Portland Trail Blazers at LA Clippers

Chris Haynes of NBA TV reported when the trade went down that the Trail Blazers had a Morant and Lillard backcourt pairing in mind, so it'll be interesting to see how the ball-handling responsibilities are divvied up in 2026-27 should they stick to that plan. Morant endured yet another injury-plagued campaign in 2025-26 with the Grizzlies, making just 20 appearances while shooting a career-low 41.0 percent from the floor and 23.5 percent from deep, and he's reached the 60-game mark just one time over his past five seasons. With plenty of questions surrounding his fit in his new digs, the dynamic 27-year-old point guard is shaping up as a difficult fantasy player to rank as a high-risk, high-reward gamble in the second half of drafts.

It's a tough blow to the Trail Blazers' depth on the wing ahead of training camp. Sharpe, who is now likely to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, had been ticketed for a reserve role behind Toumani Camara following an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign, which saw average a career-high 20.8 points, 1.4 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game over 50 regular-season appearances. The door is now open for Vit Krejci and Jeremy Sochan to compete for bench minutes during camp.

It's a tough break for Miller, who had an opportunity to battle for a reserve role during training camp in the fall. The timeline for a return is likely to keep him on the shelf until after the All-Star break. Miller's extended stay on the sidelines gives Kobe Sanders a chance to crack the Clippers' rotation.

"We're going to hear at Media Day where he's at with his heel," Windhorst added. This update is certainly ominous, and there's been no mention of this by the Clippers. Fantasy managers will want to monitor this closely in case it impacts his availability for Opening Night.

This is a tough blow for Niederhauser, who suffered the injury during Wednesday's matchup against the Pacers. It's still too early to talk about whether the big man will be available for the start of next season, though the team could provide an estimate following the procedure.

Beal declined his $5.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season and became a free agent earlier this offseason, but he's agreed to new terms with the Clippers. The 33-year-old never got going during the 2025-26 campaign, as he suffered a fractured left hip in November after appearing in only six matchups. It remains to be seen whether Beal will be healthy for the start of the season, though once he is, he'll be expected to offer key contributions in the backcourt alongside rookie Keaton Wagler.