123-124
FINALSacramento
Kings
7-21|L10: 3-7
Portland
Trail Blazers
10-18|L10: 3-7
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SAC • Guard • #0
about 2 months ago
Monk will miss a second consecutive preseason game due to illness. With Keegan Murray (thumb) sidelined, Monk is one of the potential replacements in the starting lineup. Keon Ellis is also in the mix, and the absences will likely push him into the starting five for Friday’s preseason finale at a minimum. Rookie Nique Clifford’s playing time may increase, and his name is one to file away for the future due to the positional versatility.
Source: James Ham
SAC • Guard-Forward • #10
about 2 months ago
DeRozan has a sore groin, so he will not play in Friday’s preseason finale. The question is whether the issue is severe enough to threaten his status for Sacramento’s October 22 regular-season opener against the Suns. Sacramento will already be without Keegan Murray (thumb), and it’s possible Domantas Sabonis also misses the start of the season after straining his hamstring on Wednesday.
Source: James Ham
POR • Center • #23
about 2 months ago
On most nights, Clingan will be no higher than fourth in the Trail Blazers’ offensive pecking order. That makes it critical that he’s productive in other areas, especially rebounds and blocked shots. Clingan was a factor in those areas on Thursday night, and that should be the norm during the regular season. He can be an effective option in fantasy, especially for managers willing to punt points or free-throw percentage. However, Clingan being able to do a bit more scoring-wise would give him a shot at cracking the top-75 in standard leagues.
POR • Guard • #17
about 2 months ago
Sharpe didn’t have his best night shooting the basketball, as he was 2-of-9 from beyond the arc. However, the athletic wing’s ability to attack the defense off the dribble led to him attempting seven free throws, boosting the points tally. While he hasn’t returned the best fantasy value as a pro, Sharpe is a player many believe can break out this season. And this has to be a big year for the Trail Blazers’ wing if he’s to get the contract extension he desires, and if the team is to make a run at a play-in tournament slot or playoff berth.
POR • Forward • #9
about 2 months ago
Since Toumani Camara was unavailable for Thursday’s preseason finale, there was no question about who Portland’s starting forwards would be. Grant and Deni Avdija filled those spots, with the latter not returning for the second half due to lingering upper back stiffness. Grant went off against Utah, scoring 32 points while providing solid value in rebounds, “stocks” and three-pointers. The issue is that Grant has rarely done this in recent years. And with the Trail Blazers being in the midst of a rebuild, he’s been a challenging player to trust in most fantasy leagues. Managers drafting this weekend should be careful not to allow Thursday’s effort to persuade them to reach for Grant.
POR • Guard • #4
about 2 months ago
While Holiday did record seven assists in his preseason debut on October 8, Thursday’s performance was his best for scoring and making plays for others. The veteran guard was efficient against the Jazz, including shooting 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. After a subpar fantasy season with the Celtics, Holiday may be in a good position to bounce back, especially with Scoot Henderson (hamstring) unavailable to begin the regular season. With a Yahoo! ADP of 111.2, Holiday may be slept on by many fantasy managers.
POR • Forward • #8
about 2 months ago
Avdija dealt with upper back stiffness during the preseason, and that issue sidelined him for the remainder of Thursday’s preseason finale. With Toumani Camara unavailable, Avdija started and finished with eight points (3-of-9 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, and three assists in 16 minutes. The question for Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups ahead of Portland’s October 22 opener is who starts between Avdija, Camara and Jerami Grant? Camara offers the most defensively, while Avdija is the most versatile offensive weapon. Grant offers more experience but a limited fantasy profile.
Source: Portland Trail Blazers
SAC • Forward-Center • #11
about 2 months ago
Sabonis suffered a mild hamstring strain during Wednesday’s exhibition loss to the Clippers. With Keegan Murray already sidelined for four weeks, the Kings could begin the regular season down two frontcourt starters. Dario Šarić started Wednesday’s game in Murray’s place, and an absence for Sabonis could lock him in as a starter. Drew Eubanks and Maxime Raynaud would also see their playing time increase if Sabonis misses games.
Source: Chris Haynes
SAC • Forward-Center • #9
about 2 months ago
In Sacramento’s first game without Keegan Murray, Saric got the starting nod. He didn’t provide much statistically, and if he remains in the starting lineup, he won’t be worth streaming. The opportunity seems good, but it’s best to leave Saric on the waiver wire.
SAC • Forward-Center • #11
about 2 months ago
It’s the fourth quarter of a preseason game, so hopefully this is just precautionary for Sabonis. An update should be provided in the coming days, but if he is held out of any regular season games, Drew Eubanks and Maxime Raynaud would be next in line to fill out the center minutes.
