Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Adem Bona and Joel Embiid will start Friday’s exhibition against the Timberwolves.

Embiid makes his first appearance of the preseason in Friday’s finale and will do so as a starter. Also of note is the inclusion of Bona, who appears to have a legitimate chance of starting alongside the former MVP when the regular season begins due to Paul George’s continued absence. Edgecombe will start in the backcourt alongside Maxey. During his pregame availability, head coach Nick Nurse said he was leaning toward starting the rookie when the 76ers begin the regular season on October 22 against Boston.

Joel Embiid (knee) has been cleared to make his preseason debut on Friday against the Timberwolves.

Embiid appears to be on track to play in the season opener against Boston next week, and his expected availability against Minnesota is another step in the right direction. How his body responds to the game will be a big factor, but if he’s relatively healthy to start the year, he quickly becomes one of the best values in fantasy basketball, even with the risks that come with drafting him.

Wendell Carter Jr. amassed 14 points (5-of-8 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal on Thursday against the Pelicans.

Carter Jr. was one of four Magic starters to score in double figures on Thursday, mostly using efficiency inside the arc to find his scoring production. Yet, the veteran center made splashes in several other areas, as well. His most noteworthy contributions arguably came as a facilitator, notching a preseason-high in assists and leading Orlando’s starters in that category on Thursday. Carter Jr. also found production in the defensive end and ultimately logged a strong game overall to wrap up what was a solid preseason for him.

Franz Wagner amassed 24 points (8-of-14 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), two rebounds, three assists, two steals and three three-pointers in Thursday’s win over the Pelicans.

Wagner was productive offensively on Thursday, utilizing efficient shooting to reach at least 20 points for the first time all preseason. The three-point shot was a big part of Wagner’s production, which was good to see after the versatile forward shot under 30.0 percent from deep for a second consecutive season. If he can sustain high volume and remain efficient from beyond the arc, he’ll have a chance to land another impressive fantasy basketball season, especially in nine-category leagues.

Paolo Banchero totaled 19 points (6-of-11 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two three-pointers against the Pelicans on Thursday.

Banchero logged his highest minutes total on Thursday and, in return, set preseason-highs in points, rebounds, assists and threes. He shot the ball well both inside and outside the arc, while making his way to the free-throw line and capitalizing on his free opportunities. Banchero finished the preseason strong as the Magic concluded with a 4-0 record. He won’t take the floor again until Orlando faces Miami on October 22 for the season opener.

Paolo Banchero, Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. will start vs. the Pelicans on Friday.

Paolo Banchero, Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. will start vs. the Pelicans on Thursday.

Banchero is back in the lineup for the Magic’s preseason finale, after missing Sunday’s game against the Heat. He has yet to shoot efficiently from the floor in his two appearances, but he will have a chance to find his rhythm on Thursday against the Pelicans. The Magic are 3-0 thus far and with the addition of Desmond Bane, they figure to be in for a strong 2025-26 season.

According to Sixers reporter Adam Aaronson, Nick Nurse said there is “some chance” Joel Embiid plays in Friday’s preseason finale against the Timberwolves.

Nurse mentions some “thresholds” that Embiid needs to clear before that decision is made, but the possibility of him playing is an encouraging update. It appears Embiid is still on track to play in the regular season opener against the Celtics on October 22, but fantasy managers will need to remain vigilant in tracking his status.

Franz Wagner posted 17 points in Sunday’s win over the Heat, chipping in five rebounds, three assists and a triple across 16 minutes.

Wagner started the inner-Floridian matchup and led his team in the scoring department despite his limited playing time. The 24-year-old forward hit 3-of-8 shots from the field but converted all 10 of his free-throw attempts. He profiles as a top-50 player in fantasy leagues this season, but his usage is a bit more of a question mark this year with the Magic trying to fit Desmond Bane into the attack.

Dominick Barlow finished Friday’s loss to the Magic with 12 points (4-of-10 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), nine rebounds and one steal.

Barlow is on a two-way contract, but the 76ers’ many absences have allowed him to start three preseason games. He’s taken advantage of the opportunities, stepping up as an active rebounder and defender. Two-way contract recipients can be active for up to 50 games, so the 76ers will have some time to evaluate Barlow. But with his play during the preseason, it’s fair to wonder if there’s a path to legitimate rotation minutes.

Goga Bitadze tallied 11 points (5-of-7 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocked shots in Friday’s win over the 76ers.

Used primarily as a reserve, Bitadze is not in a great spot to provide consistent fantasy value. However, Moritz Wagner (knee) is expected to miss the start of the regular season, and starter Wendell Carter Jr. surpassing 60 games played twice in his first seven seasons, there may be streaming opportunities for Goga. He isn’t a player worth drafting, but he should remain on the radar of managers willing to select Carter in their drafts.

Franz Wagner shot 2-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Friday’s win over the 76ers, tallying eight points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Wagner, who did not play in Orlando’s preseason opener against the Heat, was in the lineup Friday night and logged 20 minutes. He looked a bit rusty, which was to be expected of a player who got some deserved time off after helping lead Germany to gold at EuroBasket. Even with the limited scoring against the 76ers, fantasy managers should not be concerned about Wagner. Tristan da Silva, who started for Franz against Miami, finished Friday’s win with 12 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and two three-pointers in 13 minutes off the bench.

Wendell Carter Jr. finished Friday’s win over the 76ers with 20 points (6-of-8 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), 13 rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot.

