Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) is healthy heading into training camp after being cleared for full basketball activities in late May, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. A Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered on April 2 cost him the Lakers' final 15 regular-season games and their entire playoff run, which ended in the second round. The 27-year-old skipped Slovenia's FIBA World Cup qualifiers to spend time with his daughters and later hosted Lakers teammates for an August minicamp. Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals across 64 games last season, winning the scoring title. With LeBron James now in Philadelphia, more of the offense should flow through Doncic, while Walker Kessler gives him a true lob threat. Availability is the only real fantasy concern on an otherwise elite profile.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) enters 2026-27 with renewed optimism after telling reporters at his end-of-season news conference that his knee is no longer the main concern. "We figured out the knee. It hasn't been an issue," Embiid said, according to ESPN's Vincent Goodwill. The former MVP has appeared in only 57 of a possible 164 games over the past two seasons, so the injury discount will not disappear. He still averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 31.6 minutes across 38 games last season. Sixers president Mike Gansey said in August that Embiid is healthy, with the team expected to map out a workload plan. Jaylen Brown and LeBron James joining Tyrese Maxey should lower Embiid's usage burden, but staying on the floor remains the swing factor.

Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle expects his new offensive fit to work because the skill sets around him do not overlap much. "I can do a lot with the ball off the dribble, creating," Randle said at a Skechers event in Brazil, calling Michael Porter Jr. "a great catch-and-shoot guy." The three-time All-Star averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists across 79 games with Minnesota last season, while Porter posted a career-high 24.2 points with 3.4 three-pointers per game. If Randle handles a larger share of Brooklyn's half-court creation, his assists have room to climb, and Porter should see cleaner spot-up looks. Egor Demin averaged 3.3 assists as a rookie, while Mikel Brown Jr. is still developing, so Randle looks like the safest bet to drive the Nets' offense early.

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (ankle) appears on track to be ready for the start of the 2026-27 season. "We're tracking that way," Adams told New Zealand's Weekend Sport with Jason Pine when asked in August about his availability, according to ESPN's Michael C. Wright. The 33-year-old underwent season-ending left ankle surgery in January after playing 32 games last season, averaging 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.8 minutes. Adams is not a scoring option, but his offensive rebounding remains the fantasy hook after Houston ranked No. 1 on the offensive glass in both of his first two seasons with the team. Wright also notes the Rockets have ranked in the top three in second-chance points for two straight years. Adams should revive Houston's double-big looks with Alperen Sengun, leaving Clint Capela's path to steady backup minutes less secure.