NBA Player News

Ayton racked up zero points (0-1 FG), four rebounds and two assists over 12 minutes during Monday's 110-103 loss to the Hornets.

Ayton struggled to make an impact offensively while playing a limited role behind Washington's starting frontcourt of Anthony Davis and Alexandre Sarr. The veteran center has seen inconsistent playing time to begin the season, significantly restricting his fantasy upside. Unless his role expands, Ayton will have difficulty providing reliable production even in deeper leagues.

Adebayo finished with eight points (3-10 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 2-4 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks across 30 minutes in Monday's 113-109 loss to the Mavericks.

Adebayo struggled offensively, missing all five of his three-point attempts and finishing in single digits for the second time this season. He made up for it with strong contributions elsewhere, finishing with at least two tallies in each of the other four major categories. His scoring limitations are worth monitoring, as he's still finding his footing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, Adebayo's rebounding and defensive contributions provide a useful floor even when his shot isn't falling. But even with solid peripheral contributions, this has been a disappointing start to the season for the big man, who averaged 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in the 2025-26 regular season.

Portis notched 10 points (3-11 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocks across 24 minutes off the bench in Monday's 113-109 loss to the Mavericks.

Portis recorded his first double-double of the season and also scored in double digits for a third straight game. While he continues to struggle from the floor, Portis remains a valuable two-way asset for the Heat, and his rapport with Giannis Antetokounmpo has been valuable for a Heat team that's still searching for its first win of the season. Portis is providing useful production across multiple fantasy categories off the bench, but his role should remain somewhat limited as long as both Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo remain healthy.

Gobert registered five points (0-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-8 FT), 20 rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block across 36 minutes in Monday's 127-125 overtime loss to the Cavaliers.

Gobert dominated the glass en route to a season-high 20 rebounds, including eight offensive boards, but his horrendous shooting performance prevented him to deliver a massive stat line. Gobert's elite rebounding should continue providing a strong fantasy foundation, but his limited scoring and occasional free-throw struggles remain significant drawbacks in certain formats. He's failed to score in double digits in three of his first four appearances, a major downgrade for a player who has averaged double-digit points in each of his last 10 seasons.

Bamba totaled 14 points (7-8 FG), seven rebounds, one assist and four blocks across 29 minutes during Monday's 110-105 loss to the Grizzlies.

Bamba made his first appearance of the season, delivering arguably his best performance in a number of years. Utah is quickly running out of frontcourt options, with Jusuf Nurkic (toe), Jaxson Hayes (shoulder), Jaren Jackson (knee) and Lauri Markkanen (wrist) all sidelined. Other than Nurkic, we don't really have a timeline on when any of the other players will return to the court. However, viewing Bamba as a speculative short-term add isn't the worst idea.

Edey produced four points (0-2 FG, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two blocks across 21 minutes during Monday's 110-105 win over the Jazz.

Edey was back in the rotation after missing Sunday's game due to injury management. While it was great to see him back on the floor, early foul trouble limited him to just 21 minutes. It continues what has been a rough start to the season, both in terms of production and minutes played. With that said, Memphis is well within its rights to play it safe, given that Edey is coming off a relatively significant foot injury. He remains a clear hold, although managers may have to expect plenty of ups and downs, at least for the first month of the season.

The Pacers don't have a timetable for Zubac's return after he suffered a left ankle injury Sunday against Brooklyn, but he was able to walk without a boot Monday, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Coach Rick Carlisle stated that the big man had a lot of swelling immediately following Sunday's game, but that Zubac was doing better Monday. The team will presumably continue to evaluate him over the next few days to determine when he can return to game action. In the meantime, look for Jay Huff, who drew the start at center Monday night against Milwaukee, to see opportunities with the first unit.

Okongwu notched 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt), nine rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals across 29 minutes during Monday's 120-110 loss to Houston.

Okongwu finally showed signs of life after a disappointing start to the season, providing fantasy managers with a sense of relief. Through four games, Okongwu has averaged 9.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 combined steals and blocks in 26.5 minutes per contest. Monday's game saw him record season-high marks in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. He will look to continue his turnaround when Atlanta hosts Miami on Wednesday.

Ike won't start Monday's game against Denver, Danny Emerman of SFStandard.com reports.

Ike started the Warriors' last two games but will shift to the second unit Monday. The big man came off the bench during Wednesday's season-opening loss to the Lakers, when he posted eight points, two rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in 12 minutes.

Gafford went to the locker room during the third quarter of Monday's game against the Heat due to an undisclosed injury, but he returned with 8:52 remaining in the quarter, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com reports.

Gafford looked to take a knee to the body on a Giannis Antetokounmpo dunk, and the big man was spotted going into the locker room right after. However, Gafford was able to return later in the quarter after getting checked out.