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Peyton Watson isn’t the first player that the Cleveland Cavaliers have tried to use to fill this gap.

A long list of names, from Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro — to Dean Wade and De’Andre Hunter. This team has searched for a starting-caliber wing throughout the decade. And while Max Strus fit the build better than anyone, he was perpetually playing out of position on a team that needed size and athleticism in his place.

This is what made Watson the ideal trade target.

Trading Strus wasn’t easy. He was far and away Cleveland’s best option at small forward during this era. But Watson offers a younger, bigger, and more exciting prospect to ring the bell once and for all. If all goes to plan. Cleveland won’t have to search for another wing for a long time.

Let’s get into why that’s the case.

The Glue

The Cavs’ starting lineup features a dynamic that has led to much success.

The backcourt duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell makes for one of the best shot-creating backcourts in basketball. Meanwhile, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley form an elite defensive frontcourt.

Connecting those two duos with the perfect small forward has been the issue.

Allow me to oversimplify things:

Dean Wade was a versatile defender. His skills on that end made him a fantastic fit in the starting lineup. But Wade’s lack of offense ultimately made him a liability once the playoffs began. The bridge between the backcourt and frontcourt was flawed.

Max Strus, on the other hand, brought all of the offensive skills you’d want from the fifth starter. He just wasn’t tall or athletic enough to defend opposing wings.

Cleveland needed someone who could combine the skills of Wade and Strus. Someone who was better on offense than Wade, and more equipped to defend wings than Strus.

This is where Watson has a chance to succeed.

Watson has a 6’8” frame and 7’1” wingspan. He packages that length with elite mobility, placing him in the 97th percentile as a perimeter isolation defender last season — and in the 86th percentile as a screen navigator (according to BBall Index).

On paper, Watson has all of the tools needed to replicate Wade’s success in the starting lineup.

As for replacing Strus, this will be more difficult.

Watson doesn’t attempt three-pointers at nearly the same rate — but he did shoot more efficiently than Strus last season. He was automatic from the corners and should provide a valuable kick-out option to either of Cleveland’s guards.

There’s also potential for Watson to build off a career-best season shooting the ball. He could become a more dynamic perimeter threat, and has flashed some on-ball creation and three-level scoring. This makes Watson a fun player to bet on at 24 years old.

Finally, Watson is a vertical athlete who is more of a threat to get downhill and attack in transition. He can finish above the rim and has a wider catch radius for his teammates to find him on cuts. Overall, this should add a new layer to Cleveland’s offense, as they haven’t had anyone who can be shot out of a cannon like this at small forward

Things to Prove

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson insists that the starting lineup is not solidified. Watson isn’t walking into this without earning it.

What would that take?

Watson is facing pressure to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke. His 41% three-point shooting is an outlier despite consistent growth throughout his career. He needs to sustain that leap, while also showing he can improve on it even further.

The Cavs would also like to see Watson polish the rest of his game. He has raw potential on defense, some of which came to light last season. But it still wasn’t perfect. His overall game needs some fine-tuning. It’s one thing to feel optimistic; it’s another to have blind faith. Watson needs to show that Cleveland was correct in betting on his development.

Other areas that need buffing include his playmaking and finishing. Watson has consistently ranked high in rim frequency but has never finished above the 50th percentile in accuracy. That’s a lot of looks at the basket that aren’t being converted.

(Note: Watson shot 65% at the rim last season, placing him in the 49th percentile. For comparison, Max Strus shot 59%.)

It feels like Watson is at the tip of the iceberg in terms of his potential. Realizing that is the next step, or Cavs fans could be left feeling like they were promised more than they got.

Conclusion

Barring a disastrous performance, Watson will be the fifth starter. Atkinson would have to be a mad genius to believe otherwise.

From there, this will be Watson’s job to lose. His athletic profile makes him a no-brainer to solve Cleveland’s needs. He provides the blend of offense and defense they’ve been searching for.

