Who are the top trendsetters? What rotations are changing? What are the most recent injuries in the NBA?
Here are the top fantasy news and notes from all 30 league teams.
Atlanta Hawks: Lou Williams has left hip soreness and is not expected to play in Thursday's Atlanta Hawks game against Dallas Mavericks. Kevin Huerter could benefit from additional minutes if Lou Williams is not active. He is a great source of 3-point shooting for deeper leagues. Huerter performed admirably last season for the Hawks' super-deep team. However, his numbers in minutes, 3-pointers and assists dropped slightly, while he still managed more than 1.2 steals per game. Huerter was signed to a $65 million four-year rookie contract.
Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown's performance in Wednesday night's season-opener was a great relief for any worries league managers had about him coming off COVID-19 quarantine. He scored 46 points, had nine rebounds and six assists. He also made three steals, and was able to block one shot. This was the highest number of points ever scored in a season opener by a Celtics player. Jayson Tatum was, however, uncharacteristically bad from the field (7-30FG), but he did manage 11 rebounds and four assists, as well as a block. Robert Williams III made a strong debut to the season and should continue to be a key contributor. Williams scored 16 points, 10 boards, five blocks and three steals against the Knicks. He'll rebound, block, and score for your hoops team.
Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets's star player, is just 80 points away of reaching 24,000 for his career. Durant will be the 26th player to reach that number in NBA history. Durant was a great player per-game, but he only provided seventh round fantasy value due to missing more than half the Nets' 72 games. His health is the only thing that can slow him down.
Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets defeated the Pacers 123-122 in LaMelo ball's overtime. He made 11 of 23 attempts, 7 of 9 3 pointers, and 2 of 2 free shots for 31 points. This included nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. The hype was not disappointed in Ball's second season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he is the third-youngest NBA player with 30 points in a season opener. John Drew and Lamar Odom were the only ones younger.
Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine scored 34 points and had seven rebounds, four assists and four assists. The Pistons were defeated by the Bulls. Anyone who was concerned about LaVine's fantasy value after the offseason changes can rest assured that he is now a solid player. Nikola Vucevic and LaVine will lead the Bulls' offense. DeMar DeRozan's 17 field goals looked promising, and Lonzo Ball could be a top-50 prospect.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen dominated Grizzlies with 25 points, four rebounds and an assist. It's possible that the big, rangy man will also wipe out Mason Plumlee or the Hornets Friday. Lauri Markkanen seems to be an integral part of the Cavaliers game plan, and is only rostered for 54.6% in ESPN leagues. Evan Mobley scored 17 points, nine boards, six assists and a steal in 38 minutes. He also had six assists, a block, a block, and a 3-pointer. His ceiling is very high and he is currently rostered in only 35.7% ESPN leagues. He will not be around for very long.
Dallas Mavericks. Fantasy managers will be interested to know what Jason Kidd's role will be for Kristaps Porzingis as new head coach. Kidd previously stated that he wanted to do more than just shoot 3-pointers. Porzingis' injury record is well-known. He averaged 20.1 PPG in the last season, 2.3 3PG and 8.9 RPG.
Denver Nuggets - Nikola Jokic is the king of the floor with 27 points (13-22FGs), 13 boards, 13 rebounds and two assists. Basketball Reference reports that Jokic scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the season's opening game. Aaron Gordon scored 12 points, had eight rebounds, four assists, and made a block against Suns. He should be involved in the league's future. Only 37.5% of ESPN leagues have him, and fantasy managers aren't impressed with his performance last year after the trade to Nuggets.
Detroit Pistons: Jerami grant's shot selection in the opening against the Bulls was a bit poor, but he still managed to score a lot. That's what he does these days. He scored 24 points (8-20 FG and 5-5 FT), had six rebounds, two assists (a steal), two assists, two rebounds, two assists, one block, and three 3s. He also has more driving options thanks to the Pistons offseason players. Isaiah Stewart did not start his second season with a bang. But that's okay. Stewart was a rookie and played in 68 games, with 14 starts. He also had five double-doubles in April. Stewart is a rebounder, blocker and has improved his 3-point shot. Killian Hayes is a second-year point guard. I suggest waiting and seeing what happens. Cade Cunningham could return from his ankle injury which left him out of the opener. His role may change.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry claimed that he was "like trash" after his first three-double in five years because he made only 5 of 21 attempts. His career field goal percentage is 47.6%. He's also trying to get into the history of the NBA in another area. Curry would need six assists to reach 5,000 points in his career, and he would be the 69th player ever to achieve that milestone.
