Chicago Bulls guard/forward Josh Giddey believes the roster has enough talent to reach the playoffs, but he told DJ Siddiqi of ClutchPoints that consistency will decide whether Chicago climbs the Eastern Conference. "I think it's a matter of doing it every night," Giddey said. The 23-year-old is coming off a career-best season, averaging 17.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.3 rebounds in 32.1 minutes across 54 games. He also underwent right ankle surgery in May but has since been cleared for 5-on-5 work with no restrictions. Norman Powell gives Chicago another scorer, while Nicolas Claxton and No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson should give Giddey more finishing targets. The missed games still matter, but his assists, rebounds, and role under Tiago Splitter keep the fantasy ceiling high.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has impressed new head coach Dusty May during summer workouts as he works back from the torn ACL that cost him all of last season. May told 105.3 The Fan's K&C Masterpiece that he has watched Irving work out and play pickup, adding that he has been "blown away" by Irving's preparation, attention to detail, and feel. The nine-time All-Star last played in 2024-25, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 50 games. His return should lift a Dallas offense that ranked 27th last season and take creation pressure off reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg. The ceiling is still high, but managers need to account for the long layoff.

Free-agent forward/center Kelly Olynyk could return to the San Antonio Spurs as they weigh their 15th roster spot, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Olynyk has spent time in San Antonio and worked out with former Spurs teammates this offseason, but tax concerns could push any deal into the season. The Spurs sit about $2.15 million below the luxury-tax line, while a veteran-minimum deal would carry a cap hit around $2.45 million. The 35-year-old played a limited role with San Antonio last season, averaging 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 8.6 minutes. Even if he signs, Victor Wembanyama, Luke Kornet, Tarris Reed Jr., and Jayden Quaintance (knee) leave Olynyk off fantasy radars.

Free-agent forward/center Kevin Love is open to returning to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the interest is mutual, according to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski. Love spent his first six NBA seasons in Minnesota before being traded to Cleveland in 2014, so this would be more of a full-circle depth move than a fantasy-relevant signing. The veteran turns 38 this month and averaged 6.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in 37 games with Utah last season. Minnesota has room for another veteran voice after signing Jonathan Kuminga, but Rudy Gobert, Joan Beringer, and Trey Lyles already cover the frontcourt depth chart. Love would bring shooting, rebounding, and locker-room value, not a role worth chasing in fantasy.

Washington Wizards guard/forward Kyshawn George was seen working on his outside jumper in offseason workout footage that surfaced this week. The 22-year-old already made a real jump from deep last season, raising his three-point percentage from 32.2 percent as a rookie to 38.1 percent while averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.1 threes in 48 games. George missed the end of the season with a Grade 2 distal UCL tear in his left elbow, but he has since been cleared and played for Canada in World Cup qualifying. Washington's perimeter group is deeper with AJ Dybantsa, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tre Johnson competing for reps, so George's shooting will be key to protecting his minutes and fantasy value.

The Charlotte Hornets signed guard/forward Kobe Stewart to an Exhibit 10 contract, filling the roster spot created by Jarkel Joiner's waiver. Stewart went undrafted out of Presbyterian in 2025 and spent his first professional season bouncing between the Austin Spurs, Memphis Hustle, and Wisconsin Herd. The 24-year-old averaged 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 20.0 minutes across 46 G-League games, shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three. He also played for Milwaukee in Summer League, averaging 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds over six games. Charlotte is expected to waive Stewart before the season and steer him toward Greensboro, leaving him off fantasy radars unless his jumper makes a real leap.

Free-agent guard/forward John Konchar is among the players the New York Knicks are considering as they look at options for their final roster spots, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Konchar became available after Minnesota waived him shortly after acquiring him from Utah in the Josh Green trade. Begley described Konchar as a strong rebounder, defender, and offensive connector who can make perimeter shots. The 30-year-old averaged 4.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 19.9 minutes across 56 games with Memphis and Utah last season. New York already has Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson in its bench mix, so Konchar would need a clear rotation opening to gain fantasy traction.

Free-agent guard/forward Ben Simmons agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents told ESPN's Shams Charania and Marc J. Spears. The 2018 Rookie of the Year is back after sitting out all of 2025-26 and last played in 2024-25, when he averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.7 steals in 22.0 minutes across 51 games with Brooklyn and the Clippers. Sacramento had been looking for veteran ball-handling depth behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., with general manager Scott Perry attending a Florida workout before the deal came together. Simmons still does not offer shooting, so his fantasy case depends on assists, steals, rebounds, and whether he can hold a real second-unit role. Malik Monk is worth tracking if Simmons cuts into backup playmaking reps.

