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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell could be in line for a larger role after general manager Sam Presti mentioned him and guard Jared McCain as players capable of making a jump this season. Mitchell averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in 25.8 minutes across 57 games last year, while producing 18.9 points and 5.0 assists per 36 minutes. Luguentz Dort's offseason departure should create additional backcourt opportunities, though Mitchell will still share minutes with Cason Wallace and other guards. Staying healthy will be key, but his scoring and playmaking make him worth monitoring if his workload grows.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain drew praise from general manager Sam Presti ahead of training camp. "There's a lot more to him as a player than someone who can come in and rip off a bunch of 3s. He's a winning player," Presti said, according to Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com. McCain averaged 10.4 points and 1.8 threes on 39.1 percent shooting from deep in 18.0 minutes across 30 games with Oklahoma City last season. The departures of Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins should create more perimeter opportunities, though McCain will still compete with Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell for minutes. His shooting makes him worth monitoring if his role expands.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander asked Team Canada head coach Gordie Herbert to use him more off the ball this summer, according to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor. The two-time MVP worked more as a cutter and spot-up threat during World Cup qualifying, though Oklahoma City has not announced any role change. A healthier Jalen Williams could ease some of Gilgeous-Alexander's creation burden, with Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain also capable of handling possessions. Even with a modest dip in on-ball usage, Gilgeous-Alexander should remain an elite fantasy option after averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals on 55.3 percent shooting last season.

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. remains under NBA scrutiny over the four-year, $64 million contract he signed this offseason, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The league has hired law firm Hecker Fink to investigate whether Trent's previous team-friendly deals were connected to a future payday once Milwaukee gained his Early Bird rights. The Bucks and Klutch Sports are cooperating, and no wrongdoing has been established. Trent averaged 8.1 points and 1.9 threes in 21.2 minutes last season. With Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Caris LeVert, and AJ Green in a crowded perimeter rotation, Trent's fantasy value should remain tied mostly to three-point shooting.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) will be "100% full go" when training camp opens Tuesday, general manager Chad Buchanan said Thursday. Haliburton missed all of last season after tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. He averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in his last healthy campaign and now gets Ivica Zubac as a new pick-and-roll partner. Indiana could still scale back Haliburton's workload at times as the season progresses, but the full clearance is an encouraging sign for his fantasy outlook. Andrew Nembhard's playmaking volume should come down with Haliburton back running the offense.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said Thursday during a live taping of The Roommates Show that he is "fully cleared" after undergoing left wrist surgery in July. The reigning Finals MVP played through the injury during New York's championship run before having the procedure. Brunson averaged 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds across 74 regular-season games last season. With no restrictions expected when training camp opens, his fantasy outlook remains intact entering 2026-27. The update also reduces the chances of Miles McBride or Jose Alvarado seeing an early bump in ball-handling duties.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl is moving well and looks good ahead of training camp, general manager Bobby Webster said Thursday, according to the Toronto Sun's Ryan Wolstat. Webster added that spending time at home helped the 30-year-old reset after injuries limited him to 46 games last season. Poeltl averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 25.0 minutes per game. A healthy camp should keep him firmly in the center rotation, though Collin Murray-Boyles made a strong case for more frontcourt minutes during the playoffs. Poeltl's rebounding and efficient interior scoring should remain useful for fantasy managers if his back holds up.

Washington Wizards forward/center Anthony Davis is entering the season without a contract extension, but general manager Will Dawkins expressed confidence in his mindset Thursday. "AD's in a great frame of mind. He's focused and ready to start the season," Dawkins said. Alex Schiffer reports that the sides tabled extension talks over the summer and plan to revisit them during the regular season. Davis never suited up for Washington after February's trade, as ligament damage in his left hand ended a 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 steals across 20 games with Dallas. The production remains strong when healthy, but durability remains the biggest concern for fantasy managers.

The New Orleans Pelicans are signing forward/center Julian Reese to a two-way contract, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The 23-year-old went undrafted out of Maryland in 2025 before eventually earning a two-way deal with Washington, where he averaged 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals on 52.9 percent shooting across 13 games. Reese reunites with former Maryland teammate Derik Queen, but New Orleans already has Queen, Yves Missi, and several other options in a crowded frontcourt. His two-way deal should leave him splitting time between the NBA and G-League, limiting his fantasy appeal unless injuries open up a larger role.

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (ankle) remains in the recovery process after undergoing season-ending surgery in January. "There's a lot of bones down there mate, it's pretty complicated," Adams said at media day, according to the Houston Chronicle's Varun Shankar. The 33-year-old played only 32 games last season but remained a strong presence on the glass, averaging 8.6 rebounds, including 4.5 offensive boards, in 22.8 minutes. His availability will be worth monitoring throughout camp and the preseason. If Adams needs more time, Clint Capela could handle additional backup-center minutes behind Alperen Sengun. Adams remains mainly a rebounding specialist for fantasy purposes.

