Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac was forced to exit Tuesday's preseason game versus Utah early due to back spasms. The Croatian seven-footer managed to play just five minutes, scoring four points on 2-for-3 shooting and recording one rebound with one block. With this being a preseason outing, the Clippers were likely extremely cautious with Zubac and didn't want to push him at all to play when he didn't feel right. He'll have a whole week to recover before the Clippers are in preseason action again, and there are currently no indications that this will be a lingering issue that will also trouble Zubac during the regular season.

Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic left Tuesday's preseason contest versus Charlotte with knee soreness and will be evaluated further on Wednesday. The talented Serbian missed the end of the game and could log only seven minutes of action. He finished with two points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. It's always worrying when a player is troubled by a knee issue, but hopefully, it's not a serious injury for Jovic. The Heat have just picked up their option on Jovic's contract for the 2024-25 campaign, and many believe he can become a consistent contributor in the rotation this season.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis helped the team hit 20 triples against Brooklyn in Monday's preseason game, and head coach Darvin Ham wants to see him being even more involved in outside shooting. "I want him, if he can -- I know he won't do it, but maybe he'll shock me -- but I've requested to see six three-point attempts a game," Ham said Tuesday. "Three per half, at least. I wouldn't put that on him if I didn't think he was capable." Davis averaged only 1.3 attempts from deep last season and finished with an ugly 25.7 percent efficiency. His career-high for threes attempted per game is from his debut campaign with the Lakers, when Davis took 3.5 shots a night and made 33 percent of them. He is a 30 percent career shooter from downtown. Davis has already been a fantasy monster when healthy, and his stock would receive a further boost if he can develop into a consistent outside threat.

Memphis Grizzlies small forward Ziaire Williams has impressed head coach Taylor Jenkins with his work and could force his way into the starting lineup for the start of the year. The Grizzlies have a spot open in the unit due to Ja Morant's 25-game suspension, and Williams is battling for it with the likes of Luke Kennard and John Konchar. Jenkins has liked Williams' defensive efforts and how he uses his length and mobility. The 22-year-old is preparing for his third year in the league. He has so far played 99 games, making 35 starts. As a starter, Williams has averaged 10.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 25.9 minutes.

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. is focused on improving his rebounding after struggling on the glass during the FIBA World Cup. Jackson Jr. averaged a career-high 6.8 boards in the NBA last season but could only get 2.9 rebounds during the World Cup and took a lot of heat because of it. "(Rebounding) needs to be more of a staple of things I think about all the time," Jackson said. " It's on my mind, it's on my brain. You always think about things you can get better at. I have so many different responsibilities on the floor. That's a big one for our team." Jackson Jr.'s two-way ability has already made him a highly valuable fantasy asset, but he would become an even bigger piece if he can get close to averaging a double-double with rebounds.

New York Knicks guard/forward Evan Fournier believes he can still be a useful player for the team after getting dropped from the rotation last season. "I might be dreaming of stuff, but to me I can help the team," Fournier said at the weekend. "Like I'm a good player. I can f-;king play. I bring stuff that this team doesn't have, too." The Frenchman also promised to treat every practice and opportunity like it was his last. Fournier doesn't appear to be in Knicks' plans, but he did get a look in the team's preseason opener on Monday. The 30-year-old came off the bench to score 11 points in 21 minutes off the bench in a 114-107 win over Boston, shooting 4-for-10 from the field with a 3-for-7 record from deep. He's been a solid performer in the league for a long time, but it remains to be seen if Fournier can force his way back into Tom Thibodeau's plans for 2023-24.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (calf) was limited to five minutes during Tuesday's scrimmage with Real Madrid in Spain. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned as Doncic's appearance was ceremonial. The superstar guard continues to deal with a minor calf injury, so the Mavs are going to play it safe with him. It wouldn't be shocking to see Doncic continue to be limited during the preseason. His injury doesn't appear to be significant, so Doncic should be fine in time for the regular season.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe will be around with the organization for at least two more seasons. As expected, the Blazers picked up Sharpe's third-year team option for the 2024-2025 season. This was a no-brainer for the Blazers as they get to keep their rising star on a cheap deal. Last season, Sharpe averaged 18.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 15 games as a starter. He's expected to have increased responsibility with Damian Lillard out of town now. Sharpe is likely to be a viable fantasy option heading into next season.

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (thumb) suffered a minor injury during practice on Tuesday. Kuminga jammed his thumb on the backboard and was withheld from the contact portion of practice after that. Afterwards, head coach Steve Kerr said Kuminga shouldn't be limited going forward. It sounds like Kuminga is likely to suit up for Friday's preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Fantasy managers should monitor Kuminga's status, but it sounds like he's going to be fine going forward.

