NBA Player News

Adams (rest) isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Mavericks, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

Adams totaled two points (1-1 FG), three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 14 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over the Mavericks, marking his first game action since undergoing ankle surgery in January. The veteran center is expected to be the primary backup to Alperen Sengun this season.

Sengun (rest) isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Mavericks, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

Sengun recorded 16 points (6-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 10 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and three blocks in 22 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over Dallas but will take a seat Sunday. Sengun is coming off another impressive year, averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game across 72 regular-season appearances in 2025-26. However, the star center shot just 69.1 percent from the charity stripe and 30.5 percent from downtown. He's been focused on improving in those areas this offseason, and an uptick in efficiency would be a significant step toward becoming a more well-rounded player.

Aldama (knee) won't play in Sunday's preseason game against the Rockets, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com reports.

Aldama underwent knee surgery in March and has been limited during training camp practices. It's unclear when he'll be cleared to make his Mavericks debut. The 2021 No. 30 overall pick spent his entire career in Memphis before Dallas traded for him in July. In 278 regular-season games (82 starts), Aldama has averaged 10.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 23.4 minutes per contest.

Lively (foot) won't play in Sunday's preseason game against the Rockets, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com reports.

Lively underwent right foot surgery in December after appearing in just seven regular-season games in 2025-26, and it's unclear when he'll be ready to play again. Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said Lively has progressed to shooting and is working toward running on the court, while head coach Dusty May said the center is moving well but has a unique return-to-play protocol given all of his missed time in recent years.

Ighodaro closed with eight points (4-7 FG), five rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks in 21 minutes during Saturday's 102-98 preseason win over the Spurs.

Ighodaro moved to the bench after having started the first two preseason games. However, despite the move, he turned in arguably his best performance of the preseason, chipping across a range of categories. Both he and Khaman Maluach are going to battle for center minutes, a situation that could very well result in a timeshare. While Maluach is the preferred target in most fantasy leagues, Ighodaro should at least be on the radar, particularly for those needing out-of-position steals late in drafts.

Maluach closed with 10 points (4-9 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 23 minutes during Saturday's 102-98 preseason win over the Spurs.

Maluach moved into the starting lineup, replacing Oso Ighodaro, who shifted back to the bench. The move worked wonders for Maluach, allowing him to put up easily his best game of the preseason. With Mark Williams (shoulder) sidelined indefinitely, both Maluach and Ighodaro have a chance to carve out meaningful roles. Even if he does come off the bench, it appears as though Maluach is the player fantasy managers will want to be targeting in drafts, likely in the 100 range.

Kornet finished with four points (2-7 FG), 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 17 minutes during Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

Kornet led the Spurs with 10 rebounds, turning in another solid performance off the bench. As was the case last season, Kornet is slated to play the primary backup role behind Victor Wembanyama. This should be enough for him to hold value in deeper formats. As for those in standard leagues, he should be viewed as nothing more than a situational streaming consideration.

Brown (back) scored eight points (3-3 FG, 2-2 3Pt) and added a rebound across 10 minutes off the bench in Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

Brown missed the preseason opener against the Hawks on Thursday due to a back injury, but he was one of seven bench players to log double-digit minutes in this matchup. A second-round pick out of Duke in the 2026 NBA Draft, Brown isn't expected to have a big role with the Spurs in 2026-27, and it wouldn't be surprising if he spent most of his rookie year in the G League.

Williams (undisclosed) didn't play in Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

Williams still hasn't suited up for the Spurs in the preseason. He's expected to play for the Austin Spurs in the G League in 2026-27, so his absence won't be much of an issue from a fantasy perspective. His next chance to play will come Monday against Utah.

Okongwu recorded 18 points (5-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 6-6 FT), three rebounds and three assists across 23 minutes in Saturday's 119-117 preseason win over the Pacers.

Okongwu delivered a productive offensive performance, making all six of his free-throw attempts while committing just one turnover. The center attempted seven three-pointers, and although he connected on only two, his tendency to stretch the floor has been noticeable in the preseason. That could add another wrinkle to his expanding offensive game. Okongwu, who averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game across 74 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, will be one of the Hawks' go-to players on both ends of the floor once the regular season starts Oct. 21 at Orlando.