From teammate drama and injury updates to trade repercussions and a potential change to the rotation in Boston, the action doesn't slow down around the NBA.
Here's a look at the most fantasy-relevant news and notes for all 30 teams around the league:
Atlanta Hawks: Throughout the long NBA season there are times when you may know that a player won't be able to produce big numbers for an extended period of time, but they are still worth adding to your roster for a brief stretch. Alex Len is that guy right now. The big man is a double-double candidate as long as John Collins (ankle) and Dewayne Dedmon (personal) remain out of the lineup. He went for 17 points and 11 rebounds against the Lakers on Sunday and added 14 and seven against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Boston Celtics: It's been a slow start for Gordon Hayward, but could a bench role be in his future? He told The Boston Globe this week that he's open to coming off the bench if it helps the team. "For me, I'm happy to be on the court, No. 1 more than anything and, No. 2, whatever I can do to help us win,'' Hayward said. "I said it before the season, it's whatever to me." Is that a sign of being a good teammate? Sure. Is it what you want out of someone you're paying $31.2 million this season? Probably not. Hayward has averaged 8.0 PPG on 34.1 percent shooting while playing 26.8 MPG during the past five games.
Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert may have dodged a season-ending injury when he was diagnosed with a dislocated foot -- and not something much worse -- but the rising swingman will be sidelined for the foreseeable future as he rehabs and works his way back to the court. Spencer Dinwiddie has the size, scoring ability and playmaking to step into a larger role while LeVert is out, and he remains available in 84.1 percent of ESPN leagues. Keep an eye for him.
Charlotte Hornets: Talk about a one-man show, look at what Kemba Walker is doing in Charlotte. His 26.4 PPG is more than the team's second and third-leading scorers combined (Jeremy Lamb, 12.9 PPG and Malik Monk, 12.1 PPG). Nicolas Batum's and Marvin Williams' regression as scorers and the lack of development by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller in that department put the Hornets in a dangerous place, because an injury to Walker and this is a team that will struggle to score 80 points a game.
Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine continues to climb the weekly fantasy rankings in both roto and points leagues, and one of the things that tends to go overlooked with the young swingman is just how much the Bulls are running the offense through him. LaVine's 32.6 usage percentage ranks fourth in the NBA behind only Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Surprising as it might seem, that puts him ahead of the likes of Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Cleveland Cavaliers: According to a story by Marc Stein of The New York Times, the 76ers are highly interested in re-acquiring Cavs veteran Kyle Korver. It's not a slam dunk that it will happen, though. "... that will be harder for Philadelphia to make happen without Jerryd Bayless' handy $8.6 million expiring contract to help facilitate a trade," Stein notes. Korver has averaged just 15.3 MPG in 11 games this season, but the 76ers' need for 3-point shooting could lead Korver to more minutes if he ends up getting traded to Philadelphia.
Dallas Mavericks: Did it take only a month for DeAndre Jordan to wear out his welcome in Dallas? Jordan's numbers look to be at their standard level so far (11.2 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG), but ESPN's Tim MacMahon writes on the team power rankings this week that all is not well with Jordan and the Mavs: "Don't be deceived by DeAndre Jordan's solid statistics. He has been a major disappointment for the Mavs. He has rubbed teammates the wrong way with what they perceive as selfish play. ... Jordan's disinterest in playing help defense has been a big problem as Mavs opponents light up the scoreboard." It's worth keeping this in mind, as it could start to negatively affect Jordan's play if the situation worsens.
Denver Nuggets: We may be only a month into the season, but Gary Harris' production has left much to be desired thus far. Harris' scoring and steals are down from last season's marks, and his 3-point shooting has taken the biggest nosedive of all, going from 39.6 percent and 2.3 3PG last season to 29.4 percent and 1.4 3PG. Harris is a young, talented player in his prime who is bound to turn things around, but at some point, Isaiah Thomas, Will Barton and Michael Porter Jr. could all enter the rotation. Harris slipped in ESPN's roto rankings this week and may stay in that 70-80 range all season for the reasons listed above.
Detroit Pistons: Entering the 2018-19 season, Reggie Jackson's previous season-high for 3-point attempts per game was 4.2, set in 2015-16. For a career 31.9 percent shooter, that sounds about right. While Jackson is still shooting below average from long range this season (30.9 percent), one drastic change is the amount of shots he's taking (6.8). Pistons coach Dwane Casey could reduce the amount of 3s the team takes, given the amount of inefficient shooters on this team, but for the time being, Jackson's 2.1 3PG make him more valuable than he's been in the past -- at least as far as the 3-point category is concerned.
