NBA Player News

Lively (foot) still hasn't progressed to running yet, per Christian Clark of The Athletic.

Lively is walking and lifting weights, though he's not quite ready to enter the next phase of his rehab. The 22-year-old big man is recovering from right foot surgery, which cut his season short in December of last year, and it remains uncertain if he'll be a full participant in training camp this fall. The Mavericks did take Morez Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to improve their frontcourt, but Lively remains the most likely candidate to open next season as Dallas' starting center.

It could be a challenge for the Knicks to re-sign Robinson this summer, Ian Begley of SNY reports.

Knicks owner James Dolan vowed earlier this offseason to keep the team under the second apron, which will likely entail New York having to choose between re-signing either Robinson or Landry Shamet to remain under this salary cap. If Robinson winds up being the odd man out, Ariel Hukporti or Mohamed Diawara could be thrust into the primary backup center role behind Karl-Anthony Towns next season, unless New York were to swing a trade or make another addition to reinforce the center position.

Okongwu's status as the top center is solidified after Atlanta selected Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Hawks passed up on names like Morez Johnson, Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Nate Ament, instead focusing on building their backcourt for the future with the pick of Flemings. Atlanta did nab Zuby Ejiofor later in the first round and also exercised the team option on Mouhamed Gueye's contract to fortify its frontcourt this offseason, but Jock Landale (ankle) is set to enter unrestricted free agency. Neither Ejiofor nor Gueye project as more than reserve players, so Okongwu should have a good chance of building upon a career 2025-26 campaign across the board while effectively functioning as the team's full-time starting center.

Turner (ankle) remains one of Milwaukee's top trade candidates after the organization shifted into rebuilding mode following the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, Amir Motameni of SI.com reports.

While the veteran center would likely open the season as the Bucks' starting center, the team's focus on developing younger talent could eventually lead to a move if the right offer emerges. Until then, Turner should continue to serve as a stabilizing presence on a roster headlined by inexperienced players.

Gafford will face increased competition for minutes during the 2026-27 season after Dallas selected Morez Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Gafford started 44 of the 55 games he appeared in last season, but there's a new head coach in Dallas, and the Mavericks just drafted one of his favorite prospects. With Dereck Lively expected to be back after recovering from foot surgery, Gafford will likely face stiff competition for frontcourt minutes during the 2026-27 campaign.

Lively (foot) faces increased competition for minutes heading into the 2026-27 campaign, especially with the Mavericks selecting Morez Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Lively hasn't lived up to expectations through his first three seasons in the NBA. Although the 22-year-old is a talented player, the real concern is his durability. After appearing in 55 games as a rookie, Lively played in 36 contests in his second year. However, things were worse in the 2025-26 campaign, with the 2023 No. 12 overall pick suiting up for only seven games before eventually undergoing season-ending foot surgery. Dallas has plenty of big bodies entering the season, though it's unknown how head coach Dusty May will divide the workload. One thing is clear; time is running out for Lively to prove he can stay healthy. In fact, it may already be too late. With that in mind, Johnson isn't a true center, but even if the former Wolverine plays the position in a limited capacity for the Mavericks in 2026-27, he might surpass Lively on the depth chart sooner rather than later.

Williams (foot) plans to sign a three-year, $38 million contract to remain with the Suns, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Williams averaged a double-double in his final season in Charlotte. While his production dropped in his first year with the Suns in 2025-26, he still averaged 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals across 23.6 minutes. Without question, the 24-year-old is a talented player, though injuries have kept him off the floor more often than not. It's unknown if Williams will remain the Suns' starting center in 2026-27. However, even though Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have shown flashes of promise, they still aren't as skilled as Williams when healthy.

Sims plans to exercise his $2.8 million player option for next season, per Michael Scotto of USA Today.

Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Bobby Portis have been traded, Sims' presence at center perhaps becomes even more pronounced for the Bucks. Sims averaged 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 points and 0.6 assists in 11.9 minutes per contest across 53 regular-season games in 2025-26. With Myles Turner (ankle) rumored in trade talks as well, Sims' fantasy outlook remains difficult to forecast this summer.

Sabonis (knee) has a new pick-and-roll partner after the Kings chose Darius Acuff with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

With Russell Westbrook, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, seizing Sacramento's top spot at point guard a year ago, Sabonis saw a decrease in both usage and efficiency. The star big man averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 29.7 minutes per tilt, all his lowest marks since 2018-19, before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. Sacramento appears ready to go in a different direction at the point, which could work to Sabonis' benefit in 2026-27.

Kalkbrenner could face increased competition for frontcourt minutes after Charlotte acquired Naz Reid as part of the LaMelo Ball trade, according to Cholo Magsino of Yahoo Sports.

The second-year center enters a rotation that already includes Reid, Moussa Diabate and other young big men competing for reserve roles, including 2026 lottery pick Hannes Steinbach. While Kalkbrenner's rim protection and interior defense should help him earn opportunities, his playing time could be volatile based on matchups. His long-term outlook remains promising, but consistent minutes may not be as straightforward as originally thought.