NBA Player News

Nembhard will look to establish himself in Atlanta's backcourt after joining an organization with plenty of competition for guard minutes.

Nembhard's passing and ability to organize an offense are his strongest avenues toward earning playing time, though he's unlikely to begin the season with a significant role. Nembhard's fantasy appeal will consequently be limited unless injuries or roster movement create a larger opportunity.

Ejiofor enters his rookie campaign after the Hawks selected him 23rd overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-9 forward flashed his two-way potential during Summer League, including a performance in which he recorded 13 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Atlanta's veteran depth could prevent Ejiofor from immediately seeing heavy minutes, but his rebounding and defensive ability give him a path toward becoming a useful rotation piece.

Flemings enters his rookie season after Atlanta selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh praised Flemings' competitiveness on both ends of the floor following the draft, and the young guard should have an opportunity to earn minutes despite Atlanta's considerable perimeter depth. Flemings' immediate fantasy value will depend on how quickly he can carve out a role, but his draft capital makes him one of the organization's most important developmental pieces.

Dybantsa (rest) will be competing for a starting role during training camp this fall.

After Dybantsa went first overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, there's a good chance the Wizards will want to showcase him in the first unit immediately. That said, Bilal Coulibaly was a full-time starter a year ago, and Washington also has incumbent veteran Khris Middleton on the roster. Regardless, Dybantsa finds himself in a rather favorable situation playing alongside veteran stars Trae Young (quad) and Anthony Davis (finger).

Riley has more competition for playing time with the Wizards in 2026-27.

Riley will suit up for a new-look Washington squad this year, one that doesn't closely resemble the 2025-26 late-season bunch nearly at all. All of Trae Young (quad), Anthony Davis (finger), AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr (foot) weren't part of the team's lineup to close last season but are set to make up the starting five for 2026-27, likely leaving Riley to contend with Khris Middleton and Bilal Coulibaly for minutes in the second unit.

Johnson (rest) is likely to revert to a bench role to open 2026-27 after finishing last season as a starter.

The Wizards are set to send out a new starting lineup this year, now headlined by veteran stars Trae Young (quad) and Anthony Davis (finger) as well as rookie No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, and they're also set to get Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr (foot) back in the fold. Washington does have a rather thin backcourt behind Young and George, however, so both Johnson and Bub Carrington should remain involved to a significant extent off the bench in 2026-27.

Vukcevic (knee) is unlikely to have a significant role to begin the 2026-27 season.

The Wizards didn't have Anthony Davis (finger) or Alex Sarr (foot) available late last year, allowing Vukcevic to make a career-high 12 starts. This time around, however, Washington boasts a revamped frontcourt that is not only set to feature Davis and Sarr, but it also includes Deandre Ayton as a new face down low. As a result, Vukcevic is likely to be hard-pressed to squeeze into the Opening Night rotation.

Peterson (rest) is set to compete for a starting role during training camp in the fall.

The rookie No. 2 overall pick has Ace Bailey to overcome for the top spot at shooting guard with the Jazz. Whether he starts or comes off the bench right off the bat, Peterson is certainly primed for a significant role for Utah in 2026-27. Over five Summer League appearances, the 19-year-old stood out with averages of 23.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

Bailey's (back) role is undetermined heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

The addition of No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson may leave Bailey without a spot in Utah's starting lineup to begin the new year. The Jazz are also getting Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen back in the lineup after the two stars sat out the final stretch of a losing season in 2025-26. Bailey began to blossom late last year, averaging 18.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in 23 regular-season appearances (all starts) after the All-Star break, so he should have a chance to battle with Peterson for an Opening Night starting position.

Filipowski (back) is likely to settle for a bench role to begin 2026-27 after ending last season as a starter.

Filipowski filled the void left behind by Jusuf Nurkic, who underwent season-ending nose surgery in February, but the Jazz are expected to get reinforcements for Opening Night. Nurkic is the early favorite to start at center. Utah also added Jaxson Hayes to the frontcourt mix, and Jaren Jackson (knee) figures to be healthy when training camp opens this fall, leaving Filipowski with plenty of obstacles to climb to maintain fantasy relevance in 2026-27.