NBA Player News

Rollins (thumb) appears poised for an expanded role after Milwaukee traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and entered a youth movement by drafting Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, Amir Motameni of SI.com reports.

The 24-year-old is one of the few returning young players expected to receive consistent opportunities as the Bucks evaluate their long-term core. Rollins should compete for a starting backcourt role entering training camp, though his usage could fluctuate depending on Tyler Herro's status. Rollins' fantasy outlook is trending up following Milwaukee's organizational reset.

The Raptors extended Martin a qualifying offer, Keith Smith of Spotrac.com reports.

If Martin accepts his qualifying offer, he will be back in Toronto next season on another two-way contract. Presumably, he'd play a featured role for their G League Affiliate.

Daniels may face increased competition for minutes in Atlanta's backcourt after the Hawks drafted Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Atlanta also brought in Aaron Wiggins via free agency, adding another player who will require minutes in the Hawks' backcourt. Daniels saw 46 percent of his minutes at the shooting guard position last season, but that number may dip with Wiggins and Flemings in the mix. Daniels' role will be worth monitoring throughout training camp and the preseason.

Gafford will face increased competition for minutes during the 2026-27 season after Dallas selected Morez Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Gafford started 44 of the 55 games he appeared in last season, but there's a new head coach in Dallas, and the Mavericks just drafted one of his favorite prospects. With Dereck Lively expected to be back after recovering from foot surgery, Gafford will likely face stiff competition for frontcourt minutes during the 2026-27 campaign.

The addition of Aaron Wiggins could further cut into Risacher's role during the 2026-27 season.

Risacher's minutes declined each month after January last season, and he was eventually demoted to the second unit after CJ McCollum solidified himself as a starter. Risacher was not a consistent part of the playoff rotation, and now he'll face even more competition for minutes following the arrival of Wiggins. The former No. 1 overall pick's long-term role with the franchise is murky at best.

Lively (foot) faces increased competition for minutes heading into the 2026-27 campaign, especially with the Mavericks selecting Morez Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Lively hasn't lived up to expectations through his first three seasons in the NBA. Although the 22-year-old is a talented player, the real concern is his durability. After appearing in 55 games as a rookie, Lively played in 36 contests in his second year. However, things were worse in the 2025-26 campaign, with the 2023 No. 12 overall pick suiting up for only seven games before eventually undergoing season-ending foot surgery. Dallas has plenty of big bodies entering the season, though it's unknown how head coach Dusty May will divide the workload. One thing is clear; time is running out for Lively to prove he can stay healthy. In fact, it may already be too late. With that in mind, Johnson isn't a true center, but even if the former Wolverine plays the position in a limited capacity for the Mavericks in 2026-27, he might surpass Lively on the depth chart sooner rather than later.

Porter (knee) exercised his $5.39 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign Thursday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

Porter had a quality 2025-26 season from a statistical standpoint, averaging 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 0.5 blocks and a career-high 2.2 steals across 33.2 minutes. However, the 26-year-old logged only 38 games and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in April. It's unknown when Porter will be cleared to suit up, though durability concerns could keep him on the bench regularly for the Bucks during the 2026-27 campaign, especially with Ryan Rollins and Tyler Herro in the equation. Still, if Porter stays healthy, he can provide valuable minutes for a team that no longer has Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster.

Washington (elbow) could be in danger of losing minutes during the 2026-27 campaign, especially if Morez Johnson and Tobi Lawal develop faster than anticipated.

Washington agreed to a four-year extension in Sept. 2025 and is currently committed to the Mavericks for the next four seasons. The 27-year-old averaged 14.2 points in 2025-26, his second-highest mark since entering the league. However, despite his scoring contributions, he logged only 56 games, one fewer than he played during the 2024-25 campaign. While durability is a concern, Washington still has plenty to offer, considering he can play on both ends of the floor while shifting to multiple positions during a given contest. The Mavericks added Johnson and Lawal in the 2026 NBA Draft. Although those players might not be an immediate threat to claim a spot in the starting lineup, Washington could find himself coming off the bench regularly at some point in the upcoming season, which may logically result in a decline in production. Of course, that is assuming he remains in Dallas.

Williams (foot) plans to sign a three-year, $38 million contract to remain with the Suns, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Williams averaged a double-double in his final season in Charlotte. While his production dropped in his first year with the Suns in 2025-26, he still averaged 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals across 23.6 minutes. Without question, the 24-year-old is a talented player, though injuries have kept him off the floor more often than not. It's unknown if Williams will remain the Suns' starting center in 2026-27. However, even though Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have shown flashes of promise, they still aren't as skilled as Williams when healthy.

The Hawks exercised their fourth-year, $2.41 million team option on Gueye for the 2026-27 campaign Thursday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

Gueye hasn't seen consistent action for Atlanta since entering the league in 2023-24. However, the 23-year-old can be relied upon when needed, considering he averaged 10.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.5 steals and 50.0 percent shooting from deep across 27.9 minutes in eight starts during the 2025-26 campaign. There's a chance Gueye could have his number called more often this season, especially if the Hawks move on from Jonathan Kuminga.