Houston Rockets center Clint Capela said he focused on mobility this offseason and dropped his body fat by four percent, according to Ben DuBose of USA Today's Rockets Wire. "It feels great to have abs looking good," the 32-year-old joked at media day. Capela averaged 3.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 12.3 minutes across 75 games last season, with 2.1 offensive rebounds per game. Steven Adams (ankle) remains without a firm return timetable after January surgery, which could create extra backup-center minutes for Capela behind Alperen Sengun. His fantasy appeal remains limited, but he could provide rebounds and blocks if Adams misses time.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Anfernee Simons is expected to come off the bench and is unlikely to start or close games unless injuries hit the ball-handlers ahead of him, according to PhillyVoice's Adam Aaronson. The 27-year-old should spend more time working off the ball alongside Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, and LeBron James after averaging 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists across 55 games last season. Simons owns a career 38.1 percent mark from three, giving Philadelphia needed shooting after finishing in the bottom third in both three-point volume and accuracy. Points and threes should drive his fantasy value, with added usage possible whenever the Sixers are short-handed.

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant isn't eager to see his workload reduced this season after the team discussed cutting back his minutes. "The team is better when I'm on the court," Durant said at Tuesday's media day, adding that he wants to remain available when games require it. The 37-year-old logged 2,840 minutes last season, second most in the NBA, while averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 78 games. Durant did acknowledge that Houston taking care of games early could lead to more rest. A modest reduction shouldn't significantly hurt his fantasy appeal, while Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. could pick up some additional frontcourt minutes.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham enters 2026-27 looking to build on a season that saw him finish fifth in MVP voting. The former No. 1 pick averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks across 64 games while leading Detroit to a 60-22 record. His 13-point, 5-for-16 showing in the Game 7 loss to Cleveland showed there is still room for growth as a scorer. Detroit added much-needed shooting in Isaiah Joe and John Collins, which should give Cunningham more space to operate and keep him among fantasy basketball's top playmakers.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs could benefit from spending more time off the ball under new head coach Sean Sweeney, according to Orlando Magic Daily. Suggs hit 39.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes on 3.8 attempts per game last season but finished at 33.9 percent overall from deep on a team-high 6.3 attempts. His efficiency also dipped when injuries forced him into a larger scoring role. Suggs averaged 17.8 points but shot just 28.9 percent from three between Paolo Banchero's groin injury and his own hip issue. Playing more off Banchero and Franz Wagner could help clean up his shot selection, while Anthony Black could take on some additional creation duties.

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis may need to rebuild his trade value with a strong start to the season, according to ABC10's Matt George, who noted that general manager Scott Perry has been reluctant to attach draft picks to move veteran contracts. Sabonis appeared in only 19 games last season before undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, averaging 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. The three-time All-Star is expected to be ready for training camp and should reclaim a sizable role if healthy. His return could cut into the opportunities of Maxime Raynaud, who averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds while making 56 starts as a rookie.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Brandon Ingram (heel) enters training camp with some uncertainty after ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today that there has been no update on his recovery from offseason surgery. Toronto announced in May that Ingram had a spur removed from his right heel and was expected to be ready for camp. The two-time All-Star joined Los Angeles in the Kawhi Leonard trade after averaging 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 77 games last season. More clarity should come at Monday's media day. If Ingram needs extra time to ramp up, Rui Hachimura and Max Strus could see more wing minutes, while Darius Garland may take on more of the offensive creation.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is unlikely to agree to an extension before training camp, according to ESPN's Shams Charania and Vincent Goodwill. The 30-year-old is eligible for a four-year deal worth up to roughly $273 million, while Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports that the Knicks are seeking a discount from the max. Towns averaged 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists across 75 games last season and enters the final guaranteed year of his current deal, with a player option for 2027-28. The contract situation should not affect his role, leaving Towns in position for another high-volume fantasy season.

Miami Heat guard/forward Klay Thompson is the clear front-runner to open the season at shooting guard, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, though Erik Spoelstra is expected to hold a preseason competition. The 36-year-old made 202 threes at a 38.3 percent clip on 7.6 attempts per game with Dallas last season despite averaging just 11.7 points. His shooting gives Miami needed spacing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, but his fantasy appeal remains fairly narrow at this stage of his career. If Thompson wins the job, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson would likely come off the bench, while Thompson would mainly help fantasy managers in the three-point category with limited contributions elsewhere.

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (knee) will not play in back-to-backs initially this season, head coach Ime Udoka said Tuesday. The good news is that VanVleet "looks good" and is taking part in full-contact, five-on-five work as he returns from the torn ACL that cost him all of 2025-26. The 32-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 37.8 percent shooting in his last healthy season. Reed Sheppard should have more opportunities to handle the offense whenever VanVleet rests, while Marcus Smart gives Houston another veteran option in the backcourt.