Sacramento Kings en Cleveland Cavaliers

Watkins believes De'Andre Hunter will start at small forward next to Murray ahead of Alex Karaban. Murray underwent an arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies in his left ankle back in May, though he's expected to be ready in time for training camp.

LaVine underwent season-ending surgery on his right hand before the 2025-26 All-Star break. He averaged 19.2 points in 39 regular-season games and was a two-time All-Star before being traded to the Kings in February of 2025. The Kings are listening to trade offers for LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, but their hefty contracts are making things difficult. If LaVine stays in Sacramento, he'll likely take a back seat, as the Kings try to develop 2026 No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff.

Fantasy managers weren't quite able to get a clear idea about Hunter's role after his move to Sacramento, as the forward made just two appearances for the Kings before undergoing season-ending eye surgery. While Acuff is expected to play a big role and see plenty of ball-handling duties right away, Hunter could still move up the depth chart and benefit from a usage perspective if DeMar DeRozan (hamstring) winds up going elsewhere in 2026-27.

Watson isn't guaranteed a spot in the starting five immediately but will have the chance to compete for it during training camp. The 24-year-old forward figures to play a sizable role for Cleveland after being acquired from the Nuggets in August in a multi-team deal. Watson was limited to just 54 regular-season appearances (40 starts) in 2025-26 due in large part to a strained hamstring, though he impressed when healthy, averaging career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (4.9), assists (2.1) and steals (0.9) while chipping in 1.1 blocks per game and shooting 41.1 percent from beyond the arc. His length and defensive versatility will be key for a Cleveland team trying to reach the Finals for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. However, his growth on the offensive end will also be crucial to achieving that objective. Watson is one of the top candidates to join James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the starting lineup, but Atkinson isn't ready to commit to that idea just yet, as the Cavaliers have other options like Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson.