Philadelphia 76ers guard Paul George won't play in Monday's exhibition against New Zealand. Head coach Nick Nurse didn't specify why. But it's safe to assume the team will take it easy on the veteran to preserve his health for the regular season. While Nurse indicated everyone else would be available except Joel Embiid, guys like Tyrese Maxey, Kyle Lowry, and Kelly Oubre Jr. will likely see limited action. Instead, Jared McCain, Ricky Council IV, Guerschon Yabusele, and Adem Bona could spend extra time on the floor versus the Breakers.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann will slot into the starting lineup for the team's second preseason game on Tuesday. Head coach Ty Lue said that he will be taking Kris Dunn's spot in the starting lineup and they'll see how he meshes with some of the starters. Kawhi Leonard (knee) hasn't been cleared for game action yet, so the other starters based on the previous game look like James Harden, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr., and Ivica Zubac. Mann will probably receive plenty of opportunities this season whether it's as a starter or bench player, but the Clippers have some room to experiment with lineups.

Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford (hamstring) had a strained hamstring confirmed on Monday at the same time that teammate Day'Ron Sharpe (hamstring) received confirmation for a more severe hamstring strain. Watford is expected to be re-evaluated in two weeks compared to the six-week timeline that Sharpe received. The center and power forward spots are where the Nets are the thinnest, so Watford will likely receive added opportunities when he returns. For now, Noah Clowney and Ben Simmons will probably see some added minutes in the preseason along with Ziaire Williams.

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (hamstring) was confirmed to have suffered a strained hamstring and the team will re-evaluate his progress in six weeks. In unofficial depth charts, Sharpe projected to be the backup center to Nicolas Claxton, but while Sharpe rehabs his hamstring, Noah Clowney is likely to receive more opportunities. The Nets are in the middle of a rebuild, and they lack a lot of depth at center. Sharpe would have seen an uptick in minutes this season, but his status is now in doubt for the beginning of the season. He appeared in 61 games for Brooklyn last season and averaged 6.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) suffered an apparent lower leg injury during the Monday afternoon preseason game against the Orlando Magic and was helped off to the locker room as he was in obvious pain. According to Brett Siegel, the big man suffered a sprained left ankle and will not return to the game. Carter showed a lot of frustration at the time of the injury as well. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old has had very bad luck with injuries throughout his six-year career. Some more information should come out about his injury when they're able to do some more tests. He finished Monday's game with four points, six rebounds, and one steal across 20 minutes.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) underwent a procedure on his right knee in May after he was able to only play two games in their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. Leonard said that the knee is feeling "good" right now and "We're just taking it slow, day by day and just trying to get me back on the floor." The Clippers are understandably taking a cautious approach after trading away Paul George and putting the weight of the team on James Harden and Leonard's shoulders. His health has been the trickiest part of the situation ever since he joined the Clippers in 2019. This past season, Leonard played in 68 games, which is his highest mark since the 2016-17 season when he was still with the San Antonio Spurs. Every time he's on the floor, he proves why the Clippers wanted him in the first place, but his injury status is something to constantly monitor.

Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler is back in trade discussions as the young big man heads into the third season of his career. According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, the Jazz are seeking at least two first-round picks in exchange for Kessler. With two first-rounders as a starting price, the trade discussions haven't seemed to get too far. The New York Knicks were one of the teams that had some serious interest until they made an "all-in" move when they traded for Karl-Anthony Towns. Outside of the Knicks, the phone lines have been pretty dry. On unofficial depth charts, Kessler is listed as the first center off of the bench, but the Jazz drafted Kyle Filipowski and added Drew Eubanks in the off-season.

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (shoulder) was forced to exit the team's preseason contest against the Washington Wizards on Sunday with an apparent shoulder contusion and was held out for the rest of the game as a precaution. Barrett was hit by a defender fighting through a screen and immediately went to the locker room to get his shoulder checked out. There hasn't been any official word on what the injury is just yet, so it seems like it's being labeled a "contusion" at the moment. Barrett finished Sunday's game with 17 points, two rebounds, two assists, and three turnovers on 7-for-10 shooting and 3-for-4 from downtown.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (elbow) left Sunday's preseason game with an elbow injury after 13 minutes of playing time. Trent looked to be in a lot of pain as he was escorted to the locker room, and the team confirmed that it was a hyperextension. A timetable for his return hasn't come out just yet as they're likely still running some tests and seeing how he feels, but a hyperextension could force a few weeks of missed time. Trent just joined the Bucks over the offseason to essentially replace Malik Beasley, so his status will be important when the beginning of the season rolls around.