Source: Jason Anderson
SAC • Forward-Center • #11
about 2 months ago
It’s the fourth quarter of a preseason game, so hopefully this is just precautionary for Sabonis. An update should be provided in the coming days, but if he is held out of any regular season games, Drew Eubanks and Maxime Raynaud would be next in line to fill out the center minutes.
Source: Jason Anderson
SAC • Forward • #13
about 2 months ago
Murray, who is set to be sidelined until November, will be kept around in Sacramento through the end of the decade. The 2022 top-five pick is the best defender in the Kings’ starting lineup, and they’ll certainly miss him dearly for the first few weeks of the season. However, it was a smart move to ensure he will be kept around for the foreseeable future.
Source: Shams Charania
SAC • Guard • #4
about 2 months ago
It will be a one-year deal worth $3.6 million. Westbrook will join a backcourt that features Dennis Schroder, Malik Monk and Keon Ellis, which doesn’t really address the Kings’ frontcourt depth after the Keegan Murray injury. Westbrook doesn’t have a clear path to fantasy production, but his presence will take some upside away from Schroder, Monk and Ellis.
Source: Shams Charania
POR • Guard • #17
2 months ago
Sharpe led the Trail Blazers in points with 18 and shot attempts with 16. While Portland had five other players in double figures, Sharpe looks poised to establish himself as the primary scoring option for the Trail Blazers this year. That makes the 22-year-old shooting guard an excellent pick in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.
SAC • Forward • #13
2 months ago
Murray injured his left thumb during the first half of Friday’s exhibition defeat. Further examination of the injury revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will require surgery. He’ll miss at least four weeks, opening up a spot in the starting lineup. While this will push Murray down some draft boards, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis and rookie Nique Clifford will be worth a look in many leagues. Clifford has been used at all three perimeter positions during the preseason, and Clifford’s defensive ability could mesh well with the Kings’ starting lineup if given the opportunity to start. Monk remained a starter last season after the Kings traded De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs.
Source: Marc J. Spears
SAC • Forward • #13
2 months ago
Murray played 16 first-half minutes in Friday’s 124-123 defeat before suffering a left thumb injury late in the second quarter. The Kings would announce at the half that he would not return, with Murray recording a stat line of nine points (4-of-7 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, one assist and one steal. Rookie Nique Clifford’s playing time increased due to the injury, with the guard logging 26 minutes off the bench. If Murray were to be in a situation where he is not ready for the start of the regular season, Clifford may be the player whose fantasy value receives a boost.
Source: Sacramento Bee
SAC • Forward-Center • #9
2 months ago
With Jonas Valančiūnas now in Denver as part of the trade that sent Šarić to Sacramento and Trey Lyles now at Real Madrid, the Kings have an opening to fill behind starting center Domantas Sabonis. Drew Eubanks (11/3/0/1) and rookie Maxime Raynaud (2/5/4) are also competing for the opportunity, but Šarić can offer a different dimension with his three-point shooting. He made all four attempts on Friday, but the downside is that he provided no value outside of points and triples. There’s no need to draft any of the Kings competing for the backup center role in redraft leagues, although Reynaud is worth selecting in dynasty leagues.
SAC • Guard • #8
2 months ago
After scoring 16 points in 15 minutes in Wednesday’s preseason opener, LaVine put forth another solid effort on Friday. Through two games, he’s scored 35 points while shooting 12-of-18 from the field, a clear sign that LaVine is ready for the regular season. He’s hovered around the top 50 in recent seasons, and there’s little reason to expect that to change in 2025-26. He’ll be a relatively safe middle-round option in standard league drafts.
POR • Forward • #33
2 months ago
Camara played 14 minutes during the first half of Friday’s game, finishing with three points (1-of-3 FGs), two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer. More concerning than the numbers was the reason why he did not play after halftime, with Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups revealing after the game that Camara was dealing with some knee soreness. The issue doesn’t sound serious, so fantasy managers should continue to draft Camara with the expectation that he’ll be good to go when the regular season begins.
Source: Conor Bergin
POR • Forward • #8
2 months ago
After coming off the bench in Wednesday’s preseason opener, Avdija was in the starting lineup on Friday. His inclusion meant Jerami Grant was pushed to the bench, with the veteran forward contributing 18 points (6-of-13 FGs, 6-of-8 FTs), four rebounds and one assist. While Grant did not sound like he expected to come off the bench at all when asked about the possibility at the beginning of training camp, there’s clearly a competition for that place in the starting lineup. Fantasy managers are likely rooting for Avdija to win the job, as he offers a far higher fantasy ceiling.
