With Fred VanVleet (knee) expected to miss the 2025-26 season, the Houston Rockets will rely on a committee approach to handle point guard duties, with Amen Thompson taking on a key role. Thompson and Reed Sheppard are likely to see the most time initiating the offense, while head coach Ime Udoka also plans to lean on Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant as secondary playmakers. That versatility gives Houston multiple options to keep the offense flowing, but Thompson's usage and development will be under the spotlight. The 22-year-old guard impressed last season, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, and his ability to push the pace and distribute should make him a focal point in VanVleet's absence. Thompson's value is trending up heading into the season.

The Denver Nuggets may experiment with more lineup flexibility this season thanks to the unique skill set of Nikola Jokic. The three-time MVP averaged a triple-double last year with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, showcasing his ability to stretch the floor and initiate offense. That versatility could open the door for Denver to pair Joki with new addition Jonas Valaninas in certain lineups. With Joki drawing defenders outside and creating space in the paint, Valaninas would have room to operate inside while providing additional size and rebounding. The 33-year-old big man split time with the Wizards and Kings last season, averaging 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in just 18.8 minutes per game. Deploying both centers together would also give the Nuggets more defensive coverage options as they look to pursue another title.

Washington Wizards point guard Bub Carrington has noticeably bulked up this offseason, adding 11 pounds of muscle to bring his frame from 193 to 204 pounds. The 20-year-old second-year guard admitted that attacking the rim and finishing in traffic was the "weakest part" of his game, and his added strength should help address that area. Carrington started 57 of 82 games as a rookie, averaging 9.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per contest while flashing versatility across multiple categories. However, his 40.1% shooting from the field highlighted an area in need of improvement as he transitions into a larger role. Entering his sophomore campaign, Carrington will look to take a step forward as he teams with fellow second-year standout Alex Sarr to headline Washington's youth-driven rebuild.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams (knee) is set to undergo surgery on his left knee, leaving his availability for opening night on October 21 in question. The Thunder have not provided a clear timetable for his recovery, but the versatile forward could be sidelined to begin the season. Williams played in 69 games last year, making seven starts, and averaged 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per contest. The 30-year-old also missed time at the start of last season due to back spasms, emphasizing durability concerns heading into 2025-26. With Williams out, Oklahoma City may look to spread his minutes across several young players, including Dillon Jones, Ousmane Dieng, and Jaylin Williams.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (knee) was reportedly looking like he was recovering "ahead of schedule," but head coach Jason Kidd states that it was "bad reporting." Kidd also said that Irving is recovering "quite well," and it seems he is on schedule, but both sides are not applying any kind of timetable on his return yet. The 33-year-old appeared in 50 games last season before his ACL tear derailed his season, and he finished with a stat line of 24.7 points, 4.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. The Mavericks look quite different from before he got hurt to when he'll return, though. While he's on the mend, D'Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy, Dante Exum, Brandon Williams, Max Christie, and Klay Thompson will all be sharing minutes in the backcourt.

Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner (knee) was in the midst of his best season last year before suffering an ACL tear in late December. He was in the early running for Sixth Man of the Year and was putting up career highs in points (12.9) and rebounds (4.9) per game. During media day on Monday, the Magic's president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, said that Wagner was "further away" from Jalen Suggs (knee) returning to the court. They're targeting opening night for Suggs, but Wagner is "on a different timeline," according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. This likely means more minutes for Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze in the meantime, with the possibility of some small-ball lineups with Paolo Banchero.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (knee) last played on January 25 of last season and underwent knee surgery in early March to address a torn ligament in his left knee. Last week, he told the Orlando Sentinel that he was "feeling good" ahead of training camp, and now the team is looking towards opening day as a potential return date. The Sentinel's Jason Beede reports that the Magic's Jeff Weltman said, "There's still a long way to go before we get there." So, it looks like there are still some question marks as the team kicks off training camp, and Suggs' health will be something to monitor as the regular season gets closer. The Magic made a big move to bring in Desmond Bane, so when Suggs returns, the rotation will look quite different with him and Bane in the backcourt, along with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in the frontcourt.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (foot) underwent a foot/ankle surgery recently that addressed an impingement he first noticed in July. After treatment and injections weren't making the pain go away, surgery was deemed necessary so that he could jump and move without pain. During media day, Herro gave an update and said that he will likely miss 8-to-12 weeks, but he told head coach Erik Spoelstra that he would be back in six weeks. If he misses the maximum amount of time in that timetable, that would mean he returns around the end of December. In the meantime, the Heat will likely roll out some different lineup combinations with Norman Powell, Terry Rozier, Davion Mitchell, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Andrew Wiggins.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller only appeared in 27 games before his second season was cut short due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. Around July, Miller said he was around "90-95%" healed, which put him on track for training camp. At media day on Monday, General Manager Jeff Peterson stated that Miller was healthy and ready to participate in training camp. The former second-overall pick looked primed to make a leap in his second year after averaging 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, so he'll look to build off of that while the rest of the team tries to get healthy as well.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, free-agent guard Gary Payton II will return to the Warriors. The terms of the contract weren't announced. Like Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton, who also agreed to deals, Payton was anticipated to sign for months. However, negotiations with restricted free-agent Jonathan Kuminga made things more complicated. Payton logged 62 games for the Warriors last season, his most appearances since the 2021 campaign. He wasn't very productive, averaging only 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. There are many different directions Steve Kerr can go with his lineups this season. While Payton should get minutes, he historically hasn't offered much to fantasy managers in terms of production. That's not expected to change, making him nearly irrelevant from a fantasy standpoint.

