Orlando Magic forward Noah Penda (hamstring) practiced Sunday and increased his workload as he ramps up from a hamstring tweak, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Jason Beede. Head coach Sean Sweeney said Penda looked good after Orlando had limited him during two-a-day sessions early in camp. The 21-year-old averaged 3.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 12.8 minutes across 59 games as a rookie. With Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Tristan da Silva in a crowded forward rotation, Penda will need a strong preseason to carve out more minutes.

Orlando Magic guard/forward Anthony Black (ankle) participated in Sunday's practice and increased his workload as he ramps up from a minor ankle sprain, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Jason Beede. Black had progressed to high-speed non-contact work Friday, making Sunday another encouraging step, though his status for Wednesday's preseason opener at Memphis remains unclear. The 22-year-old averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals last season. With Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane projected to start, Black is positioned to lead Orlando's second unit and should still command meaningful minutes.

Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (ankle) is unlikely to play in Monday's preseason opener against the Atlanta Hawks, according to The Commercial Appeal's Damichael Cole. Memphis remains focused on having Edey ready for the Oct. 21 regular-season opener against Utah. The third-year center played in only 11 games last season after recurring left ankle issues required two surgeries, but he averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 25.8 minutes when available. Isaiah Stewart and Quinten Post should get more minutes up front while Edey is out, but Edey still has plenty of rebounding and shot-blocking upside if his ankle holds up.

San Antonio Spurs forward Tobias Harris (calf) will miss the preseason after suffering a left calf strain in training camp, according to ESPN's Michael C. Wright. Harris will be reevaluated after San Antonio's five-game exhibition schedule and is questionable for the Oct. 20 opener against Oklahoma City. The 34-year-old averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists across 63 starts for Detroit last season before signing a two-year, $31 million deal with San Antonio. His absence gives Julian Champagnie a chance to strengthen his case for a starting role, while Harrison Barnes and Carter Bryant could also see more preseason minutes.

Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded nine points, four rebounds, and seven assists in 14 minutes of Saturday's 129-105 preseason win over Toronto. He shot 3-for-3 from the field and 3-for-4 at the line, with all seven assists setting up three-pointers, including four by Andrew Wiggins. Erik Spoelstra compared Antetokounmpo's passing to a "great big point guard" who played for Pat Riley in the 1980s. After averaging 5.4 assists across 36 games last season, Antetokounmpo could see that number climb in Miami's drive-and-kick attack.

Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton was held out of Saturday's scrimmage as part of a planned ramp-up and is not dealing with an injury, according to The Athletic's Josh Robbins. The 35-year-old returned to Washington in July on a three-year, $17.6 million deal via sign-and-trade from Dallas. Middleton averaged 10.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 22.8 minutes across 63 games last season. He enters camp behind Anthony Davis at power forward while Washington continues developing AJ Dybantsa, Bilal Coulibaly, and Kyshawn George, leaving Middleton with limited fantasy upside.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward RJ Barrett tied for the team lead with 15 points in Saturday's 129-105 preseason loss to the Miami Heat. He added three rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 17 minutes, shooting 3-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 from three, and 7-for-8 at the line. The free-throw showing was encouraging after Barrett shot 71.7 percent there last season. Kawhi Leonard sat out as part of his preseason ramp-up, but Barrett will face more competition for touches when Leonard joins Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley in Toronto's rotation.

Los Angeles Clippers center Isaiah Jackson has been working with the first unit in training camp and believes he could open the season as the starter, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. The 24-year-old said his right Achilles is fully healed and that he has a much better feel for Tyronn Lue's system. Jackson averaged 7.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 15.9 minutes across 17 games with Los Angeles last season while shooting 76.4 percent from the field. Brook Lopez remains in the mix for the starting job, but with Yanic Konan Niederhauser (foot) unavailable to begin the year, Jackson has a real chance to earn more minutes and provide useful blocks and field-goal percentage.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Al Horford will suit up for Sunday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers, likely playing 12-16 minutes in the first half, ESPN's Anthony Slater reports. The 40-year-old signed a new two-year, $14 million deal in the offseason after averaging 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.6 three-pointers in 21.5 minutes last campaign. Horford could be relied on to take on extra frontcourt minutes early in the upcoming season if Kristaps Porzingis (undisclosed) is unavailable.

Anthony Slater of ESPN.com reports that Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green will play in Sunday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers and will likely see only 12-16 minutes. During the offseason, Green agreed to a one-year, $27.7 million deal for the upcoming season. He averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists across 27.5 minutes per game in 68 contests last campaign. The 36-year-old could see a reduced role in 2026-27 but should remain a significant part of the Warriors' rotation.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is "100 percent committed" to the organization, fellow Cavs guard Sam Merrill stated, per Daniel Chavkin of The Sporting News. Mitchell agreed to a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension in the offseason. He averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last campaign, leading the Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals. The 30-year-old will remain Cleveland's go-to offensive weapon, making him a strong fantasy option this upcoming season.

