NBA Player News

Cardwell ended Wednesday's 120-116 loss to the Suns with three points (1-4 FG, 1-2 FT), one rebound, two blocks and one steal over 15 minutes.

With Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) sidelined, Cardwell got the opportunity to make his official NBA debut. Cardwell, who is on a two-way contract, was a solid rim protector at Auburn with 1.4 blocks in 20.3 minutes per contest. Sabonis is expected to be re-evaluated after Friday's game against the Jazz, so Cardwell may get another look at the back end of the rotation.

Eubanks finished Wednesday's 120-116 loss to Phoenix with four points (1-4 FG, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 22 minutes.

Eubanks started this game at center with Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) on the shelf. Sabonis is scheduled to be re-evaluated after Friday's game against the Jazz, so Eubanks is likely to have at least one more game of streaming appeal as a source of rebounds and blocks. He's unlikely to have much value once Sabonis returns, to be clear.

Allen dropped four points (1-4 FG, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, two steals and an assist over 28 minutes in Wednesday's 119-111 loss to the Knicks.

Allen only attempted four shots Wednesday, which only occurred nine times during the 2024-25 season. He also shoots 71.1 percent from the free-throw line and 64.1 percent from the field in his career, so expect his numbers to trend towards those lines and look less like Wednesday's stat line as the season progresses. The Cavs' starting center will look to get right Friday against the Nets.

Sharpe provided 14 points (6-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, two blocks and one steal across 14 minutes during Wednesday's 136-117 loss to the Hornets.

Sharpe stepped up off the bench and delivered when called upon, scoring an efficient 14 points -- a mark he reached or surpassed just four times in 50 regular-season games last year. Though he's firmly behind Nic Claxton on the depth chart, his strong showing on opening night proved that he can still fill up the stat sheet and make an impact in limited minutes.

Claxton contributed 17 points (8-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 136-117 loss to Charlotte.

Claxton led the Nets in scoring during their season-opening loss, reaching 17 points -- a mark he hit or surpassed just six times last season. However, he pulled down only four rebounds, a notable dip from the 7.4 boards he averaged across 70 regular-season games last year and his 7.7 career average. While Brooklyn overhauled its roster with many new additions, particularly through the draft, Claxton remains entrenched as the team's starting center.

Kalkbrenner supplied 10 points (5-6 FG), 11 rebounds, two blocks and one assist in 27 minutes during Wednesday's 136-117 win over Brooklyn.

Kalkbrenner earned the start in his regular-season debut Wednesday and made the most of it, recording his first career double-double in a solid showing. The 2025 second-round pick was a dominant defensive and interior presence during his time at Creighton, so his early impact at the NBA level isn't overly surprising despite his draft position. Notably, Kalkbrenner logged six more minutes than fellow center Moussa Diabate, while Mason Plumlee didn't see any court time.

Sarr ended with 10 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 FT), 11 rebounds and three assists across 26 minutes during Wednesday's 133-120 loss to the Bucks.

Sarr's workload was a bit underwhelming Wednesday, and the second-year center failed to record a block. He still double-doubled, however, and he dished out a few dimes in the loss. Sarr averaged 1.5 blocks and 0.7 steals in 27.1 minutes per game during the 2024-25 regular season as a rookie, so the defensive stats will likely pile up soon.

Vucevic contributed 28 points (11-18 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 14 rebounds, two assists and one steal in 33 minutes during Wednesday's 115-111 victory over the Pistons.

Vucevic was dominant right out of the gate, as he comfortably led the Bulls in shot attempts while rocking a near 25.0 percent usage rate. Vucevic, who turns 35 on Friday, has seen his name in the rumor mill for several months as he's on an expiring contract. But for the time being, he seems focused on the task at hand, leading the Bulls to an Opening Night win against an improved Detroit side.

Kessler supplied 22 points (7-7 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 6-8 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, four blocks and two steals across 29 minutes during Wednesday's 129-108 victory over the Clippers.

Shooting 100 percent from the field, Kessler looked the part of an elite big man in the Jazz's opener. He led all scorers on the night with 22 points while adding a strong defensive showing. Kessler's growth as a shooter was on display by draining both three point tries -- he made only six total last season. The third-year center finished a rebound shy of a double-double but saw only three quarters of action with the game in hand entering the fourth.

Collins notched 14 points (6-12 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), seven rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 129-108 loss to Utah.

Going against his former team, Collins trailed only James Harden and Kawhi Leonard in minutes played for LA. Twelve of those came in the final frame with the game out of reach. Nonetheless, it was a positive showing overall. Collins hit the boards well and sank one of two tries from deep. He also showcased defensive upside with three stocks, which could afford him more opportunity going forward.