Watson’s ripe potential makes him someone the Cavs could rely on long-term, possibly even into a second rebuilding era after Mitchell and Harden are gone. It’s hard to look that far ahead, but it’s something to consider. This was part of the calculation in trading for him.

In the meantime, Watson has the opportunity of a lifetime in front of him. He’s joining a team that has been begging for a player like him to arrive. The only thing left is to save the day and become the hero.

EuroLeague teams reject NBA offer to merge into single European operation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

EuroLeague basketball owners have rejected a formal offer from the NBA to merge into a single European operation following a meeting in Italy, Barcelona confirmed Wednesday.

The decision not to accept the NBA’s proposal of a single Europe entity was made Tuesday in Cernobbio during a gathering of the EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs. They include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, Tony Parker-owned ASVEL in France and two Istanbul-based clubs.

A statement on the EuroLeague’s website said they met to “discuss and align on key strategic decisions regarding the future of their collective property,” without mentioning the NBA.

Barcelona told The Associated Press in an emailed response that a formal merger offer from the NBA had been rejected. In a statement, the club confirmed that Barcelona president Joan Laporta attended the meeting and that club owners “took several decisions regarding the future of the competition.”

“Among those decisions was the rejection of the NBA’s proposal as it currently stands. Should that proposal be amended in the future, the clubs and the EuroLeague will reconsider it,” the statement read.

It’s not clear how each club voted. The EuroLeague declined to comment and pointed to its initial statement.

The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 20-team EuroLeague is comprised of 13 shareholder clubs immune from relegation. The rest either qualify through their domestic leagues or through invitation.

The NBA, in partnership with FIBA, is eying a 16-team model.

French sports daily L’Equipe reported that the NBA offered each future member 400 million euros ($448 million).

At Tuesday’s EuroLeague meeting, club owners agreed to move forward with converting the current 10-year licenses into franchises for the shareholder clubs. They also agreed to continue plans to increase the number of franchises.

European ambition

France’s Victor Wembanyama, Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic are among the biggest basketball stars worldwide.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver reaffirmed in January that the league was pressing forward on plans to bring a new league to Europe.

The NBA was targeting October 2027 as a potential launch date, with franchises paying what is expected to be a substantial entry fee. Media reports indicated the NBA was looking for at least a $500 million fee.

Many European basketball teams, including some in the EuroLeague, have struggled financially. The system has often relied on wealthy owners to cover team debts each year.

We missed this on Tuesday, but Cameron Boozer had a successful debut in NBA pre-season play, helping the Memphis Grizzlies to defeat the Atlanta Hawks, 132-123.

Boozer scored 11 points, pulled down five rebounds and passed out four assists in 18 minutes. He also shot 5-9, though he missed his three three-point attempts.

Take the threes out though, and Boozer hit 5-6 from the floor, which is impressive for a rookie in his first game. It’s not that hitting threes is easy, but scoring inside against NBA veterans is no day at the beach either.

Memphis plays Orlando Wednesday night, which could be interesting. Aside from Wendell Carter and Paolo Banchero, the Magic features Franz Wagner and some other bigs who will probably give Boozer a bigger challenge than the Hawks did.

• Breaking Down Cam Boozer’s NBA Preseason Debut
• Duke’s Cameron Boozer stuffs stat sheet during NBA preseason debut
• Boozer shows ‘poise,’ Grizzlies impress in preseason opener at Atlanta
• Cameron Boozer Grizzlies Debut: No. 3 Pick Flashes All-Around Game
• Cameron Boozer throws down the big one-hand jam
• 3 Takeaways From Grizzlies’ Preseason Win Over Hawks

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Remember last year? When the sunshine pumpers swore up and down that Kyrie Irving would be back on the court for the Dallas Mavericks by the New Year? Well, as it turns out, it was always going to be closer to March, which would have given the 33-year-old at the time the standard full-year recovery window after he tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025, in a game against the Sacramento Kings. But then, much to the compounding chagrin of an already scorned fanbase, when March rolled around, the Mavericks were in such rough shape that it made no sense to risk any sort of re-aggravation of Irving’s knee.