After playing 13 minutes in Orlando’s preseason opener, Carter’s workload increased to 21 minutes on Friday. And he was excellent against the 76ers, shooting efficiently while commanding the glass on both ends of the floor. Six of Carter’s game-high 13 rebounds were of the offensive variety, a highly productive effort from a player who’s averaged at least three offensive boards per game once in his NBA career (2019-20 in Chicago). Of course, the concern regarding Carter in fantasy basketball is his availability, as he’s surpassed 60 games twice in his first seven seasons. The 2024-25 campaign was one of those, as Carter played a career-high 68 games. Fantasy managers should reap the rewards if he can match or exceed that number.

Tyrese Maxey finished Friday’s loss to the Magic with 17 points (7-of-14 FGs), two assists and three three-pointers.

Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. (12/5/2/2/1 with one three-pointer) were the only projected starters available for Friday’s game, and the latter only played the first quarter. That’s all the time Maxey needed to show he’s ready for the regular season, and he may have to do more heavy lifting than usual if Joel Embiid and Paul George aren’t available. As for Oubre, he was solid in his 18 minutes and should provide late-round value in standard leagues, especially with Jared McCain likely to miss the start of the season.

Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. will start Friday’s exhibition against the 76ers.

After sitting out Orlando’s preseason opener, Wagner is available and will occupy his usual spot in the starting lineup. Fellow EuroBasket champion Tristan da Silva will return to the bench. Also, with Jones continuing to start for Jalen Suggs as he works his way back from knee surgery, this could be Orlando’s starting lineup for opening night.

Tyrese Maxey, Justin Edwards, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona will start Friday’s exhibition against the Magic.

There’s just one change to Philadelphia’s starting lineup, as Edwards slides in for the unavailable VJ Edgecombe, who has a sore hip. The move into the starting lineup allows Edwards to show he deserves rotation minutes during the regular season, and the same can be said for Barlow and Bona.

Trendon Watford (hamstring) remains sidelined and will not play in Friday’s exhibition game against the Magic.

Watford, who agreed to a two-year deal with the 76ers this summer, has yet to practice due to a left hamstring injury. According to PHLY’s Kyle Neubeck, imaging of the hamstring revealed no structural damage and the forward is working toward a return to the court within the next week. While Watford does not project to be an impactful fantasy option, his ability to serve as a secondary playmaker at the four could benefit the 76ers’ bench unit once he’s cleared to play.

Joel Embiid practiced on Wednesday and participated in five-on-five activity.

Embiid appears to be on track to play in the regular season opener, even if he hasn’t participated in the preseason yet. Paul George was able to do some individual work, and the plan is to integrate him into team work in the coming days, per Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer. There’s still not much clarity on either’s status, but things appear to be on track.

Noah Penda made his preseason debut on Saturday and contributed six points (2-of-5 FGs), two rebounds, one steal and one block against the Heat.

Penda didn’t check into his first game for Orlando until the second half. The second round pick has plenty of upside, but he likely will only play a small role for a contender in the East this year, making him worthy of a stash in dynasty leagues, but not much else.

Jase Richardson made his preseason debut on Saturday and finished with 13 points (5-of-11 FGs), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and three three-pointers against the Heat.

The 25th pick this past summer, Richardson had some solid performances in summer league. Now, he was able to turn in another strong outing in his first preseason action. Richardson may be able to provide some decent minutes off the bench during his rookie year, but he isn’t going to be a consistent fantasy contributor.

Desmond Bane made his Magic debut on Saturday and contributed nine points (3-of-7 FGs), six rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer in a 126-118 win over the Heat.

After spending the first five seasons of his career in Memphis, Bane was dealt to the Magic this summer, and this was his first opportunity to suit up for them. He only played 13 minutes like most of the other starters, but he’ll continue to be an excellent fantasy option despite the change of scenery, and he’ll provide Orlando with the best spacing they’ve had in a while.

Andre Drummond tallied four points (2-of-2 FGs), 10 rebounds, one assist and one steal in Saturday’s exhibition loss to the Knicks.

Ineffective in the eight minutes he played on Thursday, Drummond was far more active two days later. While he did not do much scoring, the 10 rebounds and one steal were indicators of a better performance. Adem Bona (2/1/0/1/1) played 20 minutes as Joel Embiid’s replacement in the starting lineup and appears ticketed for the backup center role. However, he did not perform well enough in Abu Dhabi to clearly separate himself from Drummond. While this isn’t a huge position battle for fantasy purposes, the winner will likely have streaming opportunities due to Embiid’s injury history.

Kelly Oubre Jr. recorded 10 points (5-of-12 FGs, 1-of-4 FTs), three rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block and two three-pointers in Saturday’s exhibition loss to the 76ers.

While Oubre only shot 2-of-8 from the field in Thursday’s preseason opener, he recorded a complete stat line. The Tsunami Papi’s versatility was again on display Saturday, and he shot the ball better from the field. Oubre was an uncharacteristically poor 1-of-4 from the foul line, but that should not generate too much concern. Even with a healthy Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid in the fold, fantasy managers should avoid undervaluing Oubre. He’s worth the risk as a late-round pick, even in standard league drafts.

Tyrese Maxey accounted for 16 points (4-of-10 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), two rebounds, two assists, one steal and three three-pointers in Saturday’s exhibition loss to the Knicks.

After playing 23 minutes in Thursday’s preseason opener, Maxey logged 18 on Saturday. There isn’t much mystery to what the 76ers point guard can do, but adding VJ Edgecombe (14/6/3 with one three-pointer) could change things for Maxey if they start alongside each other. Edgecombe has the athleticism and handle needed to make things happen within the halfcourt, giving Maxey more opportunities to play off the ball. That’s one way to alleviate any wear and tear concerns as Philadelphia looks to keep its stars as healthy as possible.