Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is expected to suit up for Friday's preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Fantasy managers don't need to worry as Booker isn't dealing with an injury. The Suns are just attempting to limit his reps ahead of the regular season. If he plays, it's uncertain if Booker will have a full workload during Friday's game. If he doesn't, Collin Gillespie and Jared Butler could see increased roles in the rotation. The Suns aren't going to push their starters too hard in the beginning of the preseason.

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (ankle) returned to practice as a full participant on Friday. This is good news after Giddey missed Thursday's practice with a minor foot injury. It sounds like he tweaked it earlier in the week, but is going to be fine moving forward. Fantasy managers should expect Giddey to be back at full strength. That's exactly what the Bulls need after giving Giddey $100 million over the next four years. Last season, Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 30.2 minutes per game across 70 contests. It was a solid first year in Chicago for Giddey and he'll look to continue having success this upcoming season.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (rest) won't suit up for both preseason contests this weekend. The Lakers have decided to hold out Doncic both Friday and Sunday for rest purposes, according to Khobi Price. Fantasy managers don't need to worry as this is only the Lakers managing his reps. Doncic played with Slovenia this past summer, so this is simply rest management. The expectation is that Gabe Vincent and Nick Smith could see increased roles with Doncic sidelined. The superstar guard figures to get into a few preseason games before the regular season begins.

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis had his 2026-2027 rookie team option picked up by the organization on Friday. This is his third-year option as he'll be under contract for next season at $5.7 million. This comes as no surprise that the Bulls are bringing back the 11th overall pick from the 2024 draft. Last season, Buzelis averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists across 18.9 minutes per game in 80 contests. It was a solid rookie campaign from Buzelis who saw limited playing time. The assumption is that Buzelis will become the starting power forward in Chicago soon. He could be someone worth thinking about late on draft day.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) will reportedly meet the team in Miami leading up to the exhibition with the Heat. The multi-time MVP averaged 27.3 points in seven games for Greece in FIBA 2025 EuroBasket. Unfortunately, he came down with a case of COVID-19, preventing his return to the United States. It's unknown if Antetokounmpo will suit up for the meeting with Miami, but assuming The Freak doesn't have any long-term issues from his recent bout with COVID, he will likely see preseason minutes at some point before the Bucks begin the 2025 campaign versus the Washington Wizards.

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (leg) is healthy and ready to play after suffering a fractured fibula during the New Year's Day meeting with the Orlando Magic. Admittedly, it wasn't an easy rehab process for the 23-year-old, but with the injury behind him, he's looking forward to the start of the season. "The journey has definitely been a grind to get back, to get healed, to get stronger," said Ivey in a recent interview with The Detroit Free Press. "I'm definitely thankful to be in this position right now, be able to be back healthy." Before going down, Ivey was having the best season of his career, averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 40.9% shooting from downtown (30 games). He logged 74 games or more in his first two years, so the season-ending injury was hopefully an isolated incident. The Pistons are now considered a playoff team, and Ivey could exceed expectations for fantasy managers throughout the 2025 campaign, as long as he stays healthy and takes better care of the ball. There may also be some rough patches until he gets in better shape.

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (hand) was inactive for the team's Thursday contest in Abu Dhabi against the 76ers. The starting forward sprained his hand yesterday during practice, but the injury is not seen as significant going forward. Pacome Dadiet started in his place, which may have been in an attempt to showcase Dadiet for a potential trade since the Knicks are facing a roster crunch due to the second apron. Anunoby is considered day-to-day at this point, but with Josh Hart (back) also leaving the game with an injury, the injury issues are starting to pile up for the Knicks, who will hope to have everyone healthy when the games start to actually count in just under three weeks.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow started at power forward for the Sixers on Thursday afternoon and continued his strong training camp with 10 rebounds, six points, two assists, and one steal. He made significant contributions defensively in the Sixers' 99-84 loss and could be playing his way into a larger role in the rotation, especially since he brings some of the size the team lacks overall. Coach Nick Nurse identified Barlow as a training camp standout after signing a two-way deal with the Sixers this offseason. He spent last year with the Hawks, playing 35 games and averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 10.7 minutes per contest in 35 games. Barlow is a bargain big man to watch this preseason to see how much of a role he can carve out for himself, and he could be a streaming or DFS value early in the year.

Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona stepped into the starting lineup for Thursday's exhibition opener in Abu Dhabi. True to form, Bona had a few highlight-reel plays but also struggled with foul trouble. He only ended up logging 14 minutes and contributing four points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block. Andre Drummond only played eight minutes off the bench and chipped in two points and three rebounds. Bona could have streaming or DFS value if (or when) Joel Embiid (knee) misses any time and he fills in the starting lineup, but he'll need to avoid foul trouble. Bona and Drummond will continue to compete for the backup center role, but Bona has more dynamic upside for fantasy if he can win the job.

Knicks guard Miles McBride played a team-high 21 minutes off the bench in the team's exhibition opener in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. He also led the way with 12 points while adding five rebounds, three steals, and two assists. He was very efficient, knocking down 5-of-7 shots overall and 2-of-4 from long range. Coming off a strong statistical season last year, McBride is a player who may be worth taking a late-round flier on in drafts, especially with a new-look rotation under coach Mike Brown. He can be a late-round source of steals and three-pointers, especially if he builds on this strong start to the preseason.

