NBA Player News

Leonard finished with 23 points (5-17 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 11-11 FT), six rebounds, two assists, four steals and one block over 24 minutes in Wednesday's 135-92 win over the Bulls.

Leonard tied Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley for the game high in points. However, what set the 35-year-old apart from the rest were his contributions on the defensive side of the ball. Leonard averaged a career-best 27.9 points along with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals over 32.1 minutes per game in 65 regular-season appearances with the Clippers in 2025-26. The 2011 No. 15 overall pick is certainly still considered an All-Star-caliber player, but he needs to stay healthy, which has been an issue throughout his career.

Toppin amassed 20 points (7-12 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-3 FT), three rebounds, one assist and two steals across 25 minutes during Wednesday's 123-120 victory over New Orleans.

Toppin started the season with a bang, scoring 20 points in just 25 minutes, despite coming off the bench. Indiana opted to use Toppin as a small-ball center option, with Jay Huff failing to leave the bench. He provided the team with energy on both ends of the floor, culminating in a strong two-way performance. The eventual return of Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) will complicate matters for Toppin, although his unique ability to play above the rim should see him maintain a role of at least 20 minutes per game.

Powell ended with 15 points (3-9 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 7-11 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one steal over 22 minutes during Wednesday's 135-92 loss to Toronto.

Powell didn't have the most efficient night from the field, but he finished tied for the third-most points on the Bulls thanks to his seven made free throws, though he connected on only 63.6 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe. Powell averaged over 21.0 points per game in each of the last two seasons, but his offensive output may be limited while playing alongside the young core of Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and rookie fourth-overall pick Caleb Wilson.

Buzelis racked up 17 points (2-8 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 13-16 FT), six rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes during Wednesday's 135-92 loss to Toronto.

The Bulls shot only 31.8 percent from the field (including 4-for-36 from three-point range) during Wednesday's regular-season opener. Buzelis ended up leading the Bulls in scoring thanks to a career-high 13 made free throws in the loss. Chicago has a young core of Buzelis, Josh Giddey and rookie fourth-overall pick Caleb Wilson, so it might take a few games for the team to mesh together. Chicago will stay on the road for its next game against Milwaukee on Friday.

Giddey provided two points (1-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 0-2 FT), seven rebounds and six assists across 24 minutes during Wednesday's 135-92 loss to Toronto.

Giddey couldn't get anything going offensively, missing all but one of his 10 field-goal attempts while contributing to five of the Bulls' 27 turnovers. His minus-39 point differential was second-worst on the team only to rookie Caleb Wilson (minus-45) in what was about as bad of a start to the season as you can get for the Bulls. Giddey is coming off a career year in 2025-26, and his next chance to get back on track is Friday against the Bucks.

Wagner accumulated 22 points (9-20 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-4 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal over 29 minutes during Wednesday's 132-125 loss to the Hawks.

Wagner picked up three early fouls, ultimately limiting him to 29 minutes. However, he made the most of his time on the floor, ending as one of three Magic players to score at least 20 points. Wagner, along with Paolo Banchero, will be looking to put last season in the rearview mirror, having both dealt with relatively significant injuries. Assuming he can stay on the floor, expect Wagner to flirt with top 50 value in standard leagues.

Suggs racked up six points (2-8 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, five assists and two steals over 32 minutes during Wednesday's 132-125 loss to the Hawks.

Suggs struggled to find any rhythm Wednesday, managing just six points despite playing 32 minutes. He did rack up a pair of steals, providing fantasy managers with some respite. Perhaps the biggest positive to come out of the game was the fact that he played in excess of 30 minutes. Missed games have been a major issue for Suggs throughout his career, up to and including last season. Those who drafted him this season will be hoping he can finally stay on the floor.

Haliburton had 23 points (8-15 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 12 assists, two rebounds and one steal across 34 minutes in Wednesday's 123-120 win over the Pelicans.

Haliburton shot just 4-for-11 from the floor through the first three quarters, though he turned it around when it mattered most and dropped 13 points in the fourth quarter. The star point guard finished with a game-high 12 assists and was the Pacers' second-leading scorer behind Pascal Siakam (30 points). However, Haliburton also committed four turnovers in the close victory.

Edwards ended with 45 points (16-29 FG, 9-17 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block across 33 minutes in Wednesday's 131-106 victory over Miami.

Edwards was dominant Wednesday, setting a new franchise Opening Night scoring record to lead the Timberwolves to a victory to begin the 2026-27 campaign. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick averaged a career-best 28.8 points along with 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals over 35.0 minutes per contest in 2025-26. However, he appeared in only 61 games, marking the first season of his career with fewer than 72 appearances. Edwards has MVP potential, and while he'll face heavy competition for the award, he could at least be a finalist at the end of the year, assuming he stays healthy.

Carter amassed 22 points (8-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 5-5 FT), seven rebounds and one steal over 31 minutes during Wednesday's 132-125 loss to the Hawks.

Carter scored an efficient 22 points despite the loss, putting to rest any doubts there were regarding his role as the starting center. Seen as his primary competition for playing time, Nikola Vucevic managed just five minutes, while Goga Bitadze saw 12 minutes. While this is only a one-game sample size, it does appear as though Carter should be able to maintain relevance in standard leagues, although expecting 22 points from him on most nights feels unlikely.