for-6 from three, doing most of his damage inside the arc. Peterson had managed only three points on 1-for-5 shooting in Sunday's opener. He has started both preseason games alongside Keyonte George, and Tuesday's 18 shot attempts offered an encouraging look at his scoring upside. The outside shot remains a work in progress, but Peterson should have enough opportunity to carry immediate fantasy appeal.

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Grayson Allen scored 13 points in 14 minutes during Tuesday's 124-90 preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He shot 4-for-6 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from deep, while adding one rebound and one assist. Allen, acquired from Phoenix this offseason, averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.1 threes in 28.8 minutes across 51 games last season. Once Coby White (calf) and Kon Knueppel (hamstring) are back, Allen may have to compete for touches, but his shooting should still keep him in the rotation.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III recorded 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 19 minutes during Tuesday's 116-110 preseason win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He shot 4-for-11 from the field and 2-for-6 from three in his first action since a right ankle sprain cut short last season. Murphy averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals across 66 starts in 2025-26. Bennedict Mathurin adds another scoring option on the wing, but Murphy should still have a steady role thanks to his shooting and defensive impact.

Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle scored 13 points in Tuesday's 124-90 preseason win over the Charlotte Hornets, adding two rebounds, three assists and one steal in 18 minutes. He shot 4-for-7 from the field, 2-for-3 from three and 3-for-4 at the line while starting alongside Michael Porter Jr., who led Brooklyn with 16 points. Randle averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists with Minnesota last season, and his ability to score and create for others should keep him heavily involved in Brooklyn's offense. The efficient debut was an encouraging first look at his fit with Porter.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Al Horford is set to come off the bench Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard, who expects that setup to continue into the regular season. Gui Santos will join Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Draymond Green in the starting five. Horford averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.6 threes in 21.5 minutes last season. A reserve role limits his ceiling, but Kristaps Porzingis' (undisclosed) absence should keep Horford involved in the frontcourt rotation.

Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis remains away from the team because of an undisclosed health issue. "I haven't seen him yet," head coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday before calling the situation "definitely concerning" and adding that the Warriors will continue to support Porzingis. General manager Mike Dunleavy previously declined to rule the 31-year-old out for the Oct. 21 opener against the Lakers, but there is still no return timeline. Porzingis averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 23.7 minutes across 15 games with Golden State last season. Until there is more clarity, his availability makes him a risky fantasy pick, while Al Horford should handle more center minutes.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will be limited to around 20 minutes in Tuesday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN's Anthony Slater. Curry also won't travel to Portland for Wednesday's game. The 38-year-old played 13 minutes in Sunday's opener against the Clippers, scoring 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting with two threes. Curry averaged 26.6 points and 4.4 threes across 43 games last season, so Golden State's cautious preseason plan comes as no surprise. His production remains elite, but workload management is worth factoring into his fantasy outlook.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (shin) missed Tuesday's preseason opener against the Brooklyn Nets after suffering a shin contusion in practice. The team considers him day-to-day, so there is no indication yet that the injury is serious. The 23-year-old underwent left shoulder surgery in May but entered camp cleared for full contact. Miller led Charlotte with 20.2 points per game last season, and LaMelo Ball's departure leaves him with an even bigger offensive role. With Kon Knueppel (hamstring) also out for the preseason, Charlotte has little reason to rush Miller back.

Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos is set to start Tuesday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Draymond Green, according to Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard. Al Horford will come off the bench, a setup Emerman expects to continue into the regular season. Santos averaged 14.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals across 30 starts last season. With Jimmy Butler (knee) and Moses Moody (knee) still sidelined, Santos remains firmly in the mix for a starting role and meaningful fantasy production.

Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti (Achilles) will miss the 2026-27 season after rupturing his right Achilles in Monday's preseason opener against the Knicks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 24-year-old suffered the injury less than five minutes into the game and was scheduled for surgery Tuesday. Hukporti also tore his left Achilles in 2022. His absence leaves Adem Bona (foot) in line for the backup center role once healthy. With Joel Embiid appearing in only 57 games over the past two seasons, Bona could get chances to start and provide rebounds and blocks when Embiid sits.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball recorded 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 17 minutes during Monday's 116-97 preseason win over Milwaukee. Ball shot 3-for-6 from the field, 2-for-5 from three, and 3-for-3 at the line while starting alongside Anthony Edwards. Minnesota kept its regulars on the bench after halftime, limiting the first look at its new backcourt. Edwards praised Ball afterward for getting everyone involved. Ball averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists across 72 games last season, and his playmaking should remain a major part of Minnesota's offense.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 14 points in Monday's 116-97 preseason win over Milwaukee, adding four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in 18 minutes. He shot just 4-for-13 from the field and 1-for-7 from three but went 5-for-5 at the line before Minnesota rested its starters after halftime. LaMelo Ball assisted on two of Edwards' four baskets, offering an early glimpse of the new backcourt. Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points last season, and Ball's playmaking gives him another creator who could ease some of his shot-making burden.

Milwaukee Bucks center Kel'el Ware recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, and one block in 24 minutes off the bench during Monday's 116-97 preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 22-year-old shot 5-for-11 from the field and 2-for-6 from three, while Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma drew the frontcourt starts in Taylor Jenkins' coaching debut. Ware averaged 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks last season, and Milwaukee's rebuilding roster gives him a path to a larger role. Turner remains the starter for now, but Ware's rebounding and shot-blocking make him worth monitoring if his minutes climb.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome started at point guard in Monday's preseason opener, recording 12 points, five assists, and one block in 15 minutes during a 132-123 win over Atlanta. He shot 4-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 from three and 3-for-3 at the line. More importantly, Jerome got the first starting look ahead of Scotty Pippen Jr. with Ja Morant now in Portland. The 29-year-old missed the first three months of last season with a calf injury but averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.1 steals over 15 games. If Jerome holds the starting job, his scoring and playmaking should translate into useful fantasy production.

Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Jaylen Brown scored 22 points in just 17 minutes during Monday's 120-97 preseason win over the New York Knicks, adding two rebounds, two assists, and one block. Brown did all of his scoring in the first half, shooting 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-5 from deep. He had plenty of room to operate with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and LeBron James sitting out. Brown averaged career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists across 71 games with Boston last season, though sharing the floor with Philadelphia's other stars should cut into the volume he enjoyed there.

Free-agent guard/forward Jordan Hawkins is signing a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. Memphis waived the former No. 14 pick Friday, less than a month after acquiring him from New Orleans. Hawkins reunites with Bulls executive Bryson Graham, who was in the Pelicans' front office when he was drafted in 2023. The 24-year-old averaged 5.1 points in 13.6 minutes while shooting 34.8 percent from three across 51 games last season. With Norman Powell, Isaac Okoro, and rookie Dailyn Swain among Chicago's perimeter options, Hawkins could spend significant time with the Windy City Bulls and would likely need injuries or a rotation opening to gain fantasy relevance.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Kawhi Leonard (not injury related) practiced in full Monday for the first time since training camp opened, TSN's Josh Lewenberg reports. The 35-year-old hadn't been able to play live while his trade was on hold, prompting Toronto to ease him through the opening week of camp and sit him for Saturday's preseason opener against Miami. Head coach Darko Rajakovic previously indicated Leonard would get a full week of work before returning to game action, making Toronto's Oct. 13 matchup with the Knicks a possible debut date. Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 65 games last season. Ja'Kobe Walter started Saturday and is the clearest candidate to return to the bench once Leonard is ready.