NBA Player News

Knecht registered 11 points (3-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), a rebound and an assist across 22 minutes in Tuesday's 124-98 preseason loss to the Lakers.

It's becoming increasingly apparent that Knecht's days with the Lakers could be numbered, as almost all of the team's offseason acquisitions seem designed without him in mind. Unless the team radically changes its rotation plans, Knecht will be buried even deeper on the depth chart this season, rendering him a non-option in all fantasy formats.

Grimes logged 12 points (3-8 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), three assists, a rebound and a steal in 23 minutes during Tuesday's 124-98 loss to the Warriors.

Grimes is in an interesting spot after coming over from Philadelphia, as the starting wing spot seems ripe for the taking. Putting Grimes there would put the Lakers at a height disadvantage against most teams, which is why rookie Cameron Carr will immediately enter the conversation at the position. Los Angeles' lineup scheme is unique, with Luka Doncic assuming a multi-pronged role in the offense, and while pairing Grimes and Austin Reaves with the All-Star isn't entirely unreasonable, there's no question that it's the Lakers' most uncertain position heading into the regular season.

Williams posted 10 points (3-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 4-4 FT), two rebounds, an assist and a steal across 18 minutes during Tuesday's 124-98 preseason win over the Lakers.

Williams hopes to catch on with the Lakers after three seasons with the Mavericks, and although his speed and playmaking are unquestioned, he's buried on the depth chart and unlikely to make an impact. One possible advantage is Stephen Curry's advancing age, which could give him extra possessions in back-to-backs, but he's far from fantasy-relevant at this point.

Curry generated 16 points, 4-7 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 5-6 FT), five assists and two rebounds across 14 minutes in Tuesday's 124-98 preseason win over the Lakers.

Curry made the most of his limited court time, drilling three shots beyond the arc in short order. Curry won't travel with the team to Portland, and the veteran's preseason participation is expected to be very limited to avoid injury and keep him fresh for the regular season.

Lendeborg registered 17 points (7-11 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds and two assists across 21 minutes in Tuesday's 124-98 preseason win over the Lakers.

Lendeborg appears to have an inside track to start with the first unit once the season gets underway. The 2026 first-round pick finds himself in one of the best situations among this season's pack of rookies, as Draymond Green's advancing age and several frontcourt injuries will all play in the Michigan product's favor.

Ingram recorded nine points (3-5 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and two assists across eight minutes during Tuesday's 117-106 preseason loss to the Nuggets.

Ingram made the most of his limited court time and quickly racked up a decent total. Although Ingram is spending the preseason with the parent club, the North Carolina product will likely join the Salt Lake City Stars once the season gets underway. After a promising college career, Ingram joins his second NBA team after failing to catch on with the Spurs.

Mykhailiuk tallied nine points (3-14 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and two steals across 22 minutes during Tuesday's 117-106 loss to the Nuggets.

Although Mykhailiuk started 41 games for the Jazz season, Mykhailiuk is projected to run with the second and third units in 2026-27. His outlook could change if Lauri Markkanen endures another injury-riddled season or if Josh Okogie struggles to make an impact, but it's more likely he'll fall short of these 2026-26 numbers.

Bailey logged 10 points (4-12 FG, 2-6 3 Pt, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal across 27 minutes in Tuesday's 117-106 loss to the Nuggets.

With Lauri Markkanen (neck) and Birce Sensabaugh (hip) sidelined, Bailey earned a spot in the first unit during the Jazz's second preseason game. New acquisitions like Jaren Jackson and Darryn Peterson are expected to log meaningful minutes right away, leaving the former first-round pick in an uncertain spot after starting 61 games for the Jazz during his rookie campaign. Markkanen's struggles to stay on the court made an uptick for Bailey necessary, and his 2026-27 participation hinges on Markkanen becoming a more consistent contributor.

Johnson tallied 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt), a rebound and an assist across 15 minutes during Tuesday's 117-106 win over the Jazz.

Johnson is firmly entrenched as a starter for the Nuggets at the start of the season, despite the addition of veteran DeMar DeRozan, who will compete for time at Johnson's position. Staying on the court has been a consistent problem for Johnson, who has averaged just 56.3 games per season over the past three campaigns, and the organization hopes he can exceed his career-high watermark of 57 games.

Strawther registered 15 points (4-7 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds, three assists and a steal across 18 minutes in Tuesday's 117-106 preseason win over the Jazz.

Stawther had a solid night beyond the arc in Denver's first preseason victory. The Gonzaga product enters his fourth season with the Nuggets in a crowded situation at his position following the addition of DeMar DeRozan. While youth is certainly on Stawther's side, a breakout campaign where he finally averages 10 points or more per game seems less likely.