Golden State Warriors: All eyes are on Draymond Green and Durant, and how the two co-exist going forward after the big blowup in Monday's game against the Clippers that led to Green being suspended one game without pay. Until the two are back on the court together again, nobody knows for sure how this will shake out. Will it go away quietly? Or will the already contentious situation worsen in the days ahead? The Warriors' next game is Thursday against the Rockets. Get the popcorn ready.
Houston Rockets: The Carmelo Anthony saga continues to get all the headlines on the Rockets these days, but the main story in Houston with fantasy implications is how nobody on the team carries much value at all outside of Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela. Eric Gordon has a 7.6 PER and does little more than shoot the 3-pointer. PJ Tucker is a streamer, at best, who logs a lot of minutes but isn't great at anything. And James Ennis III and Gerald Green are virtual non-factors. It's safe to say that a month ago when the season started, most of us expected more from all these players in a Rockets offense that was stellar in 2017-18.
Indiana Pacers: The fact that Tyreke Evans hasn't started a game yet for the Pacers isn't all that shocking. What is a surprise is the limited role the veteran guard has had off the bench, playing just 19.6 MPG during his first 13 games with the team. As long as that continues to be the case, Evans should be considered no more than a streamer in fantasy leagues, and even that's a stretch right now, given his current shooting woes and minimal contributions as a rebounder (2.2 RPG) and distributor (2.4 APG).
LA Clippers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the size at 6-foot-6 that is drawing comparisons to Shaun Livingston, but the rookie point guard appears to have a greater upside based on what he's done since moving into the starting lineup. He has made 20 of 36 shots during the past three games, all against quality opponents (Portland, Milwaukee, Golden State), and has averaged 17.7 PPG during that stretch. The confidence is already there, and given the way that Gilgeous-Alexander contributes in all other categories (except blocks) you can count on his stock rising quickly in the weeks ahead. Somehow, he remains available in 93.3 percent of ESPN leagues.
Los Angeles Lakers: I mentioned above the rumors linking Korver to Philadelphia, but another name the 76ers are reportedly interested in is Lakers wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Kevin O'Connor had this to say on The Ringer NBA Show this week: "They need to add shooting. I had in my article on Saturday that they still retain interest in Cavs wing Korver. I've since heard that Caldwell-Pope on the Lakers is a guy who they could have eyes for, but even then, Korver is obviously one of the greatest shooters ever, KCP is an inconsistent shooter. I'm not sure how much he would solve their issues, but the point is that they need to find shooting." KCP could benefit from a change of scenery; his playing time (18.6 MPG) and numbers (6.4 PPG, 1.8 RPG) are way down this season on the LeBron-led Lakers.
Memphis Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks (knee) is out for 6-8 weeks with a Grade 2 MCL sprain. His injury and absence from the Grizzlies' lineup will cause the team to rely on other options as scorers off the bench, and MarShon Brooks is a born scorer who could benefit the most from an uptick in minutes. Brooks, who doesn't offer much of anything outside of scoring, is worth a look late in the week if you're streaming for points.
Miami Heat: James Johnson remains out of the Heat lineup despite having been back on the practice court during the past month. The veteran explained to the Miami Herald this week what's holding him back: "I got to get to a certain body fat, got to get to a certain weight," Johnson said. "Those goals also help me perform to my best abilities." Johnson's return doesn't sound too far away at this point, and when it happens he will likely cut into the playing time of Rodney McGruder, Justise Winslow and Kelly Olynyk.
Milwaukee Bucks: Everywhere you watch NBA action, you hear the MVP buzz surrounding Antetokounmpo. It's easy to get swept up in it all, and with the Bucks off to a 10-3 start, the Greek Freak deserves the praise. The one area he continues to lag behind the rest of the NBA is 3-point shooting, however, and that's something that hasn't taken a step forward this season. Antetokounmpo is shooting just 7.7 percent from distance (2-26). In roto leagues, it's wise to pair the Bucks' star with another star who can shoot the long ball or you might have to punt 3s every week.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Whose value will take the biggest hit with forwards Robert Covington and Dario Saric joining the mix in Minnesota? It remains to be seen how Tom Thibodeau will handle the rotation, but one player who will likely see less time on the court is veteran power forward Taj Gibson. Gibson had played 27.9 MPG prior to the trade but will now have to share minutes with Saric and could conceivably move to the bench. Keep an eye on this, especially if you have Gibson or Saric on your fantasy roster.
New Orleans Pelicans: If there was a silver lining to Nikola Mirotic's ankle injury that kept him out of the lineup during the past two games, it's that Julius Randle was able to show what he could do in extended minutes. Often limited to around 25 MPG this season, Randle busted out for 22 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in 38 minutes against Phoenix and added 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists in 35 minute against Toronto. Whether this leads to more minutes for Randle going forward or not, it's worth filing away in your mind for whenever Mirotic misses time in the future.
