Fantasy Basketball

Davis posted 11 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists and a steal across 16 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition loss to the Kings.

Davis showed no ill effects from his back injury and appeared to be close to 100 percent, especially in the paint where he grabbed 11 rebounds. Davis will strive to be injury-free this season, as various injuries during his tenure with the Lakers have occurred frequently, forcing him to miss significant time. In 2020-21, he only played 40 of 82 games.

Holmes tallied 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, two blocked shots and an assist across 16 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition win over the Lakers.

Holmes saw a sharp decrease in playing time after the Kings trade for Domantas Sabonis last season, and he'll begin the season slotted with the second unit. His output could be capped with the acquisition of Chimezie Metu, who will also compete for playing time in the frontcourt.

Jokic tallied two points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals across 15 minutes in a preseason loss to Oklahoma City on Monday.

Jokic wasn't very active as a scorer in the contest, but he doesn't have anything to prove after bringing home the NBA MVP award each of the past two seasons. The big man did record five boards and three assists in just 15 minutes, and there's little doubt that he'll once again be one of fantasy's most productive all-around players once the regular season kicks off.

Davis (back) will play in Monday's preseason game against the Kings, Mark Medina of NBA.com reports.

Davis was listed by the team as probable for Monday's exhibition, and while coach Darvin Ham noted in pregame that Davis is dealing with some tightness, he also stated that the star forward "doesn't have anything structurally wrong," per Medina. Expect the Lakers to monitor his minutes closely Monday evening.

Azubuike (ankle) won't play in Tuesday's game against Portland, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

The center will remain on the sidelines for the team's second preseason matchup. Azubuike still hasn't been cleared to resume 5-on-5 work, and there hasn't been any update as to when the Kansas product will be able to do so.

Embiid (rest) will not play in Monday's preseason matchup against the Nets, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The All-Star center will be rested for the 76ers first preseason contest alongside the likes of James Harden, Danuel House and P.J. Tucker. Embiid's next chance to take the court comes Wednesday against Cleveland.

Swider posted 10 points (3-7 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-3 FT) across 19 minutes in Monday's 105-75 loss to the Kings.

Although good Summer League campaigns aren't necessarily indicators of future success, the undrafted rookie out of Syracuse did enough to warrant a higher spot on the depth chart. The Lakers definitely need upgrades in their second and third unit, and Swider is a good source of perimeter shooting to supplement their arsenal.

Sabonis logged four points (2-3 FG), five rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots across 15 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition win over the Lakers.

The Kings will probably play it safe with Sabonis throughout the preseason after ending the 3021-22 campaign with a knee injury. The team made a huge investment in bringing Sabonis to Sacramento, so expect his exhibition minutes to be capped so he is ready to go once season play gets under way.

Murray logged 16 points (7-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt), six rebounds, two steals and an assist across 21 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition win over the Lakers.

Murray continued to impress after a stellar stint in the Summer league. The first-round pick out of Iowa will likely roll with the second unit in Sacramento, and contend for playing time behind Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, among others. Murray's rookie potential is very high on this roster, as the Kings will look quickly for the best solution to outdo last year's 31-41 record.

Nnaji recorded 15 points (6-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and six rebounds over 17 minutes Monday in a preseason loss to Oklahoma City.

Nnaji led Denver in scoring in the loss and tied for the team lead in rebounds. He appeared to be healthy after playing in only two of Denver's final 27 regular-season contests during the previous campaign due to knee issues. Nnaji showed some promise when on the court during his sophomore season, and he could carve out decent minutes as a reserve if he plays well early on.

Banchero finished with eight points (2-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT), two rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block over 24 minutes in Monday's loss to the Grizzlies in his NBA preseason debut.

Banchero started and ranked second on the team with 24 minutes in the exhibition opener, but he had a hard time getting his shot to fall. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft looked much better in a pair of contests in the Las Vegas Summer League, so there's little point in reading too much into Monday's subpar showing. He'll likely go through some rookie growing pains, but Banchero figures to see ample opportunity this season and is an interesting target in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.

Aldama recorded 21 points (7-9 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT) and six rebounds over 24 minutes Monday in a 109-97 preseason victory against the Magic.

After posting 13 points and eight boards in Memphis' exhibition opener Saturday, Aldama upped his scoring output against Orlando thanks largely to knocking down four of five three-point attempts. The big man wasn't particularly productive in his rookie campaign last season, but he's already showing flashes of improvement in preseason play. He could have a bigger role to begin the season with Jaren Jackson (foot) likely out until November or December.

Leonard tallied 11 points (3-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals across 18 minutes in Monday's 102-97 win over the Trail Blazers.

After missing all of 2021-22 with a torn ACL, Leonard enters his 11th NBA season with some questions around his ability to stay healthy. He's only played 109 games over three seasons with the Clippers, so the promise of his tandem with Paul George has yet to reach its full potential. His preseason debut showed flashes of his former self, as he was very active defensively and didn't seem afraid to test his knee. If he and George can avoid injury, the team should be a force to be reckoned with in the West.

James tallied four points (0-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-5 FT), two assists and a rebound across 16 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition loss to the Kings.

James will have to wait for the next game to score his first field goal of the season, as he failed to find the bottom of the basket in his preseason debut. The All-Star's cold start should be of little concern, however. As usual, his fantasy prospects remain extremely strong for 2022-23.

Brown (back) has been ruled out for Monday's preseason game against the Kings, Mike Trudell of the Lakers' official site reports.

Brown has been dealing with a back injury during training camp, and it'll keep him from running the floor Monday. His next chance to see preseason action arrives Wednesday against the Suns.

Walker (ankle) will be cleared to play starting Tuesday, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.

