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Three NHL Players Who Could Be More Important Than Expected This Year

Every season, NHL teams go through some adversity, whether that’s a loss of personnel from injury or a trade that sends a key roster player from a falling team to a contender.

Nonetheless, there will be a handful of players who will be given a bigger role than their team might’ve planned for.

Here are three NHL players who will likely become more important to their teams than they initially expected this season.

Anton Lundell, C, Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have already encountered a couple of obstacles, and the regular season is yet to begin.

Earlier in the off-season, news surfaced that left winger Matthew Tkachuk would be out until December-ish with a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia.

That wasn’t the last of bad news that the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions would receive before opening night.

Over the weekend, the Panthers announced captain Aleksander Barkov suffered MCL and ACL injuries during practice and is expected to be out for seven to nine months.

With Barkov likely being sidelined for the regular season, there is a grand opportunity for Anton Lundell in Florida’s top six. The Finnish center has been a solid two-way pivot on the Panthers’ third line ever since he entered the NHL in 2021-22.

He’s been a consistent player who can score between 40 and 50 points next season, or even more in an elevated role. He put up a career-high 45 points in 79 games last season while averaging 16:43 in ice time.

NHL Goalies Who May Be More Important To Their Teams Than ExpectedNHL Goalies Who May Be More Important To Their Teams Than ExpectedAnything can happen during a season in any sport. In an NHL season, players go through injuries, dips in form, off-ice issues and other instances that can affect their campaign.

Zayne Parekh, D, Calgary Flames

It’s no secret the Calgary Flames are considering moving defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Even Flames captain Mikael Backlund said he’s getting traded.

Considering Calgary is projected to miss the playoffs in the final season of Andersson's contract, he could be dealt for futures, including draft picks, or young players who may not be ready to be a full-time NHLer.

Nonetheless, if Andersson gets traded, someone else will have to step up on the blueline. That could be 19-year-old D-man Zayne Parekh.

Aside from MacKenzie Weegar, Parekh is the brightest spot on Calgary’s defense. He only featured in one NHL game last season, but he scored a goal and finished the evening with a plus-three rating and 20:31 of ice time.

With one goal in three pre-season games so far, Parekh has drawn positive reviews and could earn a full-time spot in the NHL lineup. If Andersson gets moved, the fellow right-handed Parekh could even be relied upon to produce from the back end.

At any rate, the rookie blueliner could become a lot more important than he expected for the Flames this season.

Ivan Demidov (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Ivan Demidov, RW, Montreal Canadiens

Like Parekh, Ivan Demidov is entering his rookie campaign for the Montreal Canadiens this season. He was exposed to the NHL last year for two regular-season games and the first round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals.

Demidov showed great promise offensively, scoring four points during his short stint last season. Building on that campaign, Demidov is set to start this season on the second line.

The right winger will likely be accompanied by center Kirby Dach and left winger Patrik Laine, which may lead to Demidov’s workload being a little heavier than expected.

Dach has struggled with injury issues during much of his career so far, and he had 22 points in 57 games besides starting last season on the second line. While Laine is a veteran goal-scorer and is effective on the power play, he isn’t as consistent during 5-on-5 play, scoring just five times at even strength in 52 games last year.

The linemates should complement each other, but Demidov may have to be a serious line-driver in his first full NHL season instead of being the supplementary piece.

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Why Warriors ironically need Jonathan Kuminga the most now heading into season

Why Warriors ironically need Jonathan Kuminga the most now heading into season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Exactly three months since the opening of NBA free agency, Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors finally came to a resolution on his restricted free agency. Take a breath, Dub Nation, it’s over.

Kuminga is signing a two-year, $48.5 million contract, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report the news. 

Kuminga’s desired player option never came to fruition. The second year of his contract will have a team option. Kuminga turned down a three-year, $75 million contract with a team option on the third year to have more immediate control over his future.

The team option on the second year of Kuminga’s contract can be wiped away by the Warriors or another team, if an in-season trade happens, to make room for a completely new contract next offseason, sources also confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area.

The first four seasons of Kuminga’s Warriors tenure have been a battle of what’s best for the team and player. The Warriors won a championship that surprised many in Kuminga’s rookie year, throwing a wrinkle into team owner Joe Lacob’s highly-debated two-timelines plan. There have been multiple instances over the years when the Warriors could have traded Kuminga for a player that was more aligned with where veteran stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green are in their careers, but Lacob wouldn’t sign off on any of those deals. 

Nor would he and the front office on the sign-and-trade options the Warriors were presented over the offseason from the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. All this brought was more drama and finger pointing, while the two sides came to an agreement the same day Warriors training camp opened.