So, 2025-26 was a maddening punt. Irving had no age-33 season at all, and the Mavericks slogged through a 26-56 disaster in Cooper Flagg’s rookie campaign. The team couldn’t even lose enough to net another top-five draft pick for its considerable trouble.

But here we are. We’ve come out the other side, sans Nico Harrison, sans Jason Kidd, sans Anthony Davis — with a young roster surrounding a healthy Irving, now 34, who’s been itching to get back to work. He said during the team’s media day on Sept. 26 that he’s moving, working out and playing with no restriction of movement.

“I’m ready to go out there and kick some butt,” Irving said during his media day press conference, the first time that he has addressed reporters since crumpling to the ground with his latest knee injury. “I know that naysayers or some of the questions around where I’m going to be are going to be inevitable. But for me, I have the confidence of a champion. … This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of league, and everybody wants to see it up close. So I’m looking forward to being able to lace up my shoes and being on the court with my teammates and show everybody what I’ve got again. It’s just like riding a bike.”

Each new workout video this offseason has gifted Mavs fans with one more talking point — one more piece of leading testimony toward our own confirmation bias. Because we all — even those of us who try to remain measured in our expectations — want to see Irving torch young whipper-snappers the league over for 25 a night as soon as the clock strikes 7:30 CST on Oct. 21, when the Mavs’ season tips off at the Houston Rockets.

Big question

Which brings us to the biggest, most glaring compound question facing Irving as the 2026-27 season looms. Can Old Man River return to form to start the season, and to that end, what kind of minute load will he be in line for in the first game of the season?

There are so many considerations. Irving is all of 34, firmly in the age range where the on-court returns can start to become not only diminishing but rapidly diminishing. Yes, there’s that, but, his body at 34 has also missed a significant portion of wear and tear along the way. Irving has famously missed more than 300 games so far in his career due to injury, rest and personal and/or team protocol reasons. Will that essentially allow him to play younger this year, having most recently Rip van Winkled his way through 2025-26? Or, does the overall body of injury over the course of his career so far make his body older than the average 34-year-old baller’s?

Will first-year head coach Dusty May limit Irving’s minutes in an attempt not to break him? Or will May let go of the reins after what essentially ballooned into a 19-month recovery window after Irving’s ACL tear?

I have a feeling we will know the answers to most of these questions within the first couple of weeks of the season, and those answers will go a long way to feed the next inevitable quandary that comes along with a star player who doesn’t fit the rest of the roster’s timeline. Will Irving be in Dallas past the 2027 NBA Trade Deadline, or will he be moved so the Mavericks can finally lean into the youth movement in earnest?

The market for Irving appears to have remained healthy, even as the season approaches. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that both the Miami Heat and the Houston Rockets could be potential trade destinations for Irving, as recently as Sept. 29.

Best-case scenario

The Kyrie Irving dream season probably includes minimal drop-off from Irving’s production in 2024-25, when he averaged 24.7 points per game on 3-point shooting just north of 40%, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest. If Dallas gets anything close to 23 points on 39% 3-point shooting, four assists and four rebounds per game from Irving this season over 60 games, pinch yourself. You may be in a fever dream.

But a dream season isn’t just about production for Irving on this team. Part of his best-case scenario has to be cohesion with Flagg. Irving did a great job of this while playing with another young stud for his first two-plus years in Dallas. Can Irving’s gravity with the ball in his hands give Flagg a little room to see some open 3-pointers begin to fall in year two? Can his immaculate handle relieve Flagg of the need to always be the on-ball man with the plan? Can Irving impart some of that crunchy brand of NBA wisdom he’s become known for over the last few years?

