Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond has named himself the best rebounder ever and believes he has a good shot at making the Hall of Fame. "I used to play 40-plus minutes. I was a star -- All-Star, All-NBA, I've done it. Hall of Fame candidate, best rebounder ever ... I'm the best ever," Drummond said on The Comfortable Pod. "I've done great in my career. I think I have a chance to be a Hall of Fame player due to what I've done in my career. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm in the top 20 for being in the Hall of Fame, so I have a great chance." During his 11-year career, Drummond has led the NBA in rebounding four times and is the league's all-time leader in rebounding percentage with 24.85 percent. He's a two-time All-Star and was named into the All-NBA Third Team in 2016, but the 30-year-old has only been a bit-part player in recent seasons. Drummond averaged 6.6 boards with 6.0 points in 12.7 minutes as the backup center in Chicago last season. He will remain in the role for the upcoming campaign after exercising a player option on his two-year contract.

San Antonio Spurs power forward Jeremy Sochan believes the team will take a huge step forward with No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama in the lineup. "I think it's going to be scary," Sochan told Bryan Kalbrosky of For The Win. "Defensively, it's going to be hard to score against us. We are long. We're pesky. Offensively, I'm going to be able to find him, and I think the beautiful thing about it is whoever gets the board, just push it. There is no need to pause after getting the defensive board. The way we want to play is: Whoever gets it, you run. You dribble the ball up. It's going to make everything so much easier. It's going to make it flow more. I think the potential on both sides is endless." The team's overall improvement should also boost the players' productivity. Sochan will be hoping to enjoy a strong sophomore campaign after posting 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists last term.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has reportedly worked very hard during the offseason to get ready for the 2023-24 NBA campaign. "Was told he's been really focused on making sure his body is prepared for a long season," The Athletic's Will Guillory posted on social media. "Think he's gonna come in with a chip on his shoulder." Williamson has plenty to prove after enduring an injury-hit three-year NBA career so far. He played just 29 games last term, making his final appearance on Jan. 2. However, Williamson looked spectacular on the court when available, scoring 26.0 points and recording 7.0 rebounds with 4.6 assists.

Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (foot) is expected to be available when training camp starts. The sweet-shooting giant is recovering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot, which kept him out from World Cup action. "This is something that we should be able to navigate and manage in the next few weeks and be ready for training camp. We're planning on having him for Day 1 of training camp," Celtics general manager Brad Stevens said of Porzingis' situation on a recent appearance on WEEI's "Jones and Mego" show. Porzingis was a massive pick-up for the Celtics this offseason and it's going to be very important for the team to have him available for the start of the new campaign.

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili has drawn a lot of praise for his performances at the FIBA World Cup. Playing for Georgia, the 24-year-old has averaged 13.0 points with 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 27.3 minutes. His efforts include a 21-point performance against Luka Doncic and Slovenia. "I believe that he has a great future," Georgia national team head coach Ilias Zouros said at the tournament. "He can do good things. He of course needs to improve some parts of his game, but he's young and I think he can be one of the top players not (just) in Europe, but in the world." Zouros is, of course, a bit biased in his assessment of Mamukelashvili's ability, but the former second-round pick has been playing well at the World Cup and didn't look out of place in the NBA either when Spurs picked him up off waivers last season. Mamukelashvili averaged 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in 23.3 minutes, earning himself a new one-year, $2 million deal.

Sacramento Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov believes he will have no trouble adjusting to his new teammates and NBA basketball. "It's a totally different game. I understand that," Vezenkov said while comparing the NBA to the EuroLeague, "The coaching staff and the players will help me adjust as fast as possible to this new game. On the other hand, it is basketball. It is five-on-five, for sure here there is more athleticism. I can fit in this team and I can help this team, that is why I am here." The six-foot-nine forward signed a three-year deal with the Kings in the offseason after shining in Europe. He was named the EuroLeague MVP in 2022-23 and going from a star player to a rotational piece will definitely take some adjustment, but Vezenkov has seen playing in the NBA as a "dream" and sounds confident that he can make an impact at this level.

The New York Knicks could be considering bringing guard/forward Josh Hart off the bench as a backup power forward next season. The 28-year-old appears penciled in as New York's second-string small forward currently, but the Knicks are also still looking for a 15th man on their roster. Hart likely wouldn't exclusively play at the 4, anyway, so fantasy managers shouldn't worry about him potentially being blocked for playing time by starter Julius Randle. Obi Toppin averaged only 15.7 minutes as a reserve last year, but that was due to head coach Tom Thibodeau's reluctance to play him alongside Randle, which Hart should do plenty of. The versatile Hart should remain a solid across-the-board contributor who doesn't significantly hurt any one category next season.

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob considered guard Jordan Poole "the odd man out" when it came to this offseason's trade for Chris Paul with the Washington Wizards. In reference to the prior tension between Poole and Draymond Green, Lacob believes "it could have worked out". "But I think it is fair to say that in order to make the team work next year, to make the numbers work and so on, someone probably was gonna be the odd man out", Lacob stated in regard to Poole. Golden State's rotation would have featured quite a crowded backcourt had Poole been retained alongside Paul. Instead, the 24-year-old rising star will have a chance to shoulder the offensive load in D.C. with little competition for usage around him in 2023-24.