According to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is expected to play only the first half of Sunday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers and will likely play just 12 to 16 minutes. Curry recently signed a two-year, $116 million contract extension in September. The star point guard averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.4 three-pointers in 30.9 minutes across 43 games last season as injuries limited his availability. Jimmy Butler III (knee) is expected to miss the start of the regular season, so Curry will likely carry a heavier workload early on.

Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (ankle) came through his first week of training camp in good shape, according to Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian. Memphis entered camp planning to have the 24-year-old ready for the regular season, but preseason action remains possible depending on his progress. Edey played just 11 games last season before undergoing a second left ankle surgery in March, averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 25.8 minutes. With Isaiah Stewart and Quinten Post also available up front, Memphis doesn't need to rush him. Any preseason minutes would be another encouraging sign ahead of the Oct. 21 opener.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant could come off the bench this season, according to team reporter Casey Holdahl, who noted that the Blazers' decision not to let him wear No. 12 went over without much fuss. Head coach Micah Nori told The Athletic that starting Morant alongside Damian Lillard doesn't make sense, and the two-time All-Star said on media day that starting or not is "the same thing" to him. Jrue Holiday would be the likeliest starter in that scenario. A bench role wouldn't necessarily sink Morant's fantasy value. He played only 28.5 minutes per game in Memphis last season, and leading the second unit would keep the ball in his hands away from Lillard. Efficiency is the bigger concern after he shot 41.0 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from three across 20 games in 2025-26.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome is making a strong case for the starting point guard job, according to Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. The 29-year-old has drawn plenty of praise throughout camp, with teammates highlighting his ability to create offense in difficult situations. Jerome was limited to 15 games last season by calf and ankle injuries but made the most of them, averaging 19.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 22.6 minutes while shooting 42.0 percent from three. Scotty Pippen Jr. remains firmly in the competition, but a starting role would give Jerome an intriguing fantasy opportunity if last year's per-minute production carries over.

The Memphis Grizzlies and guard/forward Jordan Hawkins have mutually agreed to part ways, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. Hawkins will become a free agent once he clears waivers, only three weeks after Memphis acquired him from New Orleans in a four-player trade. The 24-year-old averaged 5.1 points and 0.9 threes in 13.6 minutes across 51 games last season while shooting 36.6 percent from the field. There wasn't an obvious path to minutes in Memphis with Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer already in the backcourt mix. Hawkins did finish the season well, scoring at least 20 points in his final two April games. For fantasy, there's not much to do with him until he lands somewhere that can give him regular minutes.

Golden State Warriors rookie power forward Yaxel Lendeborg is expected to start the team's preseason opener on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Head coach Steve Kerr said Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Lendeborg, Draymond Green, and Al Horford will start in Hawaii. The 2026 11th overall pick is expected to have a large role this season as forward Jimmy Butler (knee) continues to recover from a torn ACL sustained late last season. In three seasons with Michigan, Lendeborg averaged 15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, helping the team win the 2026 National Championship. While it's unclear whether he will start the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, starting on Sunday is a positive sign for his fantasy value this season.

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe is preparing for a larger workload in 2026-27. With center Nic Claxton traded to the Chicago Bulls this offseason, Sharpe is expected to start this season and is ready for the challenge. "Even if it's double the minutes, I'll learn to pace myself during the game, take the right opportunities [to avoid] getting in foul trouble, and save myself for later in the game. But I'm just going to play hard until the wheels fall off. That's all I can do." In 67 games last season, Sharpe averaged 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in just 18 minutes per game. With a solid workload expected for the sixth-year center, Sharpe is an exciting late-round flyer in fantasy drafts this season.

Toronto Raptors small forward Kawhi Leonard has not yet participated in contact drills and is unlikely to play in Toronto's preseason opener Saturday against the Miami Heat. After head coach Drako Rajakovic said Thursday that Leonard could play in the team's opening preseason game in Quebec City, Leonard will likely sit out. Rajakovic also said the team has a load management plan in place for the veteran forward. "We gotta be super smart. We're not going to take any short-term plan. We're going to have the big picture in mind." The two-time NBA Champion was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Raptors this offseason, despite Leonard averaging career highs in points per game (27.9) and finishing seventh in the MVP race. As the 35-year-old begins his 15th season, fantasy managers should anticipate a reduced workload in 2026-27.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (back) is expected to play in the team's opening preseason game on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors. Adebayo dealt with a mild back issue late in the 2025-26 season, but practiced at full capacity on Thursday and is ready to suit up in Quebec City. In his ninth season, Adebayo averaged 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in just over 32 minutes per game. With star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo now in Miami, Adebayo is likely to see a reduced offensive role. While fantasy managers should have no concerns about Adebayo's health entering the season, his scoring and overall production could decline from his 2025-26 levels.