Houston Rockets: It was evident that this team is young, as they played Minnesota on Wednesday night. Both Jalen Green Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. struggled. Christian Wood will be the Rockets' offensive focal point. He scored 16 points against Timberwolves with nine rebounds and three assists, as well as a block. Eric Gordon made 3 of 4 3-pointers within 23 minutes. He's a good prospect for deep formats, so he's worth considering if you need help with that area. Only 2% of ESPN leagues have him.
Indiana Pacers: Chris Duarte, a rookie first-rounder, started against the Hornets in place of Caris LeVert. In a loss to the Hornets, Duarte, 24, made 9 of 15 shots, 6 3-pointers, and 3 of 3 free throws. He scored 27 points and grabbed five rebounds. Basketball Reference reports that he is the Pacers' first rookie to open an opener since Jamaal Tinsley in 2001. Duarte is only 2.2% of ESPN leagues. This should be fixed.
LA Clippers: Terance Mann is only 15.5% on ESPN league rosters. With Kawhi Leonard, who was expected to be out for most of the season due to offseason knee surgery, Mann is in a good position to surpass the 7.0 PPG and 3.6 RPG of last season. Mann and the Clippers will begin their season tonight against the Warriors.
Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James stated earlier this week that he doesn't think about injuries while playing for the Lakers. "I also feel worse when playing low minutes." This should calm fantasy managers about James getting nights off. James could be playing in more games than initially anticipated. In the season opener, he played for 37 minutes.
Memphis Grizzlies: Desmond Bane, a sleeper going into this season's campaign, has shown his potential. Bane scored 22 points in 30 minutes against Cavaliers. He also added three rebounds and three assists to match his career record of 22. He is currently only 1.7% in ESPN leagues but can contribute to multiple statistical categories.
Miami Heat: Tyler Herro posted 22.4 points per game in a strong preseason. This was the Heat's highest average points per game in a single preseason since LeBron 2011. Herro could be the Heat's sixth player this season.
Milwaukee Bucks: Although Jrue Holiday was cleared by an MRI, the Bucks will still keep him out on Thursday. Although he was initially listed as probable, he now has a thigh contusion. Grayson Allen and Jordan Nwora as well as George Hill, Pat Connaughton, and George Hill are all streaming for the three-game slate.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl Anthony Towns was great, but Anthony Edwards seems to be on the brink of a breakthrough season. Edwards scored 29 points (10-21FG), had six rebounds and three assists in the opening game against the Rockets. Jaden McDaniels is a solid defensive option. He scored just four points while shooting 2-of-3. In 26 minutes, he had four assists, four steals and three blocks. Only 1.5% of ESPN leagues have McDaniels.
New Orleans Pelicans: Josh Hart sustained a right knee injury in a game against the 76ers. Hart's injury history is not encouraging and Hart's absence from the Pelicans' roster will mean that Hart, one of the best rebounding guards in the league, is no longer available. Trey Murphy III was the first half's second player and is currently rostered in 1.9% ESPN leagues. Because he was a three-year college student (Rice, Virginia), and also participated in the Summer League, he's very polished as a rookie. Murphy scored six points and had two assists in the season opener.
New York Knicks: Julius Randle's double-overtime win helped the Knicks defeat the Celtics. He scored 35 points (12-27FG), nine rebounds, nine assists, and three blocks. Randle's seven turnovers are not a pattern. Evan Fournier was a major player at Madison Square Garden, scoring 32 points (13-25FGFG), six rebounds and three steals in 44 minutes. Fournier actually set the franchise record in points scored in a first game. Fournier was a fantasy player who is often overlooked and under-appreciated. He was only rostered in 65% ESPN leagues.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Josh Giddey, a fun player to follow, is Josh Giddey. In his debut, the rookie lottery pick had four points and ten rebounds. He also had three assists. These 10 boards were a new NBA record for Thunder players. His underwhelming performance should not be a deterrent. Giddey is rostered for 20.3% ESPN leagues, a great stash with Thunder expecting to see a lot of garbage time this year.
