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Pelicans star F Zion Williamson (illness) scratched from opener

Wed Oct 23 8:47pm ET
Field Level Media

New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson missed Wednesday night's season opener against the visiting Chicago Bulls due to illness.

Williamson was scratched prior to the game when his illness didn't display improvement.

New Orleans coach Willie Green told reporters that Williamson was not at the arena.

Green was unsure whether Williamson will travel with the team for Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. That contest is the start of a four-game western swing.


Williamson, a two-time All-Star, played a career-best 70 games last season and averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and a career-high 5.0 assists. He appeared in just 114 games over his first four seasons due to an assortment of injuries.

Williamson, 24, has career averages of 24.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 184 games with New Orleans since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.

Player Notes
Grayson Allen Wed Oct 23 8:10pm

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (Achilles) is available ahead of Wednesday's season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers. Allen missed the entire preseason due to a lingering Achilles issue. However, Allen has been cleared to play, but it's uncertain how much time on the court he'll see in the opener. Allen figures to be one of the Suns primary reserves off the bench throughout the season. He should be able to carve out consistent playing time, but the Suns might ease him back into action for the first few games. Allen is more of a deep league option and is avoidable for DFS contests on Wednesday.

Scoot Henderson Wed Oct 23 8:00pm

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson is not part of the starting five during Wednesday's season opener against the Golden State Warriors. The expectation was that Henderson would start alongside Anfernee Simons in the backcourt. Instead, Simons will be the point guard while Toumani Camara serves as the shooting guard on Wednesday. The hope is that Henderson will get roughly 20 minutes of action off the bench. It seems a bit odd that the rebuilding Blazers have opted to have their former No. 3 overall selection come off the bench, but maybe things will change over time. Henderson is worth rostering in most formats, but isn't a must-start right now.

Jalen Williams Wed Oct 23 7:40pm

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (ankle) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Thursday's season opener against the Denver Nuggets. Williams suffered a left ankle sprain during a preseason contest against Atlanta and missed practice last week because of it. Despite that, Williams appears to be ready to go and should be in the starting five for Thursday's game. The 23-year-old averaged 19.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 31 minutes per game last season. He figures to start at power forward and be a viable fantasy option in most formats.

James Wiseman Wed Oct 23 7:40pm

Indiana Pacers center James Wiseman (calf) won't return during Wednesday's season opener against the Detroit Pistons. Wiseman limped off the court after suffering what looked to be a non-contact injury during the first half of Wednesday's game. This is bad news with Isaiah Jackson (groin) inactive for the season opener. That means, Obi Toppin could see big minutes during the second half of this contest. Wiseman finished with six points and one rebound in four minutes of action. The 23-year-old figures to be the primary backup to Jackson once both players are healthy. Until then, Toppin could be asked to play big minutes for Indiana.

Dejounte Murray Wed Oct 23 6:40pm

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (personal) will play on Wednesday against Chicago. He was away while dealing with a personal matter. However, the veteran was at shootaround on Wednesday and warmed up with the team, so fantasy managers had a feeling he'd be out there. Without Zion Williamson (illness) available, Murray could surge versus the Bulls. He'll also be a popular DFS option.

Jose Alvarado Wed Oct 23 6:40pm

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (knee) will suit up for Wednesday's matchup against the Bulls. He's been plagued by a right knee contusion and was listed as questionable. Fortunately, he's good to go. The Pelicans could certainly use him, considering the team will be without Zion Williamson (illness). As a result, Alvarado may see more minutes from off the bench, making him a viable fantasy option in any format.

Ben Simmons Wed Oct 23 6:30pm

Brooklyn Nets utility man Ben Simmons will start in Wednesday's matchup versus the Hawks. Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) will suit up. However, head coach Jordi Fernandez indicated he would be on a minutes restriction. Simmons struggled last season. Yet, there's no denying his triple-double upside, so he could easily surpass his fantasy expectations now that he's in the starting lineup.

Josh Green Wed Oct 23 6:30pm

Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Green (Achilles) won't play on Wednesday versus the Rockets. The 23-year-old is battling Achilles soreness and was initially listed as questionable. However, he won't be available, so his next chance to suit up will be on Friday versus Atlanta. Without Green in the mix, Cody Martin will likely take his spot in the rotation. The 2019 No. 36 overall pick was decent in 22 starts last season, averaging 7.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steals, giving him value to fantasy managers in deeper formats.

Dean Wade Wed Oct 23 6:10pm

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade will start in Wednesday's meeting with the Raptors. Max Strus (ankle) will be sidelined for at least four weeks, so Wade will do his best to fill the void in the lineup. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old averaged only 6.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 32 starts last season. With that in mind, fantasy managers shouldn't consider him a trustworthy option versus Toronto. Instead, Caris LeVert could exceed offensive expectations and is worth streaming, even though he'll come off the bench.

Eric Gordon Wed Oct 23 6:00pm

Philadelphia 76ers' guard Eric Gordon will start Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. The veteran signed a one-year deal with the 76ers in the off-season after spending last season in Phoenix, where he averaged 8.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists across 68 games. As the season progresses, the 35-year-old will provide a three-point scoring threat off the bench but will likely not be much of a fantasy factor.

