NBA Player News

Head coach Darko Rajakovic hinted Monday the Raptors will have a management plan for Leonard in 2026-27, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

Staying on the court has long been a major concern for Leonard, who didn't play in 2021-22 and hasn't made 70 regular-season appearances since 2016-17 with the Spurs. The focus for Toronto will be to keep the star forward healthy throughout the course of the year, which means Leonard could face sporadic absences. Although he carries plenty of risk in fantasy drafts for that caveat, Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game over 65 regular-season appearances for the Clippers last year.

Banchero drew praise from teammate Wendell Carter on Monday for the work he put in during the offseason, with Carter saying the star forward is "looking like young Paolo," Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Carter described Banchero as "very springy" and "very bouncy" after seeing him work out this summer, an encouraging assessment of his conditioning and athleticism heading into training camp. Banchero also said Monday that new head coach Sean Sweeney made an immediate effort to build a relationship with him after being hired, including traveling to Seattle to spend time with the 23-year-old during the offseason.

Gafford could have the green light to attempt occasional three-pointers this season, with head coach Dusty May encouraging the center to expand his offensive game, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports.

May said the Mavericks want Gafford to become more of a playmaking decision-maker on the perimeter and indicated that he'll be allowed to take rhythm threes as long as he earns those opportunities. Gafford has attempted just one three-pointer across his seven NBA regular seasons and has yet to make one, so any development of a perimeter shot would represent a significant change to his offensive profile. He averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.7 minutes across 55 regular-season appearances in 2025-26.

Marshall said during Media Day that improving his three-point shooting was a major focus during the offseason, Austin Veazey of SI.com reports.

The 28-year-old expressed confidence that the work will translate this season, saying that becoming a more consistent perimeter threat would make him "unstoppable." Marshall averaged a career-high 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals across 74 regular-season appearances in 2025-26 despite shooting just 29.1 percent from three. A significant improvement from beyond the arc would add another dimension to his offensive game after Dallas signed him to a three-year extension in August.

Wembanyama believes he's in better shape this season, per Jeff Garcia of KENS 5 San Antonio.

Head coach Mitch Johnson is also looking for more growth in Wembanyama as a playmaker, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. Any rise in ball-handling duties would be a welcome addition for the superstar big man, who's already a candidate to go first overall in fantasy drafts this fall as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Booker is feeling the healthiest in his career this year, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Booker is looking forward to his 12th year with the Suns in 2026-27 and is set for another huge campaign as the team's top scoring option. The star guard stands out as a safe investment in the early rounds of fantasy drafts, having played at least 64 games in each of the past eight seasons while averaging at least 25 points, five assists and nearly four rebounds plus one steal in all of the last four years.

Giddey (ankle) will be a full participant at training camp, Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic reports.

After undergoing ankle surgery in the spring, Giddey will have no restrictions at camp this fall. The star guard is primed for another big season as the Bulls' go-to playmaker, fresh off recording a career-high 17.0 points, 9.1 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game for Chicago in 2025-26.

Kings general manager Scott Perry said Monday that Hunter is healthy ahead of training camp, Frankie Cartoscelli of KHTK Sactown Sports 1140 reports.

Hunter appeared in only two regular-season games for Sacramento following his midseason arrival before undergoing season-ending surgery in February to repair a retinal detachment in his left eye. His return to full health clears the way for Hunter to participate in camp and compete for a significant role on the wing in his first full season with the Kings.

Beal (knee) will miss the start of training camp, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.

While Beal has recovered from hip surgery that cost him nearly all of last year, he's now dealing with knee inflammation. His status is in doubt for the preseason opener Sunday against the Warriors, but the veteran swingman's regular-season status doesn't sound to be in serious danger for now.

LaVine is healthy entering training camp, Kings general manager Scott Perry said Monday, Frankie Cartoscelli of KHTK Sactown Sports 1140 reports.

LaVine underwent season-ending surgery in February to repair a torn tendon in his right fifth finger, an injury that limited him to 39 regular-season appearances in 2025-26. He averaged 19.2 points per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from three, and his healthy status entering camp puts him on track to resume a prominent role in Sacramento's backcourt.