POR • Guard • #17
2 months ago
Sharpe has lived up to his surname during the preseason, shooting 15-of-29 from the field in Portland’s two exhibitions. That’s good news for the Trail Blazers, as the fourth-year wing is entering a pivotal season for his NBA career. Portland has until October 20 to work out a rookie extension with Sharpe, or he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer. Given how he’s played during the preseason, betting on Sharpe to come through in a contract year would not be a bad idea.
POR • Guard • #4
2 months ago
Holiday, acquired from the Celtics during the offseason, only played 17 minutes in his unofficial Trail Blazers’ debut. The veteran guard did not shoot the ball well, but he was solid otherwise, making plays for others and committing just one turnover on the night. With Scoot Henderson likely to miss the start of the regular season with a torn left hamstring and Damian Lillard out for the season as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles, Holiday will have to take on point guard duties for the foreseeable future. After seeing his fantasy value take a hit in Boston last season, Holiday will be worth the investment in Portland.
SAC • Forward • #13
2 months ago
Despite his scoring average decreasing by nearly three points per game last season, Murray still managed to provide top-100 fantasy value. Rebounding had much to do with his fantasy value remaining solid, as the Kings forward averaged a career-high 6.7 boards per game. Murray didn’t rebound much in Sacramento’s preseason opener, but he did offer excellent defensive stats, notably blocking four shots. That’s a number he’s reached just once in his first three seasons, April 7, 2024, against the Nets. Murray’s ability to remain a top-100 player will depend on what he can do defensively, as once again, he stands no higher than fourth in the offensive pecking order.
SAC • Guard • #71
2 months ago
Schroder made his unofficial Kings debut Wednesday night, playing 24 minutes. While the veteran point guard did tie for the team lead in rebounds, he only recorded one assist. Schroder was a valuable rotation piece for the Pistons to end last season, but that did not translate into reliable fantasy value. Getting to start in Sacramento may raise his ceiling, but that isn’t guaranteed, especially with Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis needing their touches.
SAC • Forward-Center • #11
2 months ago
Sabonis led the Kings in scoring Wednesday night, shooting 70 percent from the field in 23 minutes of action. However, the production in the other categories was limited. There isn’t much to worry about after one preseason game. Still, the Kings’ center’s production took a hit after last February’s trade deadline, with Sacramento moving De’Aaron Fox and acquiring Zach LaVine in a three-team deal. The point guard issue has been addressed via the addition of Dennis Schröder, but Sabonis remains part of an offense that includes two ball-dominant wings in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. While an effective fantasy option, Sabonis should not have a first-round ADP due to the Kings’ roster.
POR • Forward • #8
2 months ago
With a healthy Jerami Grant back in the fold, the question ahead of Wednesday’s preseason opener was who Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups would bring off the bench. Avdija was the answer to that question in San Francisco, but he still brought solid fantasy value to the table. While not starting isn’t the best for Deni, his skill set is such that his fantasy value should not suffer too much. Grant finished Wednesday’s defeat with eight points, five rebounds, one assist, three steals and one three-pointer, shooting 2-of-11 from the field. Regardless of where he is in the rotation, as long as he’s active, Avdija is the superior fantasy option.
POR • Forward • #33
2 months ago
Camara did not have the best night shooting the basketball at the charity stripe, as he missed both of his free-throw attempts. However, the third-year forward shot 4-of-9 from beyond the arc while offering his usual value as a defender. Camara established himself as one of the NBA’s top wing defenders, earning second-team All-Defense honors. His defensive prowess should keep Camara in the starting lineup once the regular season begins, and he should be selected in all fantasy drafts.
POR • Guard • #17
2 months ago
Sharpe’s Wednesday night ended with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter, and he looked terrific. Living up to his surname, the Trail Blazers wing shot 66.7 percent from the field and offered value in the rebound and three-point categories. Along with Scoot Henderson, who’s currently injured, Sharpe will be expected to take a significant step forward for the Blazers this season. While he’s never been the best fantasy option, this will be the season when it’s worth rolling the dice on Sharpe.
POR • Guard • #4
2 months ago
Portland opens its preseason without Scoot Henderson, who will likely miss the start of the regular season after suffering a torn left hamstring just before the start of training camp. Holiday, acquired from the Celtics this summer, will be in the starting lineup alongside Sharpe. The eye-opening omission from the starting lineup is Deni Avdija, who will come off the bench after enjoying the best season of his NBA career. Grant is back after missing a significant amount of time, but Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has not finalized his starting five for the regular season.
Source: Sean Highkin