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to grow with [Flagg],” Irving said at Mavericks media day. “High-level basketball players, no matter the age — you put us out there, we’re going to win some ballgames.”

“Having somebody like that out there on the court with you at all times is going to be amazing,” Flagg added. “The time that we’ve been able to spend in the summer on the court together has been good for both of us to kind of build that connection. I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be really fun to share the court.”

If he can do most of these things, the Mavs could flirt with 40 wins and a play-in spot. More importantly, if he can do most of these things, he’ll make himself too valuable to lose at the trade deadline for what other teams will want to offer for a player about to turn 35.

Worst-case scenario

The worst of all outcomes would be a re-aggravation of the left knee injury early in the season. The Mavericks were deliberate in hanging onto Irving in the midst of an otherwise straightforward youth movement this offseason. They could have gotten something nice for Irving before the 2026 NBA Draft or even in a draft-day trade this summer.

If the Mavs have another aging albatross hanging around their neck for a second consecutive trade deadline, it could have the effect of further stalling the rebuild around Flagg.

Season goal

The goal is clear this year for Irving. Be a part of something. I’ll stop short of saying “something special.” Ultimately, the overarching team goal this year is geared toward building something that Irving will not have a part in. But that doesn’t mean Irving doesn’t have a meaningful part to play in Dallas this season.

Hope needs to be restored in Dallas. The concept of fun, watchable basketball needs to be restored in Dallas. Even simpler, the Mavs need an effective point guard. Irving can and should play an outsized role in those goals. He can rally the locker room toward a common vision of something north of mediocrity. And if he can do those things for 50 or more games this season, you’d have to consider that a successful year, regardless of play-in or playoff positioning.

Overall

A word of caution. It’s going to be a smoother ride for you this season if you can divorce your excitement for watching Irving’s return to form from your expectations for short-term team postseason results. The Mavericks are likely not a playoff team this year, with or without Irving at the point.

But that’s not going to stop fans from being excited to see him hit the floor once more.

Heading into the 2026-2027 season, the NBA Competition Committee identified four areas of focus: off-arm push offs by offensive players, push-offs from screeners, hand-checking off-ball offensive players, and impeding straight line drives. There should be an increased freedom of movement for offenses coming from those points of emphasis which the Celtics have hinted at throughout training camp and we’ll see tomorrow in Cleveland how that side of the ball looks in action.

Defense might be where we see some differences in how the Celtics play. Mazzulla noted on Monday that over the last couple of years, the team focused on offensive rebounding and backcourt pressure, all things meant to win the possession battle in the margins. He said that the coaching staff won’t really know what’s working and what they can lean into until 10-15 games into the regular season, but considering the additions to the roster, so much is more available to Mazzulla, particularly on defense.

Mitchell Robinson’s offensive rebounding has become his calling card, but those 4.2 extra possessions per game isn’t why Boston signed him to a three-year, $47.4 million deal this summer. As CelticsBlog’s Nik Land points out, the defense is the thing:

Robinson is simply a high-impact defender. When he isn’t blocking shots at the rim, he is deterring attempts altogether, forcing rushed kick-outs, using his size to hold his own in the post and displaying excellent timing as a help defender. His +2.7 Defensive DPM last season ranked in the 99th percentile, while his 23.2% defensive rebound rate allowed him to consistently finish possessions on the glass.

And there’s domino effect on the rest of the defense. Having an anchor like that patrolling the paint means that the perimeter defenders can take a few more liberties — that could mean putting more pressure on ball handlers, taking risks in passing lanes, and switching more.

But there’s that pesky POE promoting freedom of movement. Defenders won’t be able to lock arms with off-ball players like offensive linemen blocking for their running back. Also, if a player has a straight-line drive at the rim, they’ll have to shade them with limited contact and avoid bumping them off their path.