Sacramento Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov could have problems finding consistent playing time this upcoming season. Kings' head coach Mike Brown said on Tuesday that he's unsure if Vezenkov will be part of the rotation during the regular season. The reigning Euroleague MVP opted to join the Kings this offseason. However, he could have trouble finding minutes with Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes ahead of him on the depth chart. Vezenkov dropped 12 points in 11 minutes during Sunday's preseason opener. Possibly, Vezenkov plays well enough to earn himself minutes in the rotation, but fantasy managers probably won't want to gamble on him during draft day.

Charlotte Hornets guard James Bouknight (knee) is set to undergo surgery after suffering an injury during practice last Thursday. The team announced on Tuesday that Bouknight will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday to address a meniscus injury in his left knee. The 23-year-old will be re-evaluated in four weeks, which means he'll miss the first two weeks of the regular season. Bouknight isn't a huge part of the rotation, so his absence won't make a big impact on the Hornets rotation. He averaged 5.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 15.1 minutes per game through 34 games with the Hornets last season. Nick Smith Jr. and Amari Bailey are expected to see more minutes during the preseason with Bouknight sidelined.

San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko is expected to spend a majority of his time this upcoming season in the G-League. Cissoko played for the G League Ignite last season and impressed enough to get drafted by the Spurs with the No. 44 pick in this year's draft. The 19-year-old has plenty of potential, but is still a raw prospect that needs to continue working on his skills. Head coach Greg Popovich recently said he doesn't believe Cissoko will be able to carve out minutes on this Spurs roster.

Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Martin (knee) won't travel with the team for their upcoming exhibition game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday. This is concerning after Martin was limited to seven games last season due to a left knee issue. It appears the issue is still bothering him and there isn't a timetable for his return. It's uncertain if Martin will even have a significant role once he's back to full health. Fantasy managers should probably look elsewhere on draft day rather than take a chance on Martin.

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) is unlikely to suit up for Tuesday's exhibition game against the Phoenix Suns. Porter tweaked his ankle during a practice earlier this month. Since then, the Nuggets have been extremely cautious with Porter. The expectation is that Justin Holiday will likely see more playing time with Porter probably sidelined for this game. Holiday should get a chance to play decent minutes and possibly earn himself a bigger role in this rotation.

Charlotte Hornets center Kai Jones has requested a trade from the organization on Monday. The 22-year-old has been away from the team recently due to personal reasons. Jones has put himself in a bad spot after calling out teammates on social media and missing workouts. It sounds like the Hornets are trying to separate themselves from the former 19th overall pick. Jones is unlikely to have much trade value considering he hasn't made a significant impact in two seasons. Possibly, another team takes a chance on him, but there's probably not going to be a big market considering his recent off-the-court incidents.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Vasilije Micic (ankle) will miss the team's first preseason action with a sprained ankle. Head coach Mark Daigneault said that Micic is day-to-day with an ankle sprain, so he'll be one to monitor as the preseason progresses. The 29-year-old rookie out of Serbia was originally drafted in 2014 by the 76ers. He found his way to the Thunder in the trade that sent Danny Green to Philadelphia for Al Horford, Theo Maledon, and Micic. He likely will fill a bench ballhandler role, but it's unclear how much time he'll get as the team currently has a logjam of guards.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (rest) will be taking the first preseason game off as he's just getting a rest day. The rising star played in the FIBA World Cup over the summer where he helped lead Canada to a bronze medal. There are no injury concerns right now, so any dynasty managers can breathe a sigh of relief. Gilgeous-Alexander is slated to remain a top fantasy asset this season ranking as high as top five on some boards. Look for him to go early in the first round in any fantasy format.

San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (soreness) will not be suiting up for the team's preseason opener along with Keldon Johnson due to what's being called "general soreness." The rest of the team will be available. Sochan looks to take on an expanded role after posting a solid rookie season where he played a multitude of roles throughout the year. He ended with averages of 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while appearing in 56 contests and starting in 53 of them. Sochan could be a mid-to-late-round sleeper, especially at the power forward spot.

San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (soreness) will not take part in the team's first preseason game as he's listed to be dealing with "general soreness." This is most likely a move to see more of the younger players in the first action of the preseason. His fantasy value has fluctuated to the extremes throughout his career so far. Now, with the addition of Victor Wembanyama and the rise of Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan, Johnson could see his role decreasing even further. The rotation will be something to watch heading into the season.

