NBA Player News

Castle registered 13 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and one steal in 21 minutes during Saturday's 102-98 preseason loss to the Suns.

The 21-year-old guard turned in a respectable performance from the field and tied Victor Wembanyama for second on the Spurs in scoring. Castle delivered a productive all-around performance, as he finished second on the team in assists and was one of three Spurs players to grab at least seven rebounds. He's scored in double figures in both of San Antonio's preseason games while shooting 10-for-18 from the field.

Williams closed Saturday's 111-106 preseason win over the Kings with 19 points (7-8 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), one assist and one steal across 17 minutes.

After starting Wednesday's loss to Portland, Williams shifted to the second unit Saturday. He still torched the nets off the bench and finished as Golden State's second-leading scorer behind Yaxel Lendeborg (23 points). Williams has scored in double figures in all four of the Warriors' preseason outings thus far, and he's making a strong case for additional minutes to open the 2026-27 season.

Achiuwa supplied eight points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and one assist in 27 minutes during Saturday's 111-106 preseason loss to the Warriors.

With Domantas Sabonis (undisclosed) sidelined, Achiuwa got the starting nod for a third straight exhibition game. The 27-year-old couldn't replicate his 18-point performance from Thursday's loss, though he tied for the team lead in rebounds Saturday. Maxime Raynaud exited Saturday's contest with a knee injury, and if he's forced to miss time to begin the regular season, Achiuwa could see increased playing time.

Goldin finished Saturday's 125-124 preseason loss to the Timberwolves with 18 points (7-10 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one block in 23 minutes.

Goldin scored five points in eight minutes during the first half and made the most of his increased playing time in the second, finishing as the Heat's second-leading scorer in an efficient performance. The big man was also one of five Heat players to grab at least six rebounds. The 25-year-old is signed to a two-way pact and will likely spend most of his time with the G League's Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2026-27.

Pullin posted 22 points (7-9 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 8-8 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 28 minutes in Saturday's 125-124 preseason win over the Heat.

Pullin turned in an extremely efficient performance in this one, finishing as Minnesota's second-leading scorer behind Bones Hyland (23 points). Pullin is signed to a two-way deal and figures to provide emergency depth for the Timberwolves in 2026-27, though he'll likely spend most of his time with the G League's Iowa Wolves.

Dybantsa recorded 14 points (4-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 6-10 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and one steal across 23 minutes in Saturday's 114-108 preseason win over Detroit in overtime.

Dybantsa got to the charity stripe often but wasn't very efficient. Still, the rookie first overall pick tied for second on the team in scoring and finished second in rebounds behind Anthony Davis. Dybantsa has scored in double figures in back-to-back games to begin the preseason, totaling 25 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists in 46 minutes.

Okorie supplied 14 points (6-15 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six assists, one rebound and one assist across 27 minutes in Saturday's 114-108 preseason loss to the Wizards in overtime.

Okorie was the only player to log more than 21 minutes for Detroit. Although he struggled from beyond the arc, the rookie point guard still led the Pistons in scoring and assists. He's totaled 21 points and seven assists over 37 minutes through two preseason games.

Thompson finished with 14 points (4-12 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block across 30 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason loss to the Mavericks.

Thompson delivered a versatile performance, leading all Houston players with six assists and finishing second with seven rebounds. Despite his shooting woes, Thompson's value will also come from his multi-category contributions rather than just his scoring prowess. On that note, he looks ready to go for the start of the 2026-27 regular season, where he should be a starter in the backcourt next to Fred VanVleet (rest).

Sheppard recorded 17 points (5-12 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 3-4 FT), a rebound, an assist, a steal and two blocks across 25 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason loss to the Mavericks.

Sheppard remained aggressive from beyond the arc, attempting 10 three-pointers, and his 17 points ranked second among Houston's starters. As good as he was as a three-point threat, Sheppard's five turnovers are troubling, especially since he's expected to have a sizable backcourt role off the bench as a secondary playmaker behind Fred VanVleet, who didn't play Sunday due to rest. Sheppard's upside in fantasy ahead of the 2026-27 regular season will rely heavily on his playing time, but his calling card will be his three-point shooting and secondary playmaking.

Smart finished with 20 points (7-13 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-3 FT), five rebounds, four assists and a block across 24 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason loss to the Mavericks.

Smart delivered a strong offensive performance and led all Houston players in scoring -- and it's worth noting each starter played over 20 minutes, so the Rockets are ramping up the workload for their rotation members. Smart is likely to open the season as a bench option but should handle sizable minutes because of his elite defense, three-point shooting and energy off the bench. This was an encouraging performance, but don't expect Smart to hover around the 20-point mark consistently once the regular season begins Oct. 21 in a rematch against Dallas.