According to NBA insider Grant Afseth, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is expected to move into the starting lineup this season, with Anfernee Simons anticipated to be used as a "high-scoring option off the bench." The Celtics are projected to take a step back, with superstar Jayson Tatum (Achilles) in line to miss the entire season. The team also traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday during the offseason. As a result, Pritchard appears to be getting a chance to roll with the first five moving ahead. The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 14.3 points throughout the 2025 campaign, earning him a Sixth Man of the Year award. He also amassed 21.7 points in three starts. All things considered, Pritchard might very well be entering what could be the best year of his career. He's an excellent shooter from behind the arc, and he's only missed two games in the last two seasons. Pritchard's ceiling should rise even more if Jaylen Brown, who has struggled with injuries over the years, misses time.

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant is poised to significantly enhance the team's title hopes in 2025-26. But the leadership in Houston reportedly isn't interested in offering him a maximum contract extension. "Certainly, I think both sides want that to be more than a one-year window," ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday. "But it's not going to be a max extension. If that was the priority for Kevin Durant, it would have been done in conjunction with the trade and he probably wouldn't have ended up in Houston." The veteran superstar is entering the final season of a four-year, $198 million deal. He is currently eligible to sign a two-year, $118 million extension. MacMahon added that Houston's priority at the moment is to extend Tari Eason.

Power forward Isaiah Mobley has moved to Europe for the season, signing a deal with Manisa Basket in Turkey. Manisa joined the Turkish championship just a few years ago, so this is quite a coup for the team. Mobley will pause his NBA career after making 23 appearances in the league. Following a couple of campaigns with his brother Evan in Cleveland, Mobley suited up once for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25. He's made minimal impact as a player in the Association, averaging 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes. Mobley has done well in the G League, though, posting 18.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for his career.

Forward Cole Swider has inked a deal with Turkish team Anadolu Efes for the upcoming campaign. Anadolu Efes, which won consecutive EuroLeague titles in 2021 and 2022, picked up Swinder following a standout G League season. The 26-year-old averaged 20.7 points with 44.3 percent shooting from three-point range and grabbed 5.9 rebounds. In the NBA, Swinder was limited to 10 outings with the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. The sharpshooter from Rhode Island has also seen time on the court with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, averaging 3.1 points in 35 career NBA appearances.

Shooting guard Ethan Thompson will join the Miami Heat for training camp, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. The 26-year-old has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, meaning Miami now has 18 of its 21 preseason roster spots filled. Thompson, who went undrafted in 2021, is looking to finally break into the NBA after a productive season with the Osceola Magic in the G League. Across 31 regular-season appearances, Thompson averaged 18.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, shooting 39.1 percent from downtown. The Heat had one of the lowest three-point percentages in the NBA last season, so Thompson could definitely help the team improve in that aspect.

Point guard Jason Preston has signed a training camp deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.com. The 26-year-old will try to earn a roster spot in the NBA after missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with a calf strain. Preston started his pro career with the Clippers in 2022-23 and has also suited up for the Utah Jazz, making 21 total career appearances. The former Ohio Bobcat hasn't seen any success at this level so far, averaging only 2.5 points and 2.0 assists in 9.3 minutes. However, Preston has been impressive in the G League, notching 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta has a big season coming up, during which he's likely to take on a much bigger role than in previous years. He is focused on improving in 2025-26. "Obviously, I think it's making sure I get in great shape," the Portuguese big man said in an interview with CLNS Media's Bobby Manning. "Go out there and make elite decisions with the ball in my hands and making sure I get great finishes this year. I also want to raise up my free throw attempts this year." Queta added that he's also trying to improve his 62.7 career free-throw percentage and is "always" working on three-point shooting. Boston is expected to use Queta as its starting center in the new season, which will significantly increase his fantasy value.

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons remains in limbo regarding his future. Sources have told Grant Afseth of FastbreakJournal.com that Boston is having trouble finding a trade partner for Simons' expiring $27.6 million contract. Simons signed a $100 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022 and has been productive during the contract, but it appears he currently doesn't have enough trade value on the market. It's happened after a season in which Simons led Portland in scoring with 19.3 points per game and ranked second in assists with 3.8. According to Afseth, Simons "remains a trade candidate to monitor."

Milwaukee Bucks guard Cole Anthony wants to battle for the NBA championship in the upcoming campaign. "I look at it as a great opportunity to enter another team where they have a playoff pedigree and a championship pedigree," Anthony told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. "They've won a 'chip there. I just want to get in there, contribute and do whatever I can for the team. I want to be a part of winning." Anthony is likely to have a decent role with the Bucks, whether as a starter or not, and should provide at least low-tier fantasy value. Over his career, he has averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, despite only starting 125 of 320 games.

Forward Kessler Edwards has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets. Per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette, the 25-year-old signed an Exhibit 10 contract. Edwards, who was drafted in the second round in 2021, has already joined his fourth NBA team. In the past season, he featured in 40 games with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.2 minutes. Edwards was able to improve his numbers to 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 18 outings as a starter. His production isn't good enough to warrant attention from fantasy managers.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal is looking forward to playing for a new team in 2025. "I feel like I've got a new life of rejuvenation," said Beal during a recent interview. "I'm excited about the opportunity, new city, a new environment." Beal was once a top performer in the National Basketball Association. His best season was in 2020, when he averaged a career-high 31.3 points with the Washington Wizards. Unfortunately, Beal's production has significantly decreased ever since, with the 32-year-old most recently amassing 17.0 points with the Suns throughout the 2024 campaign. He's also struggled to remain on the floor, logging 60 games or fewer in the last six seasons. Beal, who signed a two-year deal with the Clippers this offseason after getting bought out by Phoenix, is a bounce-back candidate. However, he'll need to stay off the injury report.

According to an anonymous NBA scout, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic appears to be in fantastic shape. "Man, he looks incredible," said the scout, who watched Doncic during a recent EuroBasket friendly contest. "He's quicker and more explosive. He's getting by people more easily. I think he's on a mission, man. I think he's gonna win MVP and the scoring title next season." The multi-time All-Star has reportedly focused on his diet and conditioning throughout the offseason, resulting in a dramatic weight loss. He spent his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks before surprisingly being dealt to the Lakers ahead of last season's deadline. Doncic played as well as expected, averaging 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.8 steals in 28 regular-season games for Los Angeles. The 26-year-old is still in search of his first MVP award. He's also on the hunt for an NBA championship. With that in mind, Doncic has a good chance of accomplishing both before calling it a career. However, he'll need to stay healthy, which has been an issue over the years. As far as his fantasy stock is concerned, he's arguably still the No. 1 option available in any format heading into the 2025 campaign, although Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are also in the conversation.

Forward/center Kai Jones had a workout for the Miami Heat on Monday, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports. Jones is an unrestricted free agent. He's had a turbulent journey in the NBA since entering the league in 2021 as a first-round pick. After skipping the entire 2023-24 campaign, Jones signed with the Los Angeles Clippers last season and also spent time with the Dallas Mavericks. Over 40 appearances, Jones averaged 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.7 minutes. If he signs with the Heat, Jones would bolster the team's frontcourt depth but isn't expected to be a factor in fantasy basketball.

Point guard Russell Westbrook is expected to end up with the Sacramento Kings for the start of the new season. ESPN's Tim MacMahon reports that league sources consider Sacramento the most likely destination for the former MVP. Westbrook became an unrestricted free agent this offseason after declining a $3.47 million player option to return to the Denver Nuggets. While Westbrook is way past his peak, he can still make plenty of noise in the right circumstances. Last season, the 36-year-old veteran averaged 15.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.7 steals in 38 starts with the Nuggets. His fantasy production might be limited in Sacramento, as Westbrook is seen as Dennis Schroder's backup.

Forward/center Al Horford is still without a contract but is expected to sign with the Golden State Warriors for the upcoming campaign. Sources have told ESPN's Anthony Slater that retirement remains an option for the 39-year-old big man, but the Warriors see him as "a firm part of their plan" in 2025-26. Horford looks like a good fit for the Warriors and is likely to occupy the starting center's role. In Boston, Horford started only 75 of 125 games over the last two seasons. A regular starting role would boost his fantasy outlook, but since he doesn't play in back-to-backs, Horford can't be relied on as a nightly option.

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has a two-year contract offer on the table from the team, but he is reportedly leaning toward accepting a $7.9 million qualifying offer. Sources told ESPN's Anthony Slater that "Kuminga has indicated to those close to him" that he finds the qualifying offer more appealing than the team's contract offer. The Warriors have tried to secure his signature with a two-year, $45 million deal, which includes a team option for the second year and does not have an inherent no-trade clause. Meanwhile, Kuminga is seeking a three-year, $82 million pact. He has until Oct. 1 to accept the qualifying offer.

The Boston Celtics waived forward Miles Norris on Sunday. Norris was released from his two-way contract to make room for RJ Luis Jr., who was acquired on Tuesday. He spent 2024-25 in the G League, playing in over 44 games between the Maine Celtics and Memphis Hustle. The 25-year-old averaged 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steals across 30.5 minutes per contest during his appearances. With just three career NBA games under his belt, Norris will hope to land a contract elsewhere before training camp this fall.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Detroit Pistons signed forward Javonte Green to a one-year deal on Monday. Last campaign, Green saw action in 50 regular-season games with the Pelicans and 18 with the Cavaliers. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 blocks and 1.0 steals across 18.5 minutes per contest. The 32-year-old could find himself out of the Pistons' rotation at times, having to compete with Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Duncan Robinson, Ronald Holland II and Caris LeVert for minutes.

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey is still seeking a new contract that will pay him an average of $30 million per season, but the team doesn't quite agree with that figure. According to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer, the Bulls are standing firm at $20 million per season. Their last offer came in at $80 million over four years, but Giddey and his team didn't seem to budge. He remains a restricted free agent, so the Bulls ultimately have control, but some other teams have shown interest. As of right now, the Brooklyn Nets are the only team that has the cap space to offer Giddey what he wants. In his first year with Chicago, the former sixth-overall pick averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.9 turnovers per game.

San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (calf) recently injured his calf while training with Poland's national team for the upcoming EuroBasket competition. The Polish Basketball Federation has announced that this will keep the 22-year-old out of it altogether. The good news, however, is that Sochan is headed back to San Antonio for treatment and does not expect to miss training camp for this coming season. Last year, Sochan appeared in 54 games and averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 turnovers per game while shooting 53.5% from the floor and 30.8% from deep.