But now that Kuminga is back with the Warriors, there’s a real argument they need him more than ever. With certain conditions, of course.

The Warriors have shown they can win without Kuminga’s style of play compared to coach Steve Kerr’s philosophy, and also have clearly seen the potential and talent he has, or else they already would have let him go by now. There even was a point last season where Kuminga was handed the keys and Green agreed to come off the bench. That plan lasted one game, a 143-133 loss against the Dallas Mavericks, where Kuminga scored 20 points as a starter and Green scored 21 in a reserve role. 

Bringing Jimmy Butler aboard at the trade deadline as Kuminga still was nursing a badly sprained ankle signaled a full shift in direction, especially with how successful of a fit Butler proved to be. Kuminga returned after being out for more than two months, was never fully healthy and had a hard time playing next to Butler – an older star who has the same positional role on the Warriors. 

Kerr stuck with what was working and pushed Kuminga’s talents to the back of the bench, not using him at all in the regular-season finale, a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers that put the Warriors in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Kuminga was a DNP in the Warriors’ play-in tournament win, as well as three games of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets. The writing appeared to be black Sharpie written on the wall in all caps. 

The Warriors still will be run by Kerr’s ways on the court, and led by Curry, Butler and Green. That’s a given. And all three players, in one way or another, need the best out of Kuminga. 

Father Time’s shadow is bearing down on Curry (37 years old), Butler (36) and Green (35), even though Curry continues to clearly be a top-10 player in the league. With Buddy Hield (32) and the return of Gary Payton II (32), plus the presumed signing of Al Horford (39) and possibly Seth Curry (35) the Warriors could have seven players in their 30s who are an average age of 35 going into the regular season. And that number should be slightly higher knowing that Payton turns 33 on Dec. 1, as does Hield a few weeks later on Dec. 17. 

The elder Curry has played at least 70 games in back-to-back seasons. Is it fair to assume he reaches that mark again? Butler hasn’t played 65 since the 2018-19 season, and Green, who played 68 last season, is bound to need rest for all his battles against much bigger players. The entirety of the season doesn’t have to be the focus for Kuminga and the Warriors, Jan. 15 does. 

Kuminga, who turns 23 on Oct. 6, can’t be traded until Jan. 15, the same day the Warriors will play their 40th game of the season. In a loaded Western Conference, the Warriors can’t be swimming upstream in the standings by then. Kuminga clearly is their biggest trade asset, and the Warriors will need his stock to rise and value to go up by then if they do decide to move him by the Feb. 5 trade deadline. 

The schedule to start the season also suggests a need for Kuminga. The Warriors have two sets of back-to-backs in their first five games, and five in their first 17. They play eight by the end of the calendar year, nine by the first day Kuminga could be traded and 10 at the trade deadline. Those are ample opportunities for an older team to lean more on a 23-year-old who at the very least can score 20 points.

Questions will continue to be asked about Kuminga’s desire to have the ball in his hands while combating the Warriors’ ball movement offense, as well as other flaws like rebounding, 3-point shooting and team defense for one of the top athletes in the game. He’ll be under the microscope if he holds onto the ball and misses Curry. He also played 37 games with Curry last season and had the third-best net rating among Warriors who spent at least 500 minutes next to him, putting together a 118.7 offensive rating and 109.3 defensive rating for a 9.4 net rating. 

Kuminga averaged 19.6 points in 10 regular-season games Curry missed. The Warriors went 5-5 in those games. Overall, the Warriors were 28-19 with Kuminga last season, and 20-15 without him. 

Those numbers obviously don’t tell the whole story, since so much changed after the Butler acquisition. The Warriors’ season completely turned once Butler was wearing their colors, going 23-7 in the regular season after the trade. How Kuminga can play with Butler, if at all, is the bigger question than Curry. Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, believes the two can co-exist, and showed so in the final four games of the playoffs. 

“He figured out how to play off Jimmy,” Turner said to NBC Sports Bay Area on the Dubs Talk podcast. “It was going to take JK, with no training camp, time to figure out how to play off Jimmy. Jimmy’s different than what was there before. When JK left, he was the guy who was getting to the paint and creating advantages for his teammates. … JK had to accept that. JK figured it out in the Minnesota series.” 

Butler and Kuminga only played 15 games together for a total of 125 minutes in the regular season. After Curry went down to a hamstring injury in the second round of the playoffs, Butler and Kuminga became the Warriors’ main scoring options. Butler averaged 20.3 points on 45.8/33.3/76.7 shooting splits, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, while Kuminga put up 24.3 points per game on 55.4/38.9/72.0 shooting splits, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists. 

