NBA Player News

Filipowski (back) won't play in Wednesday's preseason opener against the Rockets, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

The Jazz will hold out Filipowski due to lower back injury management, which doesn't sound like a significant ailment. His next opportunity to suit up arrives Friday against the Spurs. Taylor Hendricks, Cody Williams and Brice Sensabaugh will all be candidates to take on an expanded role in the frontcourt Wednesday.

Kessler (shoulder) is out for Wednesday's preseason game against the Rockets, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Kessler is dealing with left shoulder bursitis, which will cause him to miss Utah's preseason opener. His next chance to play comes Friday in San Antonio. Jusuf Nurkic will be a candidate to fill in at center Wednesday, while the Jazz could also opt to take an extended look at two-way player Oscar Tshiebwe.

Kleber (quadriceps) did some individual work Tuesday, Mark Medina of TheSportingTribune.com reports.

Kleber is continuing his recovery from a quadriceps injury that he suffered in practice last Tuesday. The veteran big man can be labeled questionable for Sunday's preseason game against the Warriors. Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt will remain candidates for an increased role until Kleber is cleared for action.

Duren remains day-to-day with hamstring tightness, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reports.

The Pistons will likely continue to exercise caution with their top center, and there's no indication that Duren is in any real danger of missing Opening Night in late October. It's possible Duren won't play Thursday in Milwaukee, meaning Isaiah Stewart is potentially in line for another spot start. Paul Reed and two-way player Tolu Smith may also be needed to handle more playing time.

The Trail Blazers waived Robbins on Tuesday, Sean Highkin of Rip City Radio 620 Portland reports.

Robbins joined the Trail Blazers on an Exhibit 10 deal back on Sept. 30. With this transaction, Robbins is now poised to join the Rip City Remix in the G League.

Adams (rest) won't play during Wednesday's preseason game against Utah, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Adams played 16 minutes in the preseason opener Monday against the Hawks, finishing with eight points, five rebounds and two assists. He received a lot of maintenance days during the 2024-25 regular season, so it's not a surprise to see him get a night off for this exhibition.

Reed produced five points (2-2 FG, 1-1 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 18 minutes of Monday's 128-112 preseason win over Memphis.

Jalen Duren (hamstring) sat this contest out, but he's considered day-to-day. Isaiah Stewart got the starting nod, but Reed saw the bulk of the center minutes off the bench and made a huge impact on this game, leading all players in rebounds. Reed knows how to fill a box score, but when Duren is healthy, Reed projects to be the third-string center.

Okongwu produced 11 points (4-8 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist and one steal across 18 minutes of Monday's 122-113 preseason loss to Houston.

Kristaps Porzingis drew the start next to Jalen Johnson, but he played a minimal workload of 15 minutes with five points to show for it. The Hawks have stressed all offseason that Okongwu and Porzingis will both be heavily involved. Starting lineups likely aren't set in stone yet, and the franchise may experiment throughout the preseason.

Jokic compiled 17 points (5-5 FG, 7-9 FT), six rebounds, five assists and a steal across 21 minutes during Monday's 112-108 preseason win over Toronto.

Jokic was perfect from the field during the win. We should continue to see limited minutes from the All-Star during the preseason to keep him fresh and healthy for the regular season. The perennial MVP candidate is expected to have another monster season ahead, with triple-double performances setting the gold standard for multi-category producers in the league.

Davis compiled seven points (3-5 FG, 1-2 3Pt), seven rebounds, two blocked shots and an assist in 16 minutes during Monday's 106-89 preseason win over Oklahoma State.

The Mavericks have a wide array of options at center, so Davis should find himself fully entrenched at the four spot for most of the season. The veteran didn't have many opportunities to show his worth after joining the team last season, but he appears to be past the groin injury that kept him sidelined. He also underwent eye surgery and will be wearing protective eyewear for the foreseeable future.