For the most part, those hand checking rules won’t affect the Celtics too much. They were 9th in fouls committed last season and didn’t give up a ton of free throws either (4th at 21.2 trips to the line). Instead, with Robinson in tow (not to mention Neemias Queta), what you might see more of is anticipation and jumping passing lanes.

Enjoy the Celtics’ Instagram story of practice highlights in full, but more specifically 50 seconds in, you’ll see Hugo Gonzalez jump a Paul George pass for an easy transition layup. That’s where Boston could make a big change this season. Last year, they were 25th in deflections (15.2 per game) and naturally 25th in points off turnovers (15.8 per game).

As former CelticsBlogger Jack Simone points out, Robinson averaged 5.5 deflections per 100 possessions, ranking him in the 96th percentile. Adding the rangy George to a wings group with Jayson Tatum (6’11 wingspan), Jordan Walsh (7’3), Ron Harper Jr. (7’1), and Gonzalez (6’11) gives the Celtics enough length to cover sideline to sideline.

Boston’s fourth ranked defense last year did not rely on steals (28th) or generating turnovers (29th). Instead, they bent and didn’t break, keeping teams out of the restricted area and around the rim, and forcing them to shoot mid-range and long-2s. All those principles should still stay mostly intact, but for the margin-obsessed Mazzulla, squeezing a few more points out of their transition game by turning defense into easy offense might be an internal point of emphasis for the Celtics.

Forwards are a goldmine in fantasy basketball, and the 2026-27 season is loaded with versatile wings and bigs who can swing your league. Veteran stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard are in new uniforms, while rookies AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Yaxel Lendeborg could make an immediate fantasy impact. Before your fantasy basketball draft, use this guide to find the top breakout forwards, under-the-radar sleepers and overvalued fades. From Cooper Flagg's second-year leap to value picks like Naz Reid and Jaime Jaquez, here are the forwards to target and avoid.

5 Fantasy Basketball Forward Breakouts

AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards

As the rookie first overall pick, Dybantsa is going to be given all the opportunity he can handle on what should be a fast-paced and exciting Wizards team. Washington is suddenly stacked with some intriguing veteran talent in the form of Trae Young and Anthony Davis, as well as ascendant young pieces in Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr. 

That collection of names offers Dybantsa some excellent insulation as he begins his pro career. Defenses won't come close to having the luxury of focusing on the former BYU star, and Dybantsa's talent will therefore have plenty of chances to shine through in some one-on-one scenarios. 

He should also have the benefit of a healthy amount of extra possessions most nights, and his ability to check off every box on the stat sheet should make him an indispensable fantasy star from Day 1. 

Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies

Boozer should be right up there with Dybantsa in terms of making headlines throughout his rookie season, although in the former Duke star's case, he won't exactly have the same wealth of talent surrounding him on Memphis' first unit. However, that should also give Boozer the benefit of more responsibility to shoulder, which should result in some full stat lines as the season unfolds.

Boozer will have an underrated facilitator in Ty Jerome helping feed him the ball, and he should also benefit from playing alongside a massive 7-foot-3 frontcourt mate in Zach Edey. Boozer already comes into the NBA as an accomplished shooter that drained 55.6% of his attempts, including 39.1% of his shots from 3-point range, during his one college season. Assuming his efficiency holds his own as he acclimates to the next level, Boozer should pay big dividends for fantasy managers throughout his first season.

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

An argument could be made that Flagg already broke out during his 2025-26 rookie campaign, but he could put up numbers this season that will make those pale in comparison. There are multiple reasons that support the notion of an MVP-worthy second season for the 2025 first overall pick, not the least is the valuable experience he gained as a rookie while averaging 33.5 minutes per contest across 70 games.

One could see Flagg's development happen in real time as last season unfolded. After an uneven start that saw him average 15.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals per contest over his first 19 regular-season games, Flagg finished the season by putting up 23.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks over the next 50 games before playing just 10 minutes in Dallas' regular-season finale. 