Boston Celtics guard Jay Scrubb (knee) signed a two-way deal with the team this offseason but will likely have to miss the season after tearing his ACL at practice on Saturday. The team confirmed the injury after running some tests on Saturday and Sunday. The 23-year-old was previously on two-way deals with the Magic and Clippers over the last three seasons. Scrubb played well for Boston during Summer League action which landed him another two-way contract. He'll now set his sights on rehabbing to get ready for next year.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has become a key piece to the team's success, but due to injury, he hasn't exactly had a superstar breakout yet. Despite that fact, the team is prepared to offer him a supermax extension after this season. General manager Calvin Booth said, "We're anticipating that we're probably paying him the supermax. He'll probably make All-NBA." Last season, Murray posted averages of 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in his first year back from his ACL tear two seasons prior. Murray has the talent to make an All-NBA team, and he should be a top fantasy guard to boot.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro has been the center of trade talks during almost every offseason since he joined the league. In an interview with the Miami Herald, he spoke about his goals and one of them was to become "untouchable" in any future trade talks. Being in trade discussions can be stressful when a player doesn't know where they'll end up, so Herro wants to avoid all of that. He said, "At the end of this season, they won't want to trade me. That's my goal." Last year, he averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43.9% from the floor. If he can expand his game from there, he could become the piece that Miami was missing in the playoffs last year.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (ankle) suffered a left ankle bone bruise at practice on Saturday. The team has confirmed the injury with an MRI and he will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The 25-year-old has experienced his fair share of minor injuries over the last few seasons that have forced him to miss a handful of games here and there. He remains the top defensive and rebounding force on the team, so his absence will be felt if he has to miss any regular season games with this bone bruise. He should also provide solid fantasy value around the middle rounds of the draft.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (kidney stone) won't travel with the team on their two-game road trip to start out the preseason due to a kidney stone. Depending on how long he's been dealing with the issue, he may still be out for a couple more weeks before the stones pass. The 23-year-old appeared in 75 games last season and started in 63 of them. Now entering his second year, Nembhard is looking at an expanded role, especially if Buddy Hield is traded. He could be a late-round sleeper in deeper leagues depending on the rotation this season.

Charlotte Hornets guard James Bouknight (knee) had to miss out on the team's scrimmage on Saturday after spraining his left knee during training camp. The team hasn't released any updates since the knee sprain happened, but it sounds like he'll have to miss at least a few days. The 23-year-old has had some injury issues over the last couple of seasons and has gone back and forth between the G League and the Hornets. He's only played a total of 65 games in the past two years and saw just 15.1 minutes per contest last season. He's off of the fantasy radar at the moment and needs a big year to get back to some relevance.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (abdomen) is dealing with abdominal soreness. Although the injury is described as "minor," the Grizzlies will play it safe, meaning the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year could miss some or all of the team's preseason contests. Smart, who was traded to Memphis from Boston in June, has averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.6 steals since entering the NBA in 2014. The 29-year-old may see an increase in production while Ja Morant serves a 25-game suspension. But he will remain a vital component of the Memphis rotation even when Morant returns. Fortunately, Smart is expected to be ready for the 2023-24 campaign, barring a setback, so his fantasy stock shouldn't be negatively impacted.

Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) won't play in Sunday's game against the Phoenix Suns. The 34-year-old veteran had the best season of his career in 2022-23, averaging 21.6 points and 41.1% shooting from behind the arc. As a result, fantasy managers have elevated expectations for him heading into the season, regardless if he remains with the Pistons for the entire 2023-24 campaign. For now, Bogdanovic will stay off the court because of a low-grade calf strain. He will be re-evaluated next week, although the ailment could keep him out for Detroit's remaining preseason contests.

According to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard agreed to a four-year, $30 million (fully guaranteed) extension with the team. The 25-year-old played a career-low 13.4 minutes last season and expressed displeasure regarding his role. As a result, he sought a trade heading into the summer. However, with Grant Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, and Marcus Smart no longer on the roster, Pritchard is anticipated to see routine playing time during the 2023-24 campaign. The 2020 No. 26 overall pick has averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 40.0% shooting from deep since entering the league. Those numbers will likely increase, so managers should keep him in mind late in fantasy drafts.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (rest) won't play in Sunday's preseason meeting with the Celtics. Under normal circumstances, nobody would give much thought to someone missing an exhibition. However, the multi-time All-Star remains hopeful he'll be traded, specifically to the Clippers, meaning he could miss all of Philadelphia's preseason contests ahead of the regular season, assuming he's still on the roster by then. With De'Anthony Melton and Furkan Korkmaz also inactive for rest purposes, 2021 first-round pick Jaden Springer, freshly signed Kelly Oubre Jr., and veteran Patrick Beverley may see extra work alongside Tyrese Maxey.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (rest) won't suit up in Sunday's preseason opener against Boston. As expected, the Sixers will play safe with the reigning MVP, considering the team will need him healthy through the regular season and into the playoffs. Philly has three exhibition games left before beginning the 2023-24 campaign with a Thursday night clash with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and the Milwaukee Bucks, so Embiid may see the floor at some point. But in the meantime, Paul Reed, who's in line for a more prominent role this season after re-signing over the Summer, and Mo Bamba should split time in the middle.