Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers

Mitchell appears to be a candidate for an expanded role in Oklahoma City's rotation after showing promise in a limited capacity last season. The team lost Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Luguentz Dort this offseason, making Mitchell an obvious player to watch ahead of fantasy drafts. His exact place in the rotation will become clearer during training camp and the preseason.

Hartenstein sat out FIBA qualifiers with Germany to nurse an ankle injury he sustained earlier this summer, so it's encouraging to see him back on the court ahead of training camp in the fall. The 28-year-old big man appears to be firmly on track for the start of the regular season in October, barring any setbacks along the way.

General manager Sam Presti announced the restriction Thursday, and Topic is currently dealing with a back issue stemming from offseason surgery. The 21-year-old guard's participation level will be worth monitoring throughout camp as Oklahoma City prepares for the preseason.

Knee

Lower Leg

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.