NBA Player News

Capela ended Friday's 116-111 loss to the Mavericks with five points (2-6 FG, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals over 30 minutes.

Pushed into the starting lineup for the first time this season with Alperen Sengun (back) and Steven Adams (calf) both in street clothes, Capela responded with his biggest rebounding total of 20226-27 so far. The veteran center is no longer a nightly double-double threat, but in the two games Sengun has missed, Capela is averaging 7.5 points, 9.5 boards, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 26.0 minutes, giving him some short-term fantasy appeal until Houston's frontcourt gets healthier.

Eason posted 11 points (4-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists and one steal across 26 minutes off the bench during Friday's 116-111 loss to the Mavericks.

It was the first double-double of the season for Eason, who continues to see a big workload in the frontcourt while Steven Adams (calf) and now Alperen Sengun (back) are on the shelf. Both big men are expected to return in the near future, but Eason's role on the second unit should be fairly secure even when the roster is at full strength. Through six games this season, the fifth-year forward is averaging 10.3 points, 6.7 boards, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks in 24.8 minutes a contest.

Thompson accumulated 15 points (7-15 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-4 FT), three rebounds, six assists and four steals across 39 minutes during Friday's 116-111 loss to the Mavericks.

The four steals were a season high for Thompson, while he scored at least 15 points for a sixth straight game to begin the season. So far in 2026-27, the fourth-year guard is averaging 17.7 points, 7.2 boards, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor, numbers mostly in line with his performance from last season.

Smith recorded 22 points (7-15 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 35 minutes during Friday's 116-111 loss to Dallas.

It was Smith's best scoring effort since Opening Night, a 30-point effort that also came against the Mavericks. The fifth-year forward hasn't seen his role change much while Alperen Sengun (back) and Steven Adams (calf) have been sidelined, and through six games to begin the season Smith is averaging 17.2 points, 5.3 boards, 2.5 threes, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks.

Gobert amassed nine points (4-7 FG, 1-3 FT), 13 rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal in 30 minutes during Friday's 127-101 win over the Clippers.

Gobert continues to struggle on offense, as this was the fifth time in six games that he scored in double digits, but he's grabbed at least 13 rebounds for the fourth time in that span. Gobert has just three blocks this season, averaging 0.5 per game, so he's not the elite rim protector he once was. While he's not expected to lose his starting role, Gobert has showing signs of a decline, and he's no longer the automatic starter he was in past seasons. His offensive woes are too big to overlook, and he doesn't do much in other categories outside of rebounds.

Hyland racked up 19 points (8-16 FG, 3-9 3Pt), eight assists and one steal across 20 minutes during Friday's 127-101 victory over the Clippers.

Hyland finished just two assists shy of a double-double and recorded his second straight game with double-digit points and over 15 minutes of action. It's still early, but the early signs show Hyland could be in line for a bigger role in the backcourt with Anthony Edwards (knee) sidelined for the foreseeable future.

McDaniels recorded 23 points (11-15 FG, 1-2 3Pt), six rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal over 33 minutes during Friday's 127-101 win over the Clippers.

McDaniels made the most of his expanded offensive role Friday, delivering his best scoring output of the season and his first game with at least 20 points, while also contributing in other areas. McDaniels is enjoying an excellent start to the season and has embraced a more prominent role on offense early on. He's scored at least 14 points in each of his six appearances and is averaging 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a combined 1.7 steals-plus-blocks thus far.

Hachimura ended with 12 points (4-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), five rebounds and two steals across 26 minutes during Friday's 127-101 loss to Minnesota.

Hachimura has struggled to adjust to a more prominent offensive role with the Clippers this season, as shown by the fact that he's scored more than 15 points just once in four appearances, despite averaging 12.3 field goals per game. His starting role and usage rate should keep him relevant in most formats, but this isn't the start of the season many envisioned for the veteran forward.

Wagler finished Friday's 127-101 loss to the Timberwolves with 12 points (2-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 7-8 FT), six rebounds and three assists over 25 minutes.

Wagler has been extremely consistent with the good and the bad in the early stages of the season. While he has scored in double digits in each of his five outings so far, he's also struggled with his shot on a regular basis and is currently making just 28.6 percent of his shots and 35.7 percent of his threes. Wagler should continue to play off the bench until he shoots more efficiently, and right now, he's a potential waiver-wire option for managers looking for points without worrying about low percentages.

Jackson had 10 points (3-6 FG, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals across 22 minutes during Friday's 127-101 loss to the Timberwolves.

Although the Clippers suffered a 26-point blowout loss, Jackson was all over the court Friday night and posted an impressive performance, with at least three tallies in each of the five major categories. Jackson has played more than 25 minutes just once this season despite being the starting center, but he's making the most of his opportunities early on. He's averaging 8.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor, giving him enough floor, both in production and role, to be a worthy waiver pickup, particularly in category-based formats.