The Warriors lost all four games, and Butler and Kuminga were a minus-6.8 together in another very small sample size. Seeing how they can complement each other is one priority. Using Kuminga as a focal point in games Butler needs off might be even more important for preserving his health in the playoffs. 

Nothing in Kuminga’s contract says Kerr has to give in and play him more minutes than he believes is best for the team. From a talent standpoint, getting the best out of Kuminga, for however long he remains on the roster, is only going to benefit all parties. 

Ironically, if the Warriors want to make a real run at another championship, after all that’s gone on in a marriage where divorce papers have been collecting dust and waiting to be signed, this season – or at least the first few months of it – is when they’ll need the best version of Kuminga most.

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Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams? How the Division Series bracket will take shape

Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams? How the Division Series bracket will take shape originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A few MLB playoff teams can sit back, relax and enjoy the opening round of the 2025 postseason.

The top two clubs in the American and National Leagues earned byes for the Wild Card Series and automatically qualified for the Division Series.

The No. 1-seeded Toronto Blue Jays and No. 2 Seattle Mariners will begin the playoffs in the ALDS, while the No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies clinched NLDS berths.

So, who could the Blue Jays, Mariners, Brewers and Phillies draw first this postseason? Here’s how the Division Series bracket will take shape:

Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams?

The MLB playoffs follow a bracket format and do not reseed teams. That means, for example, the top-seeded Blue Jays will face the winner of the No. 4 New York Yankees-No. 5 Boston Red Sox series even if the No. 6-seeded Detroit Tigers were to advance.

What is the Division Series bracket in the 2025 MLB playoffs?

Here’s a look at the Division Series bracket possibilities:

American League

  • No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 3 Cleveland Guardians/No. 6 Detroit Tigers
  • No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees/No. 5 Boston Red Sox

National League

How many games are in the Wild Card Series?

The first round of the MLB playoffs features a best-of-three format where the higher seed has home-field advantage for the entire series.

How many games are in the Division Series?

The postseason then moves to a best-of-five format for the Division Series. The higher seed has home-field advantage for Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5.

When do the 2025 ALDS, NLDS start?

All four Division Series are slated to begin Saturday, Oct. 4.

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Ottawa Senators Line Combinations At Tuesday's Game Day Skate

The Ottawa Senators continue their preseason with the second of two neutral-site exhibition games in Quebec City on Tuesday night. After a 2-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, this time the Sens face the Montreal Canadiens. This game will  have English TV coverage on TSN2, RDS, and TSN5 at 7 pm.

Part of the reason the Senators are in Quebec City for these games is to build a fan base with people who lost their beloved Nordiques 30 years ago. It will be interesting to see where the crowd's allegiances lie.

The Habs are disliked by many in Quebec City, but they've likely won over some of the under-35 crowd who, other than history books or old highlights, have had no exposure to the Nordiques or the rivalry. Given that Montreal is two hours closer to Quebec City than Ottawa, it's also likely that a few more Montrealers bought tickets and made the trip.

The Senators' lines this morning suggest that they'll go with a roster on Tuesday split right down the middle between vets and hopefuls, though morning skates in the preseason aren't always reliable predictors of what we'll actually see at game time.  But let's work with what we have.

The top six forwards – Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto, and Michael Amadio – are all locked in and tuning up for opening night. Meanwhile, Olle Lycksell, Stephen Haliday, Arthur Kaliyev, Zack MacEwen, Jan Jenik, and Hayden Hodgson are hoping to squeeze onto the NHL roster as the 13th man or an injury replacement.

On the back end, Carter Yakemchuk, Nik Matinpalo, Donovan Sebrango, and Jordan Spence continue to try to impress. Spence will be on the team, but Travis Green hasn't had many opportunities to evaluate him in live fire action, so he's still trying to determine where he fits in as Spence learns the team's systems.

Sens lines this morning, as reported by the Coming in Hot podcast.