New York Knicks: Coach David Fizdale announced a change to the starting lineup on Wednesday, inserting Emmanuel Mudiay and rookie Kevin Knox into the starting five and moving Damyean Dotson and Frank Ntilikina to the bench. From a fantasy perspective, this means Dotson and Ntilikina aren't as strong of streaming options as they were before, while Knox suddenly warrants more consideration in points leagues. Fizdale calls Mudiay his best passer, but his inefficiency and timeshare at the position limit his fantasy value.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Westbrook was listed as "out" for Wednesday's game against the Knicks, but the Thunder star may be available for this one after all. Westbrook has been ramping up his workouts at recent practices, and Paul George referenced Wednesday to being "somewhat healthy now with Russ back." Team officials say that Westbrook will be re-evaluated later Wednesday, and fantasy managers with Westbrook need to make sure they stay on top of this before the 8 p.m. EST tipoff. If he's able to go, Dennis Schroder's value takes an immediate hit.
Orlando Magic: Terrence Ross has quietly worked his way back from a knee sprain and tibial fracture that cost him 57 games last season, and his 3-point shooting should get everyone's attention. Ross has made nine 3s in his past two games and has made 2.3 3PG this season. While his lack of contributions in all areas other than scoring and shooting the 3 limit his upside, Ross has established himself early this season as a quality streaming option.
Philadelphia 76ers: Some wondered what would happen to Markelle Fultz in the aftermath of the Jimmy Butler trade, with the 76ers adding a star in Butler but losing two starters with Covington and Saric heading to Minnesota in the deal. On Wednesday, we learned that Fultz will head to the bench, with JJ Redick joining Ben Simmons in the starting backcourt. This move makes sense, since the 76ers suddenly lack outside shooting outside of Redick, and it also could reduce some of the pressure on Fultz, who is very much still dealing with whatever issues haunted him last season.
Phoenix Suns: There isn't a lot to like on the Suns outside of Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, but at least TJ Warren is back to being himself. During the past three games, the scoring forward has averaged just under 40 MPG and taken advantage of the time on the court to put up 25.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 2.7 3PG. If Warren is still available in your league, grab him.
Portland Trail Blazers: Through the first 13 games of the season, Damian Lillard is shooting 46.5 percent from the floor and 94.0 percent from the free throw line. Both would be career highs. The seventh-year point guard has never finished a season shooting better than 44.4 percent (2016-17), and his previous best at the free throw line (91.6 percent) came just last season.
Sacramento Kings: If you're like me and considered renaming your team after Nemanja Bjelica, you may want to go with another name. After making a big splash in the opening weeks of the season, the Bjelica party appears to be over in Sacramento; the veteran forward is still playing around 25 minutes a game, but he has been held to four points or fewer during three of his past five games. Bogdan Bogdanovic's return to the lineup only worsens Bjelica's case for finding the hot hand he possessed in October.
San Antonio Spurs: Derrick White's return to the Spurs' lineup hasn't had much of an impact on Bryn Forbes, at least not through the first three games. Forbes, who some believed would see his minutes dwindle with White in the lineup, stayed in the starting lineup next to White and DeMar DeRozan, and played 32, 30 and 29 minutes during the past three games.
Toronto Raptors: Checking in on Jonas Valanciunas, one of the few "old school" plodding type of centers around the league who is still carving out a role in a rotation. Here's the interesting thing about Valanciunas: While his 18.9 MPG is down from 22.4 last season and 25.8 the season before, he is actually scoring at a career-high 13.0 PPG while adding 7.6 RPG and 1.1 BPG. Every year there are one or two guys around the league who deserve a spot on fantasy rosters despite playing less than 20 MPG, and Valanciunas appears to be one of those guys this season.
Utah Jazz: Somewhat of a forgotten man around the league and in fantasy circles, Derrick Favors is quietly putting together the type of season that warrants your attention. During his past five games, the 27-year-old big man has averaged 12.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG and 0.8 3PG while making 68.6 percent of his shots. He can help a lot of fantasy teams and is available in 41 percent of ESPN leagues.
Washington Wizards: John Wall has become a more efficient shooter, at least through the first month of the season, and BulletsForever.com ran a nice piece on Wednesday explaining how he's done it. "Wall is putting up the best numbers of his career on (2-point attempts) by a country mile, and the reason is simple: He cut back on midrange shots. Last season, he averaged 5.1 midrange shots per game. The year before, he averaged 5.7 midrange shots per game. This season, he is only taking 3.3 midrange shots per game." Unfortunately for Wall, his 3-point shooting (31.7 percent) is the lowest since 2014-15, and his free throw shooting (70.6 percent) is the lowest of his career.