New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones enters 2026-27 as the team's biggest X factor, according to ESPN's season preview. The 2023-24 All-Defensive First Team selection has slipped offensively since that breakout, including 38.3 percent shooting from the field and 30.9 percent from three last season. He still averaged 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals in 28.4 minutes, keeping him useful when defensive stats matter. ESPN noted that a bounce-back year could make Jones a trade-deadline chip for draft compensation. That outcome would be worth tracking, as a move could open extra wing minutes for Saddiq Bey while pushing more creation toward Trey Murphy III.

Free-agent forward Trendon Watford and the New Orleans Pelicans agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 25-year-old heads to New Orleans after Philadelphia declined his $2.8 million team option for 2026-27. Watford averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 16.3 minutes across 53 games with the 76ers last season, including a 20-point, 17-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in November. His passing and frontcourt versatility give the Pelicans useful depth, but Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, Saddiq Bey, Yves Missi, Derik Queen, Karlo Matkovic, and DeAndre Jordan leave a crowded path to steady minutes. Watford is off fantasy radars unless injuries thin the rotation.

Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges is expected to wait before signing an extension, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective. Windhorst said Phoenix not only intends to pay Bridges but also plans to give him a sizable role after acquiring him from Charlotte this offseason. The 28-year-old averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.9 threes with the Hornets last season, but his fantasy ceiling is trickier in Phoenix. Devin Booker and Jalen Green should handle plenty of creation, while Dillon Brooks adds another established wing to the rotation. Bridges should still start and carry contract-year scoring appeal, but a third-option role would cap the focal-point value he had in Charlotte.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has earned offseason praise from general manager Mike Schmitz, who discussed the reigning Rookie of the Year's development during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan. The 19-year-old averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals as a rookie, becoming the first first-year player since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Kyrie Irving, nearing a return from his ACL tear, should ease some creation burden, but Flagg's scoring, rebounding, and defensive production keep him locked in as an early-round fantasy anchor.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is confident the team's retooled roster can get past the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the teams that ended Minnesota's last two playoff runs. "Against those two teams, I think we're going to beat them," Edwards told ESPN during a visit to Manila. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 61 games in 2025-26, carrying heavy scoring responsibilities before Minnesota added LaMelo Ball and moved Julius Randle to Brooklyn. Ball's arrival may trim Edwards' playmaking volume, but it should also ease defensive pressure and keep him in the first-round fantasy mix.

Free-agent forward Haywood Highsmith could eventually draw a look from the Miami Heat, though the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman framed any reunion as a backburner scenario. Highsmith spent parts of four seasons in Miami before being traded to Brooklyn last summer, waived by the Nets in February and later signed by Phoenix. A right knee meniscus tear limited him to seven games with the Suns, where he averaged 5.4 points in 13.0 minutes before being waived this month. Winderman noted Miami's bigger need is frontcourt size, preferably someone who can also play center, not another 6-foot-5 combo forward. Gabe Vincent is a similar long-shot reunion name, but neither carries meaningful fantasy value right now.

Veteran guard Patrick Beverley has signed with Boulazac Basket Dordogne of France's Betclic Elite for the 2026-27 season, the club announced Friday. The 38-year-old spent last season with PAOK Thessaloniki, averaging 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in eight Greek League regular-season games before adding 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists across nine FIBA Europe Cup contests. Beverley logged 666 regular-season NBA games before heading overseas, averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while earning three All-Defensive Team selections. This is just a late-career European stop, leaving him far outside the NBA fantasy picture.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton took issue with the team's season-opening assignment, saying on the "Numbers on the Board" podcast that he was shocked Indiana opens Oct. 21 at New Orleans without a national TV slot. The All-NBA guard tore his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and missed all of the Pacers' 19-63 season, so the matchup would be his first NBA game action in roughly 16 months. Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 2024-25, keeping him in bounce-back centerpiece territory. His return should cut into Andrew Nembhard's usage while giving new Pacers center Ivica Zubac a high-end pick-and-roll partner.

Free-agent guard Lester Quinones has drawn renewed interest from Real Madrid, according to Marca, as relayed by Sportando, with the Spanish club still searching for one more backcourt piece after missing on Armoni Brooks and Lonnie Walker IV. The former Memphis guard was waived by Orlando last October and has yet to turn his scoring profile into a steady NBA role across 54 games with Golden State, Philadelphia, and New Orleans. His G League rsum is stronger, as he earned All-NBA G-League First Team honors while averaging 23.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists for Osceola before a brief China stint with Qingdao. A move to Spain would remove any lingering NBA fantasy stash appeal.

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks said at a Friday media session that he wants to sharpen his three-point shooting, passing, and finishing around the rim after signing a three-year, $73 million extension. The former second-round pick is coming off a career-best 20.2 points per game, but his supporting numbers stayed light at 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists while his three-point rate dipped to 34.4 percent. That thin peripheral profile is the fantasy concern. If Brooks adds more playmaking under Jordan Ott, his value gets less scoring-dependent. If not, Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard could squeeze his usage and leave him as more of a points-and-threes option.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Max Strus has surfaced as a salary-matching piece in the team's pursuit of Denver restricted free agent Peyton Watson, with Evan Sidery reporting that Cleveland is looking for a team willing to take on Strus' $16.7 million expiring contract. The 30-year-old missed the first 67 games last season after left foot surgery, then averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across 12 games while shooting 40.2 percent from deep. Strus still has value as a floor-spacer, but his fantasy outlook depends heavily on landing spot. If he is moved, Jaylon Tyson could get a cleaner path to wing minutes, while Sam Merrill would remain a bench shooting option.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers center Olivier Sarr is headed overseas after signing a two-year deal with Real Madrid through the 2027-28 season. The 27-year-old spent most of his NBA time with Oklahoma City before a two-way stint in Cleveland, and Madrid added him for frontcourt depth with Usman Garuba recovering from a ruptured left Achilles. Sarr averaged 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 39.1 percent from three across 50 NBA games, and he was productive enough in the G-League to earn another look. He held no standalone fantasy value on a two-way deal, so his exit does not change Cleveland's fantasy outlook. The more relevant fantasy name remains his younger brother, Washington Wizards center Alexandre Sarr, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving remains the team's biggest question entering 2026-27, with ESPN's Tim MacMahon noting that Dallas needs him to return to form to become a real postseason threat. The nine-time All-Star has been sidelined since tearing his left ACL in March 2025, when he was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 50 games. Dallas is intrigued by Irving's fit next to Cooper Flagg, as his off-ball shooting and creation should ease the burden on the young franchise centerpiece. Until Irving is fully cleared, Max Christie has the clearest path to extra backcourt minutes, while the rest of Dallas' depth guards remain low-usage options. Irving remains a draft-and-stash target once his return timeline sharpens.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie was named the team's biggest X factor for 2026-27 by ESPN. Christie set career highs last season with 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across 77 games while shooting 40.4 percent from three, and ESPN noted that Dallas needs him to grow into a more reliable perimeter stopper next to Kyrie Irving. The 23-year-old is also arguably the Mavericks' only traditional shooting guard on a frontcourt-heavy roster. With Irving working back from left ACL surgery and Cooper Flagg leading the next phase of the franchise, Christie's minutes, spacing, and defensive role give him some points-and-threes appeal if the starting job holds.

Indiana Pacers guard Braden Smith is in line for a two-way deal after the team waived Ethan Thompson from his two-way contract, according to Spotrac's Keith Smith. Thompson's exit allows him to join Partizan in Serbia and clears a roster path for Smith, the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The former Purdue guard left college as the NCAA's all-time assists leader after averaging 14.3 points and 8.8 assists as a senior, and he flashed his passing in Las Vegas with a nine-assist Summer League finale. The fit is developmental, though. With Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, and T.J. McConnell ahead of him, Smith projects for heavy Noblesville Boom minutes and stays off the fantasy radar.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder was traded to the Charlotte Hornets along with cash in exchange for Tre Mann, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 32-year-old lands with the 12th team of his NBA career and gives Charlotte a veteran option behind Coby White. Schroder split last season between Sacramento and Cleveland, averaging 10.8 points, 4.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per game. He should slot ahead of Christian Anderson Jr. as the primary backup point guard, which trims the rookie's early runway. Schroder can provide assists in short bursts, but he is only a low-end fantasy option if injuries open more minutes.

Charlotte Hornets guard Tre Mann was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Dennis Schroder and cash, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Mann gives Cleveland a younger, cheaper backcourt piece, but the fantasy path is narrow with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell controlling most of the guard usage. The former Florida standout averaged 5.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 12.6 minutes across 53 games last season while shooting 36.0 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three. Cleveland's guard room leaves him buried for now, so Mann stays off the fantasy radar barring injuries ahead of him.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura headlines Japan's 17-man list for the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, with the late-August window including matchups against Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The national-team run carries no NBA fantasy weight, but his move across Los Angeles does. Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers after averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 44.3 percent from three last season. He also scored 17.5 points per game on 56.9 percent from deep in the playoffs. A clearer role next to Darius Garland could help his points-and-threes appeal, though his low rebounding keeps the ceiling modest.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Yuki Kawamura was included on Japan's 17-man list for the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, joining new Clippers teammate Rui Hachimura ahead of the late-August window. Kawamura signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Los Angeles after playing Summer League with Indiana, so he still has to earn a regular-season roster spot. The 25-year-old averaged 3.4 points and 2.6 assists in 18 games for Chicago last season, then posted 18.7 points and 11.0 assists in 11 G-League games with Windy City. His passing is real, but with a crowded Clippers guard room, Kawamura remains off the fantasy radar.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Klay Thompson said he wants the chance to compete for a championship and play a role on a team built for a deep playoff run. The 36-year-old is coming off a career-low scoring season, averaging 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 2.9 threes in 21.7 minutes across 69 games while shooting 38.3 percent from deep. Dallas is now building around Cooper Flagg after his Rookie of the Year season, with Kyrie Irving still working back from left ACL surgery. Thompson has been linked to Miami and the Lakers, but his fantasy value remains limited to threes whether he stays or moves.