NBA Player News

Reed could have a hard time cracking San Antonio's Opening Night rotation.

Reed lines up as the Spurs' third-string center behind Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet in 2026-27. Jayden Quaintance's status for the start of his rookie season appears to be in serious doubt due to offseason knee surgery, but Reed is still likely to need an injury to either Wembanyama or Kornet in order to come into legitimate fantasy relevance.

Graves has an opportunity to battle for a reserve role during his rookie year with the Raptors.

Provided the league eventually makes the Kawhi Leonard trade official, Graves appears set to contend primarily with Jamison Battle for the backup role at small forward in 2026-27. The rookie first-rounder showed plenty of promise on both sides of the floor over four Summer League appearances, having averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers per game while shooting 50.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Mitchell is likely to serve as emergency depth for the Celtics in his rookie season.

Boston signed the St. John's product to one of its two-way roster spots after selecting him in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, which means the bulk of the forward's reps should come with the G League's Maine Celtics. The 22-year-old showed flashes during Summer League, averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game over his three appearances, and he notably enjoyed a six-steal performance during the July 12 win over Charlotte.

Cenac appears to be buried on the Celtics' depth chart ahead of his rookie season.

Boston signed Mitchell Robinson in free agency and still has Neemias Queta in the fold at center as well, likely leaving Cenac to fight for scraps with Luka Garza off the bench in 2026-27. Much like two-way player Amari Williams, Cenac's clearest path to steady action appears to be with the G League's Maine Celtics while the parent club is healthy.

Gonzalez has a chance to claim a larger role in 2026-27 after the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George.

Assuming Boston remains steadfast in keeping Payton Pritchard as its sixth man off the bench, the competition for the starting spot at shooting guard should come down to Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman. Gonzalez made only three starts to Scheierman's 20 last regular season, so the former is likely to need a standout training camp this fall to make inroads in the race for a spot in the first unit.

Beringer could play an expanded role in 2026-27 after the Timberwolves sent Naz Reid to the Hornets as part of the LaMelo Ball trade.

After logging just 7.9 minutes per game last regular season, the 2025 first-rounder is now slotting in as Minnesota's No. 2 center behind Rudy Gobert now that Reid is out of the frontcourt mix. Beringer dominated at times during the 2025-26 G League regular season, averaging 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 64.0 percent from the field.

Johnson enters his rookie campaign after Dallas selected him ninth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-9 forward showcased his upside during Summer League, including a 27-point, eight-rebound performance against Golden State and a four-block outing against the Lakers. Dallas' crowded frontcourt may prevent Johnson from immediately seeing major minutes, but his rebounding, defensive versatility and athleticism make him one of the Mavericks' most intriguing long-term prospects.

Martin enters 2026-27 as part of a crowded Dallas forward rotation, which could make consistent playing time difficult to secure.

The Mavericks currently have P.J. Washington, Santi Aldama, rookie Morez Johnson and Martin competing for opportunities at power forward. At the same time, several other wings can also slide between positions. Martin's experience and two-way versatility do give him some hope, but the competition for minutes limits his fantasy ceiling entering the season.

Enaruna enters his second NBA season after averaging 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists during his first regular-season campaign with Cleveland.

The 6-foot-7 forward remains a developmental option for the Cavaliers and participated with the club's Summer League team again this offseason. Enaruna will likely need injuries ahead of him to obtain enough playing time for meaningful fantasy production in 2026-27.

Tomlin enters his third NBA season looking to solidify his place in Cleveland's rotation after remaining on the fringes of the frontcourt during his first two campaigns.

The 6-foot-8 forward offers athleticism and defensive versatility but will face significant competition for minutes on a veteran Cavaliers roster. Unless Tomlin earns a more consistent role, he's unlikely to carry much fantasy relevance outside of deeper formats. Cleveland also included him on its 2026 Summer League roster.