Flagg accomplished all of that progress without the benefit of having Kyrie Irving on the floor with him, but the veteran guard is finally fully recovered from his ACL tear two seasons ago. Kyrie's presence will take plenty of pressure off Flagg while setting up for his fair share of one-on-one opportunities, meaning exponential improvement is very much a possibility.

Naz Reid, Charlotte Hornets

After years spent as one of the most reliable floor-stretching second-unit bigs in either conference, Reid is projected to finally get his opportunity to help headline a frontcourt in his eighth NBA season. Despite his wealth of experience, Reid is still only 27, and the Hornets could prove to be the perfect platform for him to put together a career-best season.

The departed Miles Bridges averaged 18.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 31.4 minutes per game in the same starting power forward role in Charlotte over the last two seasons. Reid is arguably just as good a rebounder and a better 3-point shooter than the player he's replacing, and he also won't have LaMelo Ball to contend with for usage the way Bridges did.

It remains to be seen how Reid will adjust to a starting role, but he proved capable in multiple spot starts over the years with the T-Wolves.

Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Clippers

Hachimura is another veteran floor-spacing forward that could thrive to the tune of career-best numbers thanks to the circumstances on his new squad. Hachimura switched LA jerseys this offseason, and he lands on a team that traded Kawhi Leonard this offseason and won't have one of the centerpieces of that transaction, Brandon Ingram, available for the start of the season due to his Achilles injury.

Hachimura has been a solid but not special fantasy asset in past starting opportunities, but he could be set for a fairly large offensive role to start the season. Darius Garland will make his fair share of scoring contributions, but Bradley Beal also may not be ready for the start of the season and rookie Keaton Wagler may take some time to acclimate to the pro game. 

Meanwhile, fellow forward Derrick Jones has never been more than a complementary source of points, and the same holds true for projected starting center Isaiah Jackson. Hachimura has always spaced the floor effectively, and an aggressive approach combined with more usage than he's usually enjoyed could lead to career-best offensive success.

5 Fantasy Basketball Sleepers at Forward

Jaime Jaquez, Milwaukee Bucks

Jaquez was part of the Bucks' significant haul in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and the fourth-year forward will have an opportunity to serve as a key piece in Milwaukee's rebuild. Jaquez is arguably primed to shoulder the added responsibility after a productive first three seasons in Miami during which he garnered plenty of valuable experience.

Jaquez is coming off a career-best season, as he averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting a career-high 50.7% in the 2025-26 campaign. Jaquez averaged a career-high 28.3 minutes per contest as well, and while he logged just one start, the 2023 first-round pick ran with the first unit on 17 occasions during the 2024-25 season. 

Jaquez has the experience and well-rounded skill set to offer fantasy utility across the stat sheet with a presumptive starter's workload. He'll also have a familiar face alongside him in Tyler Herro, and with Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis both off the roster, there will be plenty of usage for the taking.

Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

Buzelis may be a borderline sleeper considering he already took a big Year 2 leap in the 2025-26 campaign, when he averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks across 29.2 minutes per contest. The 2024 11th overall pick shot a slightly improved 46.3 percent as well, and Buzelis averaged a relatively robust 15.6 field-goal + free-throw attempts per contest.

Buzelis will have just turned 22 a week before the regular season starts, so there's still plenty of room for his game to expand yet again. The Bulls made two big offseason additions in Norman Powell and rookie Caleb Wilson, but Buzelis' increasing comfort level at the pro level and his versatile skill set should ensure he remains heavily involved in multiple facets during his third season.

Ronald Holland, Detroit Pistons

Holland isn't ticketed for a starting role to open the 2026-27 season, but the third-year forward could be primed for another step forward after already improving in nearly every major category as an NBA sophomore. Holland finished the 2025-26 campaign with averages of 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals across 19.9 minutes per contest.