Tkachuk - Stützle - Giroux
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
Lycksell - Halliday - Kaliyev
MacEwen- Jenik - Hodgson

Sanderson - Zub
Sebrango - Spence
Yakemchuk - Matinpalo
Thomson

Merilainen

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Ullmark Sharp In Senators Victory, Embraces The Struggle
Stephen Halliday's NHL Stock Continues to Rise
Former Senator Josh Norris Embraces New Opportunity To Prove Himself
Will This Be Shane Pinto's Breakout Year With The Senators?
Drake Batherson Joins Ottawa Senators List Of Preseason Injury Concerns
After Two Broken Clavicles, Kaliyev Targets Capital Comeback

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Will LeBron James be back at Lakers media day a year from now? 'Maybe'

There was so much ground to cover at Lakers media day, so many questions about this team heading into the season: Is "skinny" Luka Doncic ready to lead this franchise and a roster better built to play around him? Can DeAndre Ayton be the high-level defensive anchor this team needs him to be in the paint? Is Austin Reaves a good fit playing next to Doncic as a secondary or tertiary shot creator, or are his skills too redundant and the defense too big a concern?

Yet everything at media day seemed to swing back to LeBron James and his future. For the first time in his career, LeBron is not the primary focus of a franchise, and he will be a free agent next summer. What are his plans? The vibe can best be summed up by a video, when LeBron appeared on the Lakers' local cable network broadcast and host Chris McGee asked him if they would see him next year at Lakers media day.

LeBron used more words to say "maybe" when asked about his future by reporters.

"I don't know when the end is, but I know it's a lot sooner than later...

"It would be literally my decision, along with my wife and two of my boys are already gone… It'll be a decision between me, my wife, and my daughter. There won't even be a meeting with my teammates."

LeBron's decision also will hinge on how this season plays out in Los Angeles. Is LeBron going to play another season after this one? (The conventional wisdom around the league is yes, but nobody is sure, probably not even LeBron.) If he does play another season, does he want that to be a farewell tour? If so, is it in a Lakers jersey? A Cavaliers jersey? Another team?

For LeBron and the Lakers, the focus as training camp opens is on the here-and-now. LeBron said his motivation to put in all the work to return this season was pretty simple.

"Full season with Luka," LeBron said.

How that full season with LeBron and Luka plays out will have everything to do with the other questions at Lakers training camp. For his part, Doncic looks ready to lead and showcased some added athleticism and motivation at EuroBasket.

The biggest question is around Ayton — the Lakers need a big body center in the paint to defend on one end, then set screens for Doncic and roll hard to the rim on the other. What the Lakers need is a return of the 2020-21 version of Ayton, when he was all those things playing next to (and being pushed by) Chris Paul on a Suns team that reached the NBA Finals.

"It's the biggest opportunity I can say of my career," Ayton said at media day, understanding the implications of this season on his next contract. "Some people say it's my last leg, some people say it's my last chance. This is an opportunity I can say I'm truly not going to take for granted. It's almost like a wounded animal. I feel all the tension, and I know where I'm at. I've been in the gym every day."

Ayton is going to be pushed by LeBron and Doncic, but the latter of those is excited to have a center of this caliber.

"I was very excited when they told me we were trying to get DA," Doncic said. "Obviously, we entered the draft together. I've known him for a long time. So, I'm very excited to have him on my team."

Doncic is also excited to have a full season alongside LeBron James, two of the highest IQ players and best passers in the league, which should create an entertaining and hard-to-stop offense. If it does, would that make LeBron more likely to return for one more year?

Maybe.

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Todd McLellan Points To "Dynamic" Axel Sandin-Pellikka in Loss to Penguins

Swedish defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka is one of the most intriguing prospects that the Detroit Red Wings have at their disposal, and he's been getting valuable experience and playing time thus far in Detroit's pre-season schedule. 

Monday night's setback against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena was Sandin-Pellikka's latest introduction to play at the NHL level, and he's held his own, having already logged heavy minutes. 

In his first preseason game, a 3-2 Detroit win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 23, Sandin-Pellikka led all Red Wings skaters with 22:36 of ice time. He was literally seconds from leading all skaters in ice time in the next game, another 3-2 victory over the visiting Buffalo Sabres, finishing just 13 seconds behind Moritz Seider. 

He also ranked first and second in total ice time in Detroit’s most recent games, against the Sabres in Buffalo and on Monday night against Pittsburgh, respectively.

During each of the aforementioned games, he's seen ample time on Detroit's power-play, living up to his reputation of being, as goaltender John Gibson called it, "an offensive defenseman." 

'Yeah, tonight was really my first night playing with him," Gibson said. "In Traverse City, I was going against him the whole time. You can definitely tell that he's an offensive defenseman. He's joining the rush, shooting the puck. He looked solid out there tonight." 

Following Detroit's choppy 2-1 setback against the Penguins on Monday, head coach Todd McLellan bluntly said that multiple players who were on the ice needed their performances to improve, but that Sandin-Pellikka was not one of them. 

"I Wasn't Impressed": Todd McLellan Speaks Bluntly After Red Wings Play Flat In