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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Cam Christie is returning to the Los Angeles Clippers for his third NBA season on a two-way contract, according to Shams Charania. The 21-year-old shooting guard, drafted 46th overall in 2024, was initially waived by the franchise on October 14. Christie saw a minor uptick in production last year, averaging 2.8 points and 1.4 rebounds across 55 games played after making 13 appearances as a rookie during the 2024-25 campaign.
Zyon Pullin is in the starting lineup for Friday's preseason matchup against the Chicago Bulls. The Minnesota Timberwolves are resting their entire starting lineup and key reserves for the exhibition finale, leaving Pullin to draw the start alongside Terrence Shannon, Jaylen Clark, Cody Williams, and Joan Beringer. Pullin looks to build momentum following a strong 22-point performance in his previous outing.
Sion James will make his first start of the preseason for the Charlotte Hornets in Friday's finale against the Memphis Grizzlies, joining Dennis Schroder, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid, and Ryan Kalkbrenner in the opening unit. Last season, James made 19 starts, averaging 5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 three-pointers per game on 35/33/83 shooting splits.
Anthony Davis is returning to the Washington Wizards' starting lineup for Friday's preseason finale against the Pelicans after sitting out Monday for rest. The 33-year-old big man joins Trae Young, Kyshawn George, AJ Dybantsa, and Alex Sarr in the first unit. Meanwhile, trade rumors continue to circulate around Davis, as rival contenders monitor his availability given Washington's youth movement, provided he remains healthy and productive.
Zach LaVine will suit up for the Sacramento Kings in Friday's preseason finale against the San Antonio Spurs after taking Tuesday's game off for rest. The 31-year-old guard looks to rebound during the 2026-27 season after being limited to 39 games in 2025-26, during which he averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per contest over 31.4 minutes.
Darius Acuff is available for the Sacramento Kings' preseason finale against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday after missing Tuesday's game for rest purposes. Acuff's return to action is expected to shift veteran Elfrid Payton back to the second unit as Sacramento fine-tunes its rotation ahead of the regular season opener.
Rookie Chris Cenac will make his first career NBA start in Friday's preseason finale against the Philadelphia 76ers as the Boston Celtics rest their main rotation players alongside Exhibit-10 starters Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, and Gabe McGlothan. After a quiet start to the preseason, the young center receives a major opportunity to showcase his talent and secure a role in Boston's frontcourt rotation during the final exhibition contest before Opening Night.
Jaden McDaniels will sit out Friday's preseason game against the Chicago Bulls for rest purposes as the Minnesota Timberwolves hold out several key rotation players. McDaniels is expected to be fully cleared and available for Minnesota's regular-season opener against the Miami Heat on Wednesday after concluding his exhibition schedule.
Paul George will sit out the Boston Celtics' preseason finale against the 76ers for rest purposes, but he is expected to be fully ready for Tuesday's regular-season opener against Detroit. In his Celtics debut against Philadelphia, George logged 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, and five steals in 25 minutes. Former coach Doc Rivers praised George's elite off-the-ball defense and shooting impact as vital for Boston.
Payton Pritchard will rest for the Boston Celtics' preseason finale against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The backup guard is coming off an 11-assist effort where he also tallied seven points and three rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench during Wednesday's 114-93 win over Charlotte. Pritchard is expected to be fully ready for Tuesday's opener against Detroit.
Derrick White will not play in the Boston Celtics' preseason finale against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday as coaching staff rests most of the starting rotation. White is expected to be fully available and back in the starting lineup for Boston's regular-season opener against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday after taking the night off for necessary rest.
Jayson Tatum will rest for the Boston Celtics' preseason finale against Philadelphia but is set to be fully available for Tuesday's regular-season opener versus Detroit. Tatum previously started in Boston's 114-93 preseason win over Charlotte. Additionally, the star forward earned a prestigious top-two spot in Sporting News' player rankings for the 2026-27 NBA season, reinforcing his status among the league's elite talents.
Tyler Herro is back in the lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks' preseason finale against the Indiana Pacers on Friday after resting on Wednesday. The star guard is aiming for a strong bounce-back season in his first year with Milwaukee following an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign, providing a key scoring boost for the Bucks entering the upcoming regular season.
Myles Turner has been cleared to play in the Milwaukee Bucks' preseason finale against the Indiana Pacers on Friday after sitting out Wednesday's game for rest. The veteran center aims for a bounce-back 2026-27 season after averaging 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 0.7 steals across 71 starts during his first year with Milwaukee.
Tobe Awaka has been ruled out for Friday's preseason finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves as he continues to recover from a knee injury, marking his second straight absence. Head coach Tiago Splitter noted that Awaka is "close" to returning. His status remains questionable for the Chicago Bulls' regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the Toronto Raptors.
Ryan Rollins is available for the Milwaukee Bucks' preseason matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Friday after sitting out one game for rest. The 24-year-old guard is coming off a breakout 2025-26 campaign and is primed to remain a vital piece of Milwaukee's rotation as the team navigates life without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is currently resting for the final preseason contest.
Onyeka Okongwu will return to the floor for the Atlanta Hawks in Friday's preseason finale against the Dallas Mavericks after resting on Monday. Although the coaching staff has not specified his minute restriction for Friday, the center is anticipated to be at full strength and ready for the Hawks' regular-season opener next week after completing his final exhibition dress rehearsal.
Isaac Okoro will miss the Chicago Bulls' preseason finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday due to an undisclosed injury. Okoro missed practice on Tuesday and will sit out his second consecutive exhibition game. The team has not provided further specifics on his condition, leaving him questionable for Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Toronto Raptors.
Dyson Daniels is expected to be a full go for the Atlanta Hawks' regular-season opener after resting alongside most of Atlanta's starters. While reports conflict on his exact availability for Friday's preseason finale against the Dallas Mavericks, Daniels is returning to action with the regular rotation following Monday's day off as he completes preparations for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.
Jalen Johnson will play in Friday's preseason finale against the Dallas Mavericks after receiving rest during Monday's game. Although his exact workload for Friday's contest has not been disclosed, the star forward is expected to be a full go for the Atlanta Hawks' regular-season opener next week as he concludes his exhibition preparations alongside Atlanta's main regular rotation players.
