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.

According to Kevin Gray Jr. of AllDLLS.com, Dallas Mavericks centerDaniel Gaffordsuffered an ankle sprain during practice on Tuesday and will be sidelined 2-3 weeks. An unfortunate setback for the 27-year-old, who had agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the team during the offseason. Gafford had a solid 2024-25 campaign, averaging a career-high 12.3 points with 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. However, he appeared in only 57 games due to injury. If Gafford can return during the current recovery timeline, he is expected to be back in action for the Mavs' regular-season opener against the Spurs on October 22nd. Once Gafford is healthy, his skills on the glass, along with his shot-blocking ability, give him added value for fantasy managers.

Indiana Pacers center James Wiseman (Achilles) has been recovering well during his rehab from an Achilles injury last season and should be in the mix for the starting center role for the Pacers. Wiseman tore his Achilles in just four minutes of action in the first game of the season last year. The Pacers traded him to the Raptors to open up a roster spot in February. After Toronto waived him in February he put in enough work in his rehab to impress the Pacers, who signed him in July. Indiana will have big shoes to fill at the center position with Myles Turner leaving in free agency. Wiseman will be in a four-man competition for the role. Fantasy managers will want to take caution with the 24-year-old but, if he lands the starting role, he could be an intriguing late round pick.

Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) has not yet been cleared for contact and likely won't be ready for the season opener, according to head coach Ime Udoka. The 32-year-old had a procedure done on his ankle in June to take care of a lingering issue. As of now his return date is unknown. Finney-Smith signed a four year $53 million contract with Houston in the offseason and should be able to provide a decent three-and-D presence for the Rockets when healthy. But with his timetable to return not being clear, fantasy managers should steer clear of Finney-Smith in their upcoming drafts.

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason may not play in back-to-backs early in the season, according to head coach Ime Udoka. Eason dealt with a leg issue last season that kept him out of 13 games during December and January. His left leg underwent surgery in early 2024 for a stress reaction, so between that and his issues last season the Rockets will want to approach him with caution. The plan for back-to-backs won't be much new for the 24-year-old as Houston used this same plan last season after his leg injury. When active Eason can be an effective player as he averaged 12.0 PPG and 6.4 RPG last year, mostly off the bench. He has publicly stated he's motivated for a more elevated role this season. Fantasy managers looking for a deep sleeper pick may want to target the 24-year-old in the late rounds of their draft.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, forward Nikola Jovic agreed to a four-year, $62.4 million contract extension with the Miami Heat. The 22-year-old was selected in the first round (No. 27 overall) by the Heat in the 2022 NBA Draft. He had a few rough seasons to begin his tenure in the National Basketball Association. However, he played much better last season, averaging a career-high 10.7 points with 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 37.1% from deep. Unfortunately, he was limited to only 46 games, mostly due to a broken right hand, and missed the remainder of the season. Jovic was cleared for action and returned to the court during FIBA EuroBasket 2025, where he averaged 12.8 points for Serbia. With Jimmy Butler III now in Golden State, Jovic has an excellent chance to carve out a meaningful role in Erik Spoelstra's rotation in 2025. He may even get some run in the starting lineup, especially with Tyler Herro (foot) out a few months. All things considered, even with the opportunity for an expanded role, Jovic may have trouble being a consistent producer, although he is certainly worth adding late in fantasy drafts.

According to Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle, ESPN's Anthony Slater reports that Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said he doesn't expect guardDe'Anthony Melton (knee) to be ready for the beginning of the regular season, "but it's not going to be a lengthy absence." Melton tore his ACL last campaign and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. With the 27-year-old likely out of action until November, the Warriors' backcourt will likely rely on 32-year-old veteran Buddy Hield to take on a larger role at the start of the upcoming season.

According to Mike Trudell of Spectrum Sports, Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber (quadriceps) tweaked a quadriceps muscle during the team's second day of training camp on Wednesday. Kleber became a Laker in the blockbuster deal that shipped Luka Doncic from Dallas to L.A. However, the 33-year-old played in just one game for the Lakers, which was Game 5 of the first-round playoff series against the Timberwolves. It's unclear if Kleber will miss a significant amount of time due to the injury. Regardless, he will not make much of an impact in fantasy once he is ready to return.