Accoring to ESPN's Shams Charania, free-agent guard De'Anthony Melton will sign with Golden State. The 2018 No. 46 overall pick appeared in only six games for the Warriors last season before suffering a torn ACL. He played relatively well despite the small sample size, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Melton was traded to Brooklyn ahead of the deadline, although he never suited up for the Nets due to the injury. It was announced on Sunday that Gary Payton II and Al Horford would also be inking deals with the Dubs, so the team is on track to rounding out the roster after months of failed negotiations with restricted free-agent Jonathan Kuminga. As far as Melton is concerned, he'll likely hold a routine role in Steve Kerr's rotation while being used situationally for defensive reasons. However, he's not expected to be a consistent producer for fantasy managers even if he ends up spending time in the starting lineup.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, free-agent forward/center Al Horford agreed to a multi-year deal to join the Warriors. This has seemingly been in the works. However, negotiations with restricted free-agent Jonathan Kuminga stalled the process. The 2007 No. 3 overall pick averaged 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds last season. While he wasn't consistently reliable for fantasy managers throughout the 2024 campaign, he still had some productive showings. With that said, it's hard to imagine Horford logging more than 60 games this season. It's also realistic to assume he'll miss time with an injury. Still, the veteran has double-double upside, especially when he starts, which seems to be the plan. Horford is efficient from the charity stripe and can get hot from behind the arc. Unfortunately, his presence could mean that Moses Moody will come off the bench. That may also apply at times to Draymond Green.

Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang (foot) will be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks. The team announced that Niang suffered a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot during offseason training and conditioning. He is scheduled for re-evaluation in two weeks. This marks a setback for Niang ahead of his return to Utah. He'll be expected to help improve the team's poor 35 percent three-point shooting from last year. Niang himself shot 40.6 percent from distance across 79 appearances with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. He averaged a career-high 9.9 points while grabbing 3.4 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.

Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Jared McCain (thumb) will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The talented sophomore is set to undergo surgery after suffering a UCL tear in his right thumb. Given the expected timeline for his recovery, McCain is likely to miss at least the first few games of the regular season. His absence might lead to more playing time for Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon, although the two veterans have been struggling to be effective in recent seasons, so fantasy managers should keep their expectations low.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Gradey Dick (knee) will be available for training camp, TSN's Josh Lewenberg reports. Raptors general manager Bobby Webster had no injuries to report ahead of camp during his press conference on Friday. Dick missed the end of 2024-25 due to a knee injury, playing his final game on March 2. He had a good sophomore season, averaging 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 29.4 minutes. However, Dick benefited from Toronto's injuries throughout the year, and his numbers are likely to take a hit in 2025-26, now that the team is healthy again.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) is back at 100 percent for the start of training camp, general manager Onsi Saleh told reporters during his preseason press conference. Johnson's 2024-25 campaign ended in January due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Before the injury, Johnson was having a breakout season, averaging 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks. Johnson's versatile skill set makes him a highly valuable player in fantasy basketball, and he still has considerable room to grow, considering the Duke product won't turn 24 until December.

Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (ankle) has been cleared for training camp, TSN's Josh Lewenberg reports. Raptors general manager Bobby Webster told reporters at his preseason press conference that the team has no injuries heading into camp. An ankle injury limited Ingram to just 18 games last season, and he didn't make a single appearance with the Raptors after the team acquired him from the New Orleans Pelicans in February. It will be interesting to see how he fits into the Raptors offense, which already features Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley.

The Memphis Grizzlies took another hit to their already thin front court, as power forward Brandon Clarke (knee) is set to undergo a procedure to address knee synovitis and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, putting his status for the start of the season in doubt. With Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey also sidelined, Memphis enters the start of the year dangerously short on big men. This puts added pressure on Ja Morant to shoulder more of the load offensively, while Santi Aldama should see a major bump in minutes. Aldama proved capable last season, averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds in 16 starts, making him a strong short-term fantasy option until the Grizzlies regain front court depth.

Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (ankle) remains sidelined following June 7 surgery to repair laxity in his left ankle and is still six to nine weeks away from a potential return. While he has begun ramping up basketball activities, the Grizzlies expect the 23-year-old big man to return in early December, leaving the team thin in the front court alongside the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr. Edey was a defensive presence as a rookie last season, averaging 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and shooting 58% from the field across 66 appearances (55 starts). He profiles as a late-round fantasy pickup who can contribute in rebounds, blocks, and boost field goal percentages once healthy.

Center Jaren Jackson Jr. (toe) is expected to miss the start of the season, as the Memphis Grizzlies announced he is still four to six weeks away from returning after undergoing a July 2 procedure to repair turf toe in his right foot. While he has started ramping up basketball activities, he remains at least a month from being game-ready, putting his return timeline in late October or early November. Jackson is still considered a strong fantasy option after averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks last season, and he remains an essential piece of Memphis' core once healthy.