New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (illness) is looking like a game-time decision ahead of Wednesday's season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Williamson missed Tuesday's practice and is currently considered day-to-day due to a minor illness. The good news is that this issue shouldn't be something that sidelines Williamson for long. This is obviously frustrating to see the oft-injured forward on the injury report already, but at least it's for something minor. Herbert Jones and Javonte Green figure to see more run if Williamson is unable to play. Jones is the much better fantasy option between the two, but fantasy managers will need to check back on Wednesday for another update.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (personal) is uncertain to suit up for Wednesday's season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Murray is currently away from the team due to a family emergency. Head coach Willie Green said the team was hopeful that Murray would return for a workout on Tuesday. It seems that Murray is trending towards a game-time decision ahead of Wednesday's game. Backup guard Jose Alvarado (knee) is listed as questionable for this game as well. CJ McCollum would likely be asked to be the primary ball handler if Murray sits out. Also, Jordan Hawkins and Antonio Reeves would see more minutes in the rotation.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (knee) is currently listed as questionable ahead of the season opener against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Alvarado is currently dealing with a right knee contusion that could possibly sideline him for Wednesday's game or longer. The 26-year-old figures to be the primary backup to Dejounte Murray (personal) who is also questionable for this game. The Pelicans could be in some trouble if both guards are unable to play. Jordan Hawkins or Antonio Reeves would be candidates for more minutes if Alvarado sits out. Hawkins is the more appealing option between the two, but there should be better streaming choices available.

Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (heel) has been ruled out for Wednesday's season opener against the Orlando Magic. Richardson saw his season come to an early end last year due to a shoulder issue. He appears to be finally over that, but now Richardson is dealing with a left heel injury. The 31-year-old will miss the season opener, but will hopefully be available for Saturday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Until then, Duncan Robinson and Alec Burks figure to see increased playing time. Neither of them are likely to see enough minutes to warrant rostering in most formats. Between the two, Robinson is the better fantasy option due to his ability to shoot from beyond the arc.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is currently listed as probable ahead of Wednesday's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. The superstar forward is dealing with tendinitis in his knee, but it isn't expected to sideline him for the season opener. It's obviously never good to see Antetokounmpo pop up on the injury report before a game is played. However, this doesn't sound like it's going to be an issue that is going to force him to miss time. Fantasy managers who took Antetokounmpo in the first-round of fantasy drafts should expect him to suit up on Wednesday.

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball (knee) will suit up for Wednesday's season opener versus the New Orleans Pelicans. After being sidelined with knee injuries, Ball saw action in the preseason for the first time since January 2022. The 26-year-old will most likely see minute restrictions despite playing well during the preseason. With limits in place for now, Ball will not make much of an impact in fantasy, as he will consistently play less than 20 minutes per contest.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (knee) will miss the team's regular-season opener against the Bucks Wednesday, per Shams Charania of ESPN. The 76ers will start the season with a depleted rotation as star center Joel Embiid (knee) is also out and will likely miss up to three games. George has been limited in practice and will be reevaluated later in the week. Expect Caleb Martin and Kelly Oubre Jr. to see more time on the court while the 34-year-old veteran is sidelined.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will be sidelined for Wednesday's regular-season opener versus the Milwaukee Bucks, and he will likely be out on Friday against the Raptors in Toronto, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The former MVP is expected to participate in scrimmages soon, but he could miss up to three games before being reevaluated, the 76ers announced. With the absence of Embiid, Andre Drummond will likely see an uptick in minutes early in the regular season.

According to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (calf) said he is ready to play Thursday in the season opener against the Spurs. Doncic missed all preseason with a left calf contusion, but the injury was considered minor. The 25-year-old also mentioned that his calf feels "perfect." Fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief as there should be no restrictions on Doncic for the Mavs first regular season contest.

Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Luke Kennard (foot) has been ruled out for at least the first week of the 2024-25 regular season by head coach Taylor Jenkins. Kennard is battling foot soreness sustained during preseason action last week. Memphis has three games scheduled for the first week, starting with a matchup against Utah on Wednesday. John Konchar could see more time on the court in Kennard's absence, although the Grizzlies have their regular backcourt healthy for the start of the season, leaving the bench guys with few opportunities to make an impact.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Vince Williams Jr. (shin) has been ruled out for the start of the season. According to Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, Williams Jr. is "a couple of weeks away" from being ready to play. The 24-year-old is recovering from a shin stress reaction. Once he's healthy again, Williams Jr. will be leading the second unit. He did most of his damage as a starter last year, so Williams Jr.'s fantasy stock will be lower in 2024-25 unless Memphis starts losing its key guys to injuries again. Jake LaRavia and John Konchar should handle Williams Jr.'s minutes until he's ready to return. Neither player is a good fantasy option.