Free-agent center Drew Eubanks is on the New York Knicks' radar as they weigh options for a final roster spot, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Eubanks spent last season with Sacramento, averaging 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 13.1 minutes across 42 games before a torn UCL in his left thumb ended his year in March. Any Knicks deal would likely be non-guaranteed, with Eubanks competing for the third-center job behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. New York is expected to open with 14 standard contracts due to second-apron concerns, so this would be deep frontcourt insurance rather than a fantasy-relevant move.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) remains a daily presence around the team as he works through rehab from the injury he suffered in the first round of the playoffs, general manager Matt Lloyd told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Lloyd declined to give the 29-year-old a return timeline but praised his commitment to rehab and his continued impact inside the locker room. DiVincenzo started all 82 games last season, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 threes. He is extension-eligible, but his fantasy case is simpler: managers need a clean return date before treating him as more than a late-season stash.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Cody Williams drew praise from general manager Matt Lloyd after arriving from Utah in last weekend's trade. Lloyd told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News that Williams' late-season growth helped drive Minnesota's interest, adding, "There was a reason he was the 10th pick in the draft." The 21-year-old averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists over his final 30 games last season, though his season-long 21.4 percent shooting from three remains the swing concern. Minnesota wants to evaluate him as a versatile wing defender in camp, though Jonathan Kuminga, Jaden McDaniels, and Terrence Shannon Jr. leave Williams fighting for reserve minutes rather than a fantasy-ready role.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball has spent much of the summer around his new team, general manager Matt Lloyd told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Lloyd said Minnesota did extensive background work before acquiring the former Rookie of the Year from Charlotte and called him "a hard worker" and "an incredibly focused worker." Ball averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 3.8 threes across 72 games last season, his healthiest campaign in years. With Julius Randle and Naz Reid gone, Ball should have a major creation role next to Anthony Edwards. The availability risk remains, but the usage, assists, and three-point volume point to strong fantasy value.

The Orlando Magic officially signed guard/forward Malaki Branham to an Exhibit 10 contract, one of two camp deals completed alongside JD Davison. Branham, a former Ohio State guard, finished last season with the G-League's Cleveland Charge after Charlotte waived him in February. Orlando has 13 guaranteed contracts plus Jamal Cain's non-guaranteed deal, leaving Branham and Davison to compete for a possible final standard roster spot under new head coach Sean Sweeney. The two-way path is already closed, with Izaiyah Nelson, Alex Morales, and Colin Castleton occupying those slots. Branham has a scoring pedigree, but Orlando's guard depth leaves him buried unless the roster picture changes.

The Orlando Magic signed guard JD Davison to an Exhibit 10 contract, one of two camp deals the team completed alongside Malaki Branham, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. Davison, the 2024-25 G-League MVP, was waived by Houston in August after the Rockets had converted him to a standard contract in April. His path into Sean Sweeney's rotation is close to blocked. Orlando has all three two-way spots filled by Izaiyah Nelson, Alex Morales, and Colin Castleton, while Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, Jevon Carter, and Jase Richardson crowd the guard rotation. Davison is likely competing for an Osceola role, not fantasy relevance.

Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale extension with the franchise, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a 10 percent trade kicker and locks in one of Houston's core pieces after Thompson led the NBA in minutes last season. The 23-year-old logged 37.4 minutes per game across 79 starts while averaging career highs of 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. That workload remains the fantasy hook. Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun will command touches, but Thompson's rebounding, defensive production, and ball-handling role keep him firmly valuable. The jumper is still the swing skill, so his ceiling rises only if the shooting catches up.

Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Dean Wade said his focus this season will be on playing hard, bringing energy, and making a difference defensively, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Wade joined Philadelphia on a four-year, $39 million deal after spending his first seven NBA seasons in Cleveland, where he averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.3 minutes across 59 games last season. With LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid ahead of him in the frontcourt pecking order, Wade is ticketed for a low-usage connector role. His fantasy appeal is limited to threes, rebounds, and defensive production unless injuries open extra minutes.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Anthony Slater report that the Sacramento Kings are not interested in extending forward/center Domantas Sabonis, leaving him positioned as a prime trade candidate. Sabonis has two fully guaranteed years and $94 million left on his deal, including $45.4 million this season and $48.6 million next season, which makes finding a trade partner the hard part. The three-time All-Star played only 19 games last season before left meniscus surgery, averaging 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Drafting Domantas Sabonis means buying elite rebounding with health and trade noise attached. Maxime Raynaud would be the main fantasy name to watch if Sacramento moves him, though Dylan Cardwell also remains in the backup-center mix.

ESPN's Anthony Slater reports that Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry met with Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren in early July and explored a sign-and-trade concept involving Domantas Sabonis. Detroit balked at losing Duren for Sabonis, leaving the Kings with no clean path unless Duren accepts his $9.6 million qualifying offer and reaches unrestricted free agency in 2027. The 22-year-old is coming off an All-Star, Third-Team All-NBA season, averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 65.0 percent shooting across 70 starts. His 2026-27 fantasy outlook stays tied to Detroit for now, where he projects as the starting center if he re-signs or plays on the qualifying offer. Sacramento's interest says more about Domantas Sabonis' uncertain future than Duren's immediate fantasy outlook.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the NBA has concluded its salary-cap circumvention investigation involving Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, clearing the way for the trade sending forward Brandon Ingram to Los Angeles to be finalized in the coming days. Ingram had heel spur surgery in early May and was projected to be ready for training camp, so his health remains the only short-term box to check. The two-time All-Star led Toronto with 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 33.8 minutes across 77 starts last season. In Los Angeles, he should step into heavy scoring usage next to Darius Garland, with Rui Hachimura and Derrick Jones Jr. also in the forward mix. If the deal is finalized, Ingram's shot volume should remain strong.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the trade sending guard/forward Gradey Dick to the Los Angeles Clippers is expected to be finalized in the coming days after the NBA concluded its salary-cap circumvention investigation involving Kawhi Leonard. Dick is coming off a rough third season, averaging 6.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 14.0 minutes across 76 games with Toronto. Los Angeles is not an obvious fantasy fix, with Bradley Beal, Max Strus, Kris Dunn, and lottery pick Keaton Wagler all part of a crowded guard-wing group. Dick can shoot his way into a role, but he is only a watch-list name until the depth chart settles.