NBA Player News

Gonzalez logged 17 points (6-7 FG, 4-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and two assists over 21 minutes during Saturday's 144-106 preseason win over Philadelphia.

Gonzalez played the entire fourth quarter and knocked down three triples in the frame to end the game as the Celtics' third-leading scorer behind Payton Pritchard (25 points) and Jayson Tatum (23 points). Gonzalez is one of the players that the Celtics hope can grow into a larger role after the team traded Jaylen Brown to the Sixers in exchange for Paul George. Gonzalez showed flashes of potential during his rookie year, but it's unclear how consistent his playing time will be in 2026-27, given the presence of Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper (shoulder) and Jordan Walsh.

George registered 13 points (3-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 5-6 FT), five rebounds, four assists and five steals over 25 minutes during the Celtics' 144-106 preseason win over the 76ers on Saturday.

George didn't have the most efficient night offensively, but he demonstrated his defensive chops during Saturday's win, with four of his game-high five steals taking place in the first half. The veteran forward was the Celtics' return for Jaylen Brown in the offseason, and it'll be interesting to see how George and Jayson Tatum fit together early on in the 2026-27 season. George figures to have his preseason reps limited before the Celtics' regular-season opener against the Pistons on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Pritchard posted 25 points (7-12 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 6-6 FT), seven assists and four rebounds over 24 minutes during Saturday's 144-106 preseason win over the 76ers.

Pritchard helped the Celtics race out to a commanding lead in the second quarter with 11 points, nine of which came on three triples. The seventh-year point guard has been the Celtics' offensive spark plug the last few seasons, and he operated in a starting role for most of last year in the absence of Jayson Tatum. Pritchard is expected to revert to a rotational role now that Tatum is back, but with Jaylen Brown now in Philadelphia and Paul George in Boston, Pritchard could be the Celtics' second offensive option on most nights.

Kennard delivered 20 points (8-15 FG, 4-10 3Pt), five rebounds and four assists across 25 minutes in Saturday's 102-98 preseason win over the Spurs.

Kennard got the start over Devin Booker (rest) in this preseason matchup and led the Suns in scoring while draining a team-high four threes and dishing out four dimes. Seeing Kennard thrive as a shooter and playmaker will boost his fantasy stock considerably, but ultimately, his role will be limited to a secondary one as long as Booker and Jalen Green are healthy and available.

Harper posted 15 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block across 24 minutes in Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

Harper led the Spurs in scoring despite playing slightly over 20 minutes, and he got the start in the backcourt due to the absence of De'Aaron Fox (undisclosed). If Fox is healthy for Opening Night against the Thunder on Oct. 20, however, Harper will move to a bench role, although that shouldn't stop him from seeing plenty of minutes on a regular basis.

Brown (back) scored eight points (3-3 FG, 2-2 3Pt) and added a rebound across 10 minutes off the bench in Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

Brown missed the preseason opener against the Hawks on Thursday due to a back injury, but he was one of seven bench players to log double-digit minutes in this matchup. A second-round pick out of Duke in the 2026 NBA Draft, Brown isn't expected to have a big role with the Spurs in 2026-27, and it wouldn't be surprising if he spent most of his rookie year in the G League.

Williams (undisclosed) didn't play in Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

Williams still hasn't suited up for the Spurs in the preseason. He's expected to play for the Austin Spurs in the G League in 2026-27, so his absence won't be much of an issue from a fantasy perspective. His next chance to play will come Monday against Utah.

McCollum recorded 12 points (2-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 7-7 FT) and five rebounds across 19 minutes in Saturday's 119-117 preseason win over the Pacers.

McCollum attempted just four field goals but made the most of his opportunities at the free-throw line, converting all seven attempts, and his five rebounds were a nice addition to the stat line as well. The veteran guard is likely to earn most of his value through his scoring and playmaking once the regular season begins, though. He averaged 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game across 76 regular-season outings in 2025-26 and is locked into a first-unit role for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign as well.

Wiggins finished with 13 points (4-9 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, an assist and two steals across 20 minutes off the bench in Saturday's 119-117 preseason win over the Pacers.

Wiggins provided an efficient scoring contribution off the bench, knocking down three three-pointers while also contributing defensively with two steals, factors that contributed to a team-high plus-13. His combination of perimeter shooting and defensive activity will secure him a consistent role in Atlanta's rotation, but his role off the bench will limit his upside a bit.

Okongwu recorded 18 points (5-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 6-6 FT), three rebounds and three assists across 23 minutes in Saturday's 119-117 preseason win over the Pacers.

Okongwu delivered a productive offensive performance, making all six of his free-throw attempts while committing just one turnover. The center attempted seven three-pointers, and although he connected on only two, his tendency to stretch the floor has been noticeable in the preseason. That could add another wrinkle to his expanding offensive game. Okongwu, who averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game across 74 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, will be one of the Hawks' go-to players on both ends of the floor once the regular season starts Oct. 21 at Orlando.