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (ankle) was able to practice on Monday. He exited Chicago's preseason finale against Cleveland with an ankle injury, but it looks like it wasn't anything serious. Williams also battled a wrist injury during the preseason. However, as of right now, Williams should be expected to be in the lineup for Wednesday's season opener against New Orleans. The 23-year-old is set to begin the campaign as a starter, and fantasy managers could get some decent value out of him. Last season, Williams averaged 11.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.9 steals in 30 games as a member of the first unit.

Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) is trending in the right direction and is expected to play in Wednesday's season opener against Atlanta. Claxton missed the preseason due to a hamstring issue but has had a chance to rehab the injury for a few weeks now and should be good to go on Wednesday. Claxton averaged 10.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks against the Hawks a season ago and could have even more fun on Wednesday night, as Atlanta's bigs have been troubled by health issues. Clint Capela (ankle) was hurt near the end of preseason, and Onyeka Okongwu missed most of the preseason action while recovering from a toe procedure, making only one 16-minute appearance.

Los Angeles Lakers power forward Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) isn't ready to play in Tuesday's season opener against the Timberwolves. After having procedures done on both feet in May, there was hope a week ago that Vanderbilt would be ready for the start of the regular season, but he still needs more time to recover. He will sit out at least the first five games before being re-evaluated. This is a bitter blow for Vanderbilt after he already missed most of last season because of health issues. Due to his absence, Rui Hachimura has had an opportunity to lock down a starting role. He posted 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds as a starter last season.

Los Angeles Lakers center Christian Koloko (illness) will sit out Tuesday's season opener against Minnesota. Following a bout with blood clots, Koloko isn't yet ready to play. The Cameroonian big man was brought in on a two-way contract last month. He adds an extra frontcourt option to the Lakers but isn't expected to play a big role for the team, and it appears likely that Koloko will spend most of the campaign in the G League.

Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy agreed to a three-year, $18 million contract extension with the team. The 22-year-old has spent his first two seasons in the league with the Mavs, averaging 7.9 points and shooting 37.9% from behind the arc. Although Hardy gives Dallas a reliable bench option, he'll likely have a tough time entering any fantasy lineups this season. However, if Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving miss time during the 2024-25 campaign, which will likely happen, Hardy has streaming potential.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon agreed to a four-year, $133 million contract extension with the club. The deal includes a player option in 2028-29. There were questions when this would happen. However, the team made the deal on the eve of the start of the NBA season. The 29-year-old has been instrumental to the Nuggets' success over the years, most recently averaging 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 2023-24. As long as Gordon remains healthy, he'll see more than enough minutes to be at least a top-50 fantasy asset at the position in points leagues. But his shooting from behind the arc will compromise his desirability in category formats.

The Pistons picked up the third-year team option on guard Marcus Sasser on Monday. The 24-year-old had a decent rookie campaign in 2023-24, averaging 8.3 points and 3.3 assists (13.1 points and 4.7 assists in 11 starts). While he'll come off the bench, there is potential for some starts this season, considering Cade Cunningham has had issues staying healthy over the years. For now, Sasser shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a dynasty stash.

The Pistons picked up the third-year team option on Ausar Thompson (illness) on Monday. Thompson, selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. However, he shot a rough 18.6% from behind the arc. Even worse, a blood clot ended his season abruptly. As of now, it's hard to justify Thompson taking up a spot on fantasy rosters, considering he is without a timetable regarding his return. Still, he's worth monitoring. But until he returns, the team could look to Tim Hardaway Jr. and Simone Fontecchio to fill the void in the lineup, with the latter having a higher ceiling for fantasy managers.

The Pistons exercised the fourth-year option on center Jalen Duren on Monday. The 20-year-old averaged a double-double last season (13.8 points, 11.6 rebounds). He also significantly improved his free-throw percentage from his rookie campaign. While the franchise sees potential in Duren, he hasn't logged more than 67 games in each of his first two seasons in the National Basketball Association. Fantasy managers should keep that in mind, although he'll be a consistent fantasy performer whenever he's on the floor during the 2024-25 campaign.