Dejounte Murray Wed Oct 23 5:50pm

New Orleans Pelicans forward Dejounte Murray (personal) has been upgraded from questionable to probable for Wednesday's meeting with the Chicago Bulls. He was away from the team due to a personal matter, although he was spotted at shootaround on Wednesday and is currently warming up. Of course, anything can change, but it appears fantasy managers will have him in the lineup for opening night. With Zion Williamson (illness) out, Murray could exceed his fantasy expectations, especially on the scoring end.

Zion Williamson Wed Oct 23 5:40pm

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (illness) won't play against the Bulls on Wednesday. The 24-year-old has been under the weather, so fantasy managers already felt things were moving in this direction. However, he missed shootaround on Wednesday, which further solidified he wouldn't be good to go. Without Williamson in the lineup, Javonte Green may roll with the first five. But Dejounte Murray (personal), assuming he plays, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum will likely benefit the most.

Nicolas Claxton Wed Oct 23 5:40pm

Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) will play fewer minutes than usual in Wednesday's matchup versus the Hawks. The 25-year-old missed the entire preseason with a hamstring injury, so head coach Jordi Fernandez wants to play it safe. Still, Claxton is worth starting in all fantasy setups, even with a cap on his minutes. But with Day'Ron Sharpe (hamstring) sidelined, Noah Clowney could spend more time in the middle. There's also a chance the Nets go small, with Dorian Finney-Smith and Ben Simmons handling things underneath the basket.

Andre Drummond Wed Oct 23 5:30pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond will start on Wednesday night versus Milwaukee. Joel Embiid (knee) won't suit up for at least three games, so Drummond may see plenty of time in the middle for the foreseeable future. The 31-year-old was dominant in 10 starts with the Bulls last season, averaging 14.1 points, 17.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.1 steals. As a result, Drummond should be featured in any fantasy lineup imaginable. There's also room for Guerschon Yabusele to get involved enough to warrant starting consideration in deeper fantasy setups.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Wed Oct 23 5:30pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) will suit up for Wednesday's matchup with the 76ers. He has a case of Tendinitis. However, the veteran was listed as probable, so there wasn't much concern regarding his availability. With Khris Middleton (ankles) still sidelined, Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard should see even more looks at the basket. Fantasy managers already know he's a must-start. Yet, Antetokounmpo's fantasy potential is greater without Middleton on the floor.

Jalen Williams Wed Oct 23 5:20pm

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced on Wednesday that the Thunder had exercised their fourth-year contract option on guard/forward Jalen Williams (ankle). Williams started all 72 games he suited up for last season, averaging 19.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.13 steals in 31.3 minutes per contest. The 23-year-old has been named to the NBA Rising Stars team in the last two seasons, and he should be a force in fantasy for many years to come. Williams is listed as questionable for Thursday's regular-season opener versus Denver due to a left ankle sprain, but he has been practicing.

Ousmane Dieng Wed Oct 23 4:40pm

On Wednesday, Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced they had exercised their fourth-year contract option on forward Ousmane Dieng. Dieng has played 72 games in the past two seasons and averaged 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 13 minutes per contest. The 21-year-old had an excellent season in the G League in 2024 as he helped the Blue win their first Championship and was named G League Finals MVP.

Chet Holmgren Wed Oct 23 4:30pm

On Wednesday, Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced that the team had exercised its fourth-year contract option on forward/center Chet Holmgren. Last season, he received NBA All-Rookie First Team honors as he started 82 games. He also finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks in 29.4 minutes. The 22-year-old quietly filled the stat sheet last season, and he will also make a significant impact in fantasy for this year's campaign.

Sam Hauser Wed Oct 23 4:00pm

Boston Celtics small forward Sam Hauser is listed as questionable for tomorrow night's game against the Washington Wizards with lower back pain. Hauser was able to log 24 minutes in Tuesday night's thrashing of the New York Knicks and put up 10 points while going two-for-seven from deep. Those numbers are in line with what Hauser produced off the bench for Boston last season and aren't fully a beneficiary of garbage time. If Hauser is ruled out for tomorrow night's game, expect Xavier Tillman Sr. to get a bit more shooting volume at the forward position, though his scoring threats are more likely to happen in the interior rather than from deep. It's possible that Payton Pritchard may see more of an uptick in three point attempts to make up for Hauser's absence if he is indeed ruled out. Fantasy managers should target Pritchard over Tillman Sr. if there's a choice between the two.

Joel Embiid Wed Oct 23 3:40pm

The NBA is likely to investigate the Philadelphia 76ers later this week in regards to Joel Embiid's player participation. The Sixers rested their star center all preseason and plan to sit him for at least the first three games of the regular season, putting his potential season debut to be next Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons. It's generally a standard for the league to investigate teams any time a start player misses a nationally televised game as Wednesday's home opener against the Bucks will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. From Philadelphia's perspective, their plan is to keep Embiid healthy for the postseason. The big man has been nursing his left knee after tearing his meniscus in late January and is incredibly important to the Sixers' success. While Embiid rests his knee, Andre Drummond will be starting in his place. Drummond should be able to grab a significant amount of rebounds after averaging nine rebounds per game for the Chicago Bulls last season. Drummond will be a very solid fantasy option until Embiid returns to the lineup.