Walker has been dealing with an ankle injury throughout the start of the Lakers' training camp, but the newly acquired guard will be cleared to play Tuesday. Walker's first chance to take the court with Los Angeles will come Wednesday against the Suns.

Omoruyi (toe) is available to play in Monday's preseason game against Denver, Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com reports.

Omoruyi signed a two-way deal with the Thunder back in July, and it's a positive sign that he's been cleared to play after undergoing a toe procedure in December of 2021, a surgery that was expected to sideline him for 4-to-6 months. He appears to be back at full strength and will compete for a bench role with his new squad.

Dieng (wrist) will be available for Monday's preseason game against the Nuggets, Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com reports.

Dieng was shut down during Summer League due to a chip fracture in his right wrist, but the team confirmed Monday that he's good to go for the start of the preseason. He figures to battle for a bench role at the forward positions throughout the preseason.

Nunn turned in nine points (4-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 1-3 FT), two rebounds and an assist across 20 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition loss to the Kings.

Nunn will be an interesting wrinkle in the Lakers' bid ti return to the playoffs. After two productive seasons with the Heat, Nunn suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss all of last season. The Lakers are in desperate need of shooting support, so if Nunn can shake off the rust and play like he did in Miami, he could provide a much-needed shot in the arm for the offense. It's too soon to tell, but there's a good chance he will be in the starting lineup alongside Russell Westbrook when the season begins.

Suggs (ankle) will start during Monday's preseason opener against the Grizzlies.

Suggs underwent ankle surgery during the offseason, but the 6-foot-5 guard is officially ready to go for his second year in the NBA. The Gonzaga product is set to take the court with 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero for the first time in their careers during Monday's preseason opener.

Schofield (sore knee) will not play in Monday's preseason opener against the Grizzlies, Dan Savage of the Magic's official site reports.

The Tennesee product will not appear in Orlando's preseason opener due to a sore knee. Schofield's next chance to make his 2022 preseason debut comes Thursday against the Spurs.

Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) isn't with the team for Monday's preseason opener against the Nuggets, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman reports.

Gilgeous-Alexander suffered a Grade 2 left MCL sprain during a workout in mid-September and remains sidelined. It's unclear when he'll return to action, but his absence may impact the start of the regular season.

Pelicans head coach Willie Green said Monday that McCollum (ankle) is questionable for Tuesday's preseason contest against Chicago, Andrew Lopez of ESPN.com reports.

It's unclear when McCollum picked up the ankle issue, but per Lopez, the point guard was able to practice fully Sunday, so it doesn't appear to be a major issue. If available, he'll likely play around 20 minutes, per Christian Clark of The New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Nunn said he'll start Monday's preseason game against the Kings, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.

Nunn was sidelined for the entire 2021-22 campaign due to a bone bruise in his right knee, but he was cleared for contact at the end of September and, barring a setback, appears full go for the regular season. The undrafted guard out of Oakland was dynamic for the Heat during his first two seasons in the NBA, but he hasn't played in over a year, so some rust is expected.

Fox recorded 10 points (4-12 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a blocked shot across 16 minutes in Monday's 105-75 exhibition win over the Lakers.

Fox's season was cut short by a hand injury back in March, but he appears to be well past it and ran with the starters in the preseason opener. Fox remains a constant amidst a slew of new arrivals, and he is once again poised to direct the offense at the point.

Murray posted 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 0-1 FT), two rebounds and two assists over 15 minutes in Monday's preseason defeat to the Thunder.

It was a triumphant return to the court for Murray, who missed all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL. The point guard didn't show much rust on his shot, making two of his three tries from deep. It's fair to expect Murray to need some time to be fully ramped up after the extended absence, but he enjoyed his best season in 2020-21 and could be a steal as a mid-round pick in fantasy drafts.

Giddey registered 14 points (6-11 FG, 2-2 3Pt), 12 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one block over 25 minutes in an exhibition 112-101 win against the Nuggets on Monday.

Giddey was outstanding in Denver's preseason opener, finishing third on the team with 14 points and leading all players with 12 boards and nine dimes. The performance was a reminder of the all-around skill set Giddey desplayed as a rookie last season, when he tallied four triple-doubles and averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists across 54 contests. Giddey's scoring and shooting may be a question mark, but his ability to put up numbers across the board make him a popular selection in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts this season.

Mann put up 17 points (6-11 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two assists, one steal and one block over 23 minutes in Monday's 112-101 exhibition victory versus Denver.

Mann led all scorers in the contest with 17 points and knocked down half of his six three-point tries. It was a promising start to the exhibition slate after the point guard shot just 39.3 percent from the field in his rookie campaign. Mann will be battling for backup minutes behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) this season, but with the latter's status for the beginning of the campaign in question, there could be an opportunity for Mann to make an early impression.

Anthony totaled 17 points (6-10 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 1-1 FT), five rebounds and one steal over 21 minutes in Monday's exhibition loss to Memphis.

Anthony was the Magic's leading scorer in the contest, with all but five of his 17 points coming from three-point range. The point guard didn't record any assists in the contest, but he did rank second on the team with five boards. Anthony blossomed in his sophomore campaign last season, averaging a team-best 16.3 points and 5.7 dimes. However, he may be hard-pressed to repeat those numbers if Markelle Fultz (toe) takes over the starting point-guard role this season.

Morant tallied 22 points (7-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 7-10 FT), seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and one block over 22 minutes in Monday's 109-97 exhibition win against Orlando.

Morant didn't play in Memphis' preseason opener Saturday but looked to be in regular-season form Monday. He led all Grizzlies players in scoring and assists while tying for the team lead in steals. After blossoming as a scorer with a career-best 27.4 points per contest last season, Morant's fantasy stock has skyrocketed into first-round territory. It's only one preseason game, but early indications are that the high-flying point guard is set for another very productive campaign.