Holland did see a downturn in offensive efficiency – he drained just 43.2% of his shots from the field, as opposed to 47.4% during his rookie 2024-25 campaign – but he's well-suited to bounce back in what should be a bigger role in his third season. Holland will be backing up veteran offseason addition John Collins, yet it wouldn't be entirely out of the question for the former to see it all start to click for him on a talented Pistons squad as the season unfolds.

Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors

Murray-Boyles already opened eyes as a rookie last season, putting up 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists across 21.9 minutes per game while shooting 57.9% from the field. The South Carolina product picked up some valuable experience with 22 starts, and Murray-Boyles contributed 30 double-digit scoring efforts overall, including five double-doubles.

Murray-Boyles is projected to open the season as the primary backup to Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl at power forward and center, respectively, which should help lock him into a dependable and fairly expansive second-unit role. The Raptors swapped out Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard this offseason, but Murray-Boyles' outlook remains bright, especially with a year of experience now under his belt.

Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves

Dosunmu won't necessarily fly under the radar after some of his performances last season following his trade to the Timberwolves, but the veteran wing isn't expected to enter the new campaign as a member of the first unit. Therefore, there may be some apprehension about how much opportunity he'll see following the arrival of LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, yet Dosunmu should offer plenty of fantasy value as a pivotal part of the second unit.

Dosunmu averaged 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steals across 28.9 minutes per contest over the 34 regular-season and postseason games he played with Minnesota following his trade from the Bulls. That sample included 13 starts, including his memorable 43-point game against the Nuggets on a 13-for-17 shooting night. There's no questioning Dosunmu's upside, even when he's coming off the bench at either guard spot or at small forward.

5 Fantasy Basketball Busts at Forward

Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls

Dosunmu's old Bulls teammate leads off our list of five fade-worthy forwards. The 2020 fourth overall pick has never come close to living up to his draft pedigree, and Williams is coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged a career-low 20.5 minutes per contest while also shooting a career-worst 37.2%. Williams' second-string role appears safe for now, but Chicago appears ready to roll with rookie No. 4 overall selection Caleb Wilson at power forward and Williams is therefore unlikely to be worth investing a draft pick on. 

Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

Wells is expected to open the season as the starting small forward for the Grizzlies, but the third-year pro doesn't necessarily bring anything extraordinary to the table fantasy-wise. Before a toe injury ended his second season in late March, Wells averaged just 7.5 points and 1.8 rebounds over his last four games, and on the season, he delivered very little besides some modest scoring (12.5 points) that came despite some middling shooting (43.1%). Although Ja Morant is now in Portland, Wells never consistently took advantage of his former teammates' frequent absences, and Memphis figures to run a significant chunk of its offense through rookie Cameron Boozer this coming season.

Jordan Clarkson, New York Knicks

Clarkson surprisingly had a minimal role in the Knicks' championship 2025-26 season, despite his well-earned reputation as a valuable second-unit asset throughout the years for multiple teams. Clarkson never hit his stride in New York, averaging a career-worst 8.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists across a career-low 17.8 minutes per game. Now 34 years old, Clarkson's prospects are far from bright, despite the fact he may open the campaign as Mikal Bridges' primary backup at small forward.

Matisse Thybulle, Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James' departure does open up plenty of usage in Los Angeles, but there isn't any aspect of Thybulle's career resume that suggests he'll be able to take advantage on the offensive end in particular. Thybulle has averaged just 5.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game over his seven seasons, and despite a projected starting role at power forward, Thybulle's primary fantasy value will still stem from his above-average defensive skills. 

Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets

Clowney put some good play on film last season while capitalizing on the most extensive opportunity of his career, but Brooklyn's big offseason move for Julius Randle knocks the former back down to the second unit. Clowney averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 27.0 minutes per contest last season – all career-best figures – yet he shot only 39.6% and needed 60 starts to get there. He's projected to see a notable playing time/usage hit this coming season, and if his offensive inefficiency persists, Clowney will struggle to deliver consistent fantasy value.