Shams Charania of ESPN reports that free agent guard Quentin Grimes is signing a one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to return to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Initial negotiations between Grimes and the 76ers appeared to be off track during the offseason. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old will now head into the upcoming season with a new contract that includes a no-trade clause. Now that he is on board, it is unclear if he will suit up for any preseason games. Grimes started the last campaign with the Mavs and was traded to the 76ers back in February. In Philadelphia, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest while shooting 37.3 percent from three-point range across 28 appearances.

Utah Jazz forward/center Kyle Filipowski (back) wasn't available for practice on Tuesday. According to the team, Filipowski is dealing with a lower back injury. Once he's healthy again, Filipowski will start getting ready for his sophomore campaign in the Association. His rookie year went well, as the Duke product averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 21.1 minutes. Filipowski followed it up with impressive play in the Las Vegas Summer League, earning him the tournament's MVP award. The 21-year-old can make a significant impact in fantasy basketball, but he must get healthy and secure a starting spot.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (wrist) sat out Tuesday's practice. The team announced that the Finnish star is dealing with a left wrist contusion. It remains to be seen whether this injury will affect Markkanen's availability for the preseason. Utah's first game is scheduled for next Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. Injuries have held back Markkanen over the last few seasons, and it would be unfortunate to see him miss time again early in the year. Especially after Markkanen showcased his full potential during the recent EuroBasket tournament, where he averaged 23.1 points and 8.1 rebounds in 28.9 minutes.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (Achilles) didn't practice on Tuesday and is expected to be out until next week, Mike Trudell of Spectrum Sportsnet reports. Smart is dealing with left Achilles tendinopathy. This is unfortunate for Smart, considering he has joined a new team and would benefit from having as much time as possible to work with his new teammates. The defensive specialist has fought health issues for several years, making only 34 appearances in the 2024-25 season. When healthy, Smart can contribute to fantasy teams in many ways, but it seems a change of scenery hasn't helped him leave injuries behind.

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Jeremy Sochan (calf) will participate in training camp, Jeff Garcia of KENS 5 San Antonio reports. Sochan was forced to skip the EuroBasket 2025 tournament due to a calf injury, but he has fully recovered in time for training camp. During the last NBA season, Sochan also battled injuries, missing 28 contests. He made 23 starts over the course of the campaign, averaging 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. With Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk in town, Sochan faces more competition in the Spurs frontcourt, which could impact his fantasy value.

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams will likely have his workload managed early in the season, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports. Adams has had knee issues, missing an entire campaign in 2023-24. Currently, he feels "confident" with it, but Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said the team might still be cautious with Adams on back-to-backs to start the season. Adams made 58 appearances last term, averaging 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 13.7 minutes. His playing time increased significantly late in the season, and the New Zealand big man posted 5.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in 22.1 minutes during the playoffs. Adams could emerge as a viable fantasy option if he starts regularly seeing 20-plus minutes a night

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Kevin Porter Jr. is poised to join the starting lineup this season, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports. The Bucks no longer have Damian Lillard on their squad, opening up the starting point guard role. Porter Jr. has prior experience as a regular starter from his time with the Houston Rockets. He faced some consistency issues but generally performed well. Over his career, Porter Jr. has averaged 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in a starting role. His move to the first unit will boost Porter Jr.'s fantasy value in 2025-26.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, forwardJonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million contract to return to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, ending a long summer of negotiations. The new contract also includes a second-year team option. Kuminga suited up for just 47 regular-season games in 2024-25 due to spraining his right ankle in January. When he was healthy, the 22-year-old averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists across 24.3 minutes per contest. He will likely begin the season coming off the bench and could definitely see some action as a starter as the campaign progresses.

Cody Taylor of USA Today reports that Orlando Magic guardJalen Suggs(knee) was able to participate in all non-contact drills during Tuesday's practice. Suggs last played on January 25 and underwent surgery in early March to address a torn ligament in his left knee.The 24-year-old appears to be heading in the right direction and could potentially be available for the Magic's first regular-season contest on October 22 versus the Heat. Before his season abruptly ended, Suggs averaged 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game across 35 contests in 2024-25.