76ers guard VJ Edgecombe started and played 31 minutes in his team's exhibition against the Knicks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. He scored 14 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. He was an inefficient 4-for-13 from the floor and 1-for-6 on three-point attempts, but he played more minutes than any other Sixer and actually had a +1 point differential in his time on the floor. The No. 3 overall pick made multiple exciting plays on both ends of the floor and brings great energy to the Sixers' lineup. He started alongside Maxey in the backcourt and even slid over and took some minutes at point guard, which could boost his value if it's a trend that continues. While there's still room for improvement, it was a great showing for Edgecombe in his exhibition debut.

New York Knicks forward Josh Hart (back) was forced to leave his team's exhibition game in Abu Dhabi with what head coach Mike Brown said was "lower-back soreness." Hart fell to the ground after grabbing a rebound and trying to lead a transition break. He clutched at his lower back and threw the ball into the stands in frustration while trying to keep the ball away from the 76ers' Kennedy Chandler. For throwing the ball into the stands, Hart was ejected from the game, although he was probably going to have to leave the game due to injury. He limped to the locker room, holding his back and wincing after the non-contact injury. Hart was already dealing with a finger injury he re-aggravated in training camp, but is planning to play through. Hart's availability will be important to monitor since OG Anunoby (hand) was also inactive Thursday because of a sprained hand, according to the team.

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (calf) did some shooting and bike riding during Wednesday's practice, Will Gottlieb of CHGO Sports reports. White arrived at training camp with a calf strain, and the Bulls are exercising "an overabundance of caution" to prevent the issue from becoming a lingering problem. With three weeks to go until opening night, White has a good amount of time to recover. We probably won't see much of him during the preseason, though. 2025-26 could be a big year for White, who averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists after the All-Star break last season, coinciding with Zach LaVine's move to Sacramento.

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (ankle) left Wednesday's practice early, Will Gottlieb of CHGO Sports reports. Williams tweaked his left ankle during the session. After practice, he was seen riding a stationary bike. Initial signs suggest he avoided a bad injury. "I don't think it's too serious," Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said about Williams' issue. Injuries have limited Williams to just 106 games over the past two campaigns. He had a tough year last season, shooting under 40 percent from the field and averaging 9.0 points with 3.8 rebounds per game. The 24-year-old still has time to improve, but he needs to stay healthy to elevate his game and become a more attractive option in fantasy basketball.

Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams will not play in Friday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports. Williams hasn't yet participated in any five-one-five work during training camp. "He does everything in practice that we ask except live five-on-five at this point," Suns head coach Jordan Ott said Wednesday. "We have a plan for him. We know what his previous three years were (in Charlotte). So we have a plan for him going forward." Williams has faced health issues throughout his three-year NBA career, playing in only 106 games. It appears the Suns plan to be especially cautious with him, and rushing him into preseason action would not be wise. When healthy, Williams can be a significant contributor in fantasy basketball, having averaged a double-double last season with 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 26.6 minutes.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (knee) participated fully in Wednesday's practice, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports. Vincent arrived at training camp with a knee problem but was able to shake it off quickly. Vincent will continue to serve as a backup in Los Angeles this season and may see reduced playing time following the addition of Marcus Smart (Achilles). However, the 29-year-old has an opportunity to boost his stock during the preseason, as Smart deals with an Achilles issue and is ruled out for at least a week. During the previous campaign, Vincent logged 21.1 minutes per game, putting up 6.4 points.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (glute) did individual on-court work during Wednesday's practice, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports. The veteran superstar is dealing with nerve irritation in his glute at the start of training camp and may see limited action during the preseason. However, the Lakers appear confident that they can get James healthy for opening night on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors, so fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing he's on track to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 campaign. James is set to begin Year 23 in the National Basketball Association, an all-time record.

Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports that Los Angeles Clippers guardBogdan Bogdanovic(hamstring)has been a limited participant in practice and could be available to suit up before the preseason ends. The 33-year-old, representing Serbia, sustained a partially ruptured hamstring injury during EuroBasket 2025 against Portugal in August. Further evaluation revealed that Bogdanovic had suffered a ruptured hamstring muscle. If Bogdanovic is unable to make an appearance in the Clippers' regular-season home opener against the Jazz on October 22nd, players like Chris Paul and Kris Dunn will see extra minutes on the floor.

According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Miami Heat point guardTerry Rozier (hamstring) sustained a left hamstring strain on Tuesday, which kept him out of practice on Wednesday. Despite the setback, Rozier believes he will return to action next week. The 31-year-old veteran averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 25.9 minutes per contest across 64 outings last season. The minor injury will likely keep him out of the Heat's first preseason game against the Magic on Saturday.

According to Kevin Gray Jr. of AllDLLS.com, Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd said guard Brandon Williams suffered a hamstring strain and will be out for one week. Williams will be out of action for the Mavs' first preseason game, but he will likely be available soon after. The 25-year-old played in 33 regular-season contests last campaign, posting averages of 8.3 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds during 14.8 minutes per game. Williams may give Dallas a lift off the bench, though his fantasy impact should remain limited.