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Miami Heat guard/forward Klay Thompson is the clear front-runner to open the season at shooting guard, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, though Erik Spoelstra is expected to hold a preseason competition. The 36-year-old made 202 threes at a 38.3 percent clip on 7.6 attempts per game with Dallas last season despite averaging just 11.7 points. His shooting gives Miami needed spacing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, but his fantasy appeal remains fairly narrow at this stage of his career. If Thompson wins the job, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson would likely come off the bench, while Thompson would mainly help fantasy managers in the three-point category with limited contributions elsewhere.

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (knee) will not play in back-to-backs initially this season, head coach Ime Udoka said Tuesday. The good news is that VanVleet "looks good" and is taking part in full-contact, five-on-five work as he returns from the torn ACL that cost him all of 2025-26. The 32-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 37.8 percent shooting in his last healthy season. Reed Sheppard should have more opportunities to handle the offense whenever VanVleet rests, while Marcus Smart gives Houston another veteran option in the backcourt.

Forward James Johnson is returning to the Indiana Pacers on a training camp deal, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. The IndyStar reports that the contract is a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal. The 39-year-old sat out the 2025-26 season after appearing in just 39 games across three previous seasons with Indiana, averaging 6.3 minutes. Johnson remains valued more for his veteran presence than his on-court production. Indiana is only about $2.2 million below the first apron, and keeping Johnson on a veteran minimum deal would cost roughly $2.4 million against the cap. That makes his chances of sticking on the opening-night roster slim, and he remains off the fantasy radar.

The Miami Heat have claimed guard Bez Mbeng off waivers from the Charlotte Hornets and intend to sign him to an Exhibit 10 contract for training camp, according to the Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang. Mbeng spent much of last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce before earning a late-season call-up with Utah, where he averaged 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.3 steals in 15 games. He also posted a 27-point triple-double against Memphis in April. Mbeng's defensive activity is intriguing, but his 19.4 percent shooting from three remains a concern. With Miami's camp roster at 19 players, another stint in Sioux Falls looks like the most realistic path.

The Charlotte Hornets are trading forward Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks for guard/forward Buddy Hield, guard Ryan Nembhard, and cash considerations, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Finney-Smith gives Atlanta another veteran frontcourt option while Mouhamed Gueye (foot) continues working back from July surgery. The 33-year-old struggled after returning from left ankle surgery last season, averaging 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.8 minutes across 37 games with Houston while shooting just 27.0 percent from three. He'll need to regain his outside shot and carve out steady minutes before becoming much of a fantasy option.

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard has agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Sportsnet's Blake Murphy reports that Leonard took about $11 million less than the maximum after also waiving roughly $7.44 million in trade bonus money when he returned to Toronto. The 35-year-old is coming off a career-best 27.9 points per game with the Clippers, along with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals across 65 appearances. Playing alongside Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley could cut into his shot volume, but Leonard should remain a strong fantasy contributor if he can stay on the floor.

The Atlanta Hawks are trading guard Ryan Nembhard to the Charlotte Hornets alongside guard/forward Buddy Hield and cash in exchange for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk reports that Charlotte is expected to waive Nembhard following the deal. The 23-year-old never appeared for Atlanta after arriving in the three-team trade involving Luguentz Dort this summer. Nembhard averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 assists across 60 games with Dallas last season, including 27 starts, while shooting 35.6 percent from three. Where he ends up next will play a big role in whether he can get enough minutes to matter in fantasy.

The Atlanta Hawks are trading guard/forward Buddy Hield, guard Ryan Nembhard, and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Hield appeared in only seven games for Atlanta after arriving from Golden State at the trade deadline and averaged a career-low 7.6 points across 51 games last season. Charlotte already has plenty of perimeter options, including Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Coby White, Grayson Allen, and Dennis Schroder, so consistent minutes could be tough to find. Hield's main fantasy appeal remains his ability to provide three-point shooting when given enough run.

The Golden State Warriors are signing forward/center Graham Ike to a two-year, two-way contract, according to Luca Evans of the San Francisco Chronicle. The former Gonzaga big man averaged 10.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 21.2 minutes across nine Summer League games while helping Golden State win the Las Vegas title. Ike is set to take the Warriors' final two-way spot alongside LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons. His physical interior game gives Golden State another developmental option up front, but much of his playing time should come with Santa Cruz unless injuries open NBA minutes.

Toronto Raptors guard Malachi Smith will have his Exhibit 10 training-camp contract converted to a two-way deal, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The spot opened after Toronto moved Jaden Bradley to a standard contract. Smith averaged 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 23.9 minutes across 15 games with Brooklyn last season, shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from three. Those numbers make him an appealing depth option. Still, with Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead ahead of him in the backcourt and Kawhi Leonard occupying perimeter minutes, Smith could spend plenty of time with Raptors 905 unless injuries create a larger role.