Los Angeles Clippers forward P.J. Tucker is away from the team right now as a mutually agreed situation while the team decides how to move forward with the former NBA Champ. Tucker expressed frustration with his role on the team last season and it looks like that hasn't been resolved heading into training camp and the preseason. Both sides agreed to take some time apart while the Clippers decide if they can trade him. Tucker has an $11.5 million price tag for this season after opting into the option, so teams haven't been very interested in his level of contribution for such a high price. The new tax aprons further complicate things, so it may be a while until we see Tucker on the court again.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram will not play in the team's first preseason game on Monday against the Orlando Magic. Head coach Willie Green confirmed that this decision is not injury related, it was actually a "collective decision" that he wouldn't play. At this point, it seems like it's more of a game to get a feel for some of the others on the team. There could be an underlying story here, but there haven't been any reports or rumors to suggest that right now. On unofficial depth charts, Ingram is still listed as a starting forward, but he's been the center of trade rumors for a couple of seasons now. His status will be something to monitor going into their second game on Friday.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to suit up for the preseason opener on Sunday. Towns was traded to the Knicks in the end of September and is likely to make his team debut here. Head coach Tom Thibodeau said he plans on playing his starters, but didn't say how long they'd play. It's unlikely he pushes his starter too hard in an exhibition game, but at least Knicks fans will get to see their first taste of Towns.

Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (hand) suffered an injury on his shooting hand during Saturday's practice. Wizards' head coach Brian Keefe says that Brogdon is headed back to D.C. to get testing done on his hand. That being said, Brogdon won't be available for Sunday's preseason matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The team is likely going to be cautious with the oft-injured guard, so it wouldn't be shocking for him to miss some time. Hopefully this is a minor issue as Brogdon was expected to take on a significant role in the Wizards rotation this upcoming season.

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (thumb) won't play in Sunday's preseason matchup with the Wizards. The former Knick played well after being acquired by the Raptors ahead of the trade deadline last season, averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 39.5% shooting from behind the arc. As such, the team hopes to keep him on the floor throughout the 2024-25 campaign, so it's unknown how much action he'll see during the preseason. With Scottie Barnes (rest) and Bruce Brown (knee) out, the door is open for guys like Ochai Agbaji, Davion Mitchell, and Jonathan Mogbo to get more minutes against Washington.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (shoulder) suffered a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder. As a result, he's expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. The 21-year-old averaged a career-high 15.9 points last season. However, he was limited to 32 games due to an abdominal injury, so the latest update on his health isn't ideal. Unfortunately, it's hard to justify him earning a spot in most fantasy formats to begin the 2024-25 campaign, especially since he was expected to come off the bench. With that in mind, Sharpe is worth monitoring throughout the year in case an injury to Anfernee Simons or Deni Avdija allows him to rejoin the starting unit.

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (finger) won't play in Sunday's exhibition against the Lakers. According to head coach Mike Budenholzer, the big man injured his left middle finger during scrimmage. It's unknown how severe the injury is. However, Nurkic will be re-evaluated in a week, meaning he could miss the entire preseason. The 30-year-old played well enough in 2023-24 to justify his presence in fantasy lineups, averaging a double-double (10.9 points, 11.0 rebounds) with 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals. Without him, Mason Plumlee would be in line to start, although Bol Bol and Royce O'Neale can play bigger if necessary.

Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis is expected to play in Sunday's preseason clash with the Suns. The 31-year-old didn't play on Friday night versus the Timberwolves to rest. However, he'll likely see limited action in his first exhibition of the year. Davis had a stellar 2023-24 campaign, averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.3 blocks. He also logged a career-high 76 games. Although Davis' percentage from deep isn't the best, he still has plenty to offer fantasy managers in any format. As far as Sunday's contest is concerned, Davis' presence against Phoenix could mean less work for Jaxson Hayes, who had 14 points in 21 minutes with the starting lineup on Friday.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James plans to play in Sunday's exhibition versus the Suns. The veteran didn't suit up for the Lakers' preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, James will get on the floor for this one, although he'll likely see limited action. With that said, his presence could still mean fewer minutes for others, especially Dalton Knecht, who is coming off a 16-point performance on Friday.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (rest) won't play in Sunday's preseason matchup with the Washington Wizards. The 23-year-old is healthy. However, he recently rejoined the team after missing a few days of training camp due to a personal issue, so he's not ready to get on the floor. Despite missing time due to a hand injury, Barnes had the best season of his career in 2023-24, averaging 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals. His shooting percentages have also improved. As such, he has All-Star potential in 2024-25, so fantasy managers should draft him accordingly. Bruce Brown (knee) and Immanuel Quickley (thumb) will also sit this one out, so there's a good chance guys like Ochai Agbaji, Jonathan Mogbo, and Ulrich Chomche could benefit from a fantasy standpoint.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart is reportedly on the New York Knicks' radar. It's unknown how serious New York is about acquiring the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. It's also not clear how the Knicks would orchestrate such a move, considering the financial ramifications. However, Smart has a lot to offer any club that has him on the roster. Besides his defensive prowess, Smart is known for his leadership in the locker room. The 30-year-old is also capable offensively, averaging 10.7 points over the years, including a career-high 14.5 points in 2023-24, his first season in Memphis. Unfortunately, Smart has had issues staying healthy, logging 61 games or fewer in six of his 10 seasons since entering the league in 2014. It's important to note that other teams were rumored to be interested in Smart in the last few months, but nothing came of it. With that in mind, Smart's offensive ceiling would presumably decrease in New York, especially since the team features Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges, among others.