The Toronto Raptors converted guard Jaden Bradley's two-way contract into a four-year, $9.3 million standard deal, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. Only the first season is guaranteed. Bradley, the No. 50 pick in June, won Big 12 Player of the Year at Arizona after averaging 13.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals as a senior. He struggled offensively in Summer League, averaging 6.4 points and 3.0 turnovers on 32.4 percent shooting across five games. With Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead ahead of him in the rotation, Bradley may have a tough time carving out enough minutes to matter in fantasy right away.

Atlanta Hawks center Henri Veesaar (knee) suffered a torn ACL during a Sept. 15 workout and is expected to miss the 2026-27 season, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The 22-year-old will undergo surgery in October after joining Atlanta via a draft-night trade for the No. 52 pick. Veesaar averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks at North Carolina while shooting 42.6 percent from deep. His absence leaves Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale atop Atlanta's center depth chart, while Zuby Ejiofor could see more opportunity with Mouhamed Gueye (foot) also recovering.

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren remains at an impasse with the team despite Detroit increasing its offer to five years and $200 million, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Charania added that Duren's attendance at media day and training camp is "highly up in the air and questionable." The 22-year-old earned his first All-Star selection and All-NBA Third Team honors after averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65.0 percent shooting last season. If the standoff carries into camp, Paul Reed would be positioned for increased center minutes, with John Collins also capable of absorbing more frontcourt work.

Boston Celtics guard Mike Conley is already working closely with Payton Pritchard, including regular one-on-one sessions and conversations about scoring reads, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive. The 38-year-old signed a one-year deal with Boston after averaging career lows of 4.5 points and 2.9 assists in 18.4 minutes across 54 games with Minnesota. Conley is expected to play a complementary role while providing another ball handler behind Pritchard and Derrick White. His own fantasy ceiling is limited, but the veteran guidance could benefit Pritchard as he looks to build on career highs of 17.0 points and 5.2 assists.

Free-agent forward/center Montrezl Harrell completed a post-practice workout with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Houston Rockets' G-League affiliate, on Sept. 12 as he continues his NBA comeback attempt. Harrell told Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson that the session with the coaching staff "went really well." The 32-year-old hasn't played in the NBA since 2022-23 but stayed active this year, averaging 17.3 points for Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rico and setting a BIG3 single-game record with 42 points. Harrell still believes his rim-running and screen-setting can translate, but there is no contract on the table yet. For now, the workout is simply another step toward getting back into the league.

The Charlotte Hornets have waived guard Bez Mbeng, the team announced Sunday. Charlotte signed the former Ivy League Player of the Year to an Exhibit 10 deal earlier this month after he finished last season with Utah. Mbeng averaged 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.3 steals in 32.8 minutes across 15 NBA appearances, but his shooting remains a concern after hitting 19.4 percent from three and 64.0 percent at the line. With Coby White, Dennis Schroder, and Kon Knueppel already in Charlotte's guard rotation, Mbeng faced a tough path to minutes. His steals remain intriguing, but he needs another NBA opportunity before entering the fantasy conversation.

Sacramento Kings guard/forward Zach LaVine (hand) is looking for a bounce-back season after undergoing surgery on his right pinky finger in February. LaVine told Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints that his standards remain "extremely high" while acknowledging that his exact role is still taking shape. The 31-year-old averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 39 games last season while shooting 39.0 percent from three. No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. adds another ballhandler to Sacramento's mix, so LaVine's usage is worth watching in camp. His scoring and efficiency should remain useful if he keeps a prominent offensive role.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Joan Beringer is positioned for a larger role behind Rudy Gobert after Naz Reid was traded to Charlotte. Head coach Chris Finch told Britt Robson of MinnPost that the 19-year-old still needs to control his aggressiveness and avoid taking himself out of plays. Beringer averaged 3.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 7.9 minutes as a rookie but flashed more upside in the G-League, posting 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. The opportunity is there for more minutes, though Finch's comments suggest his workload could fluctuate while he adjusts to a bigger role.

Free-agent center Dwight Powell is expected to receive a formal training camp invitation from the Dallas Mavericks, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The 35-year-old joined the Kyrie Irving-led minicamp in Los Angeles this week after averaging 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 14.3 minutes across 63 games last season. Dallas already has 15 players on standard contracts, leaving Powell without a clear path to the opening-night roster. The Mavericks also have Daniel Gafford, Santi Aldama (knee), Moussa Cisse, and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. in the frontcourt, while Dereck Lively II (foot) works back from surgery. Powell carries little fantasy appeal, while Lively's recovery is the bigger situation to watch in camp.

Portland Trail Blazers guard/forward Vit Krejci will enter training camp as a contender for the backup wing role, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. The 26-year-old's contract is only partially guaranteed until opening night, adding some stakes to the competition. Krejci shot 42.3 percent from three across 46 games with Atlanta last season before slipping to 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 19.2 minutes after joining Portland. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara remain established ahead of him, but Krejci's shooting and playmaking could earn him a place in the rotation. For fantasy purposes, Krejci needs to rediscover the three-point shooting he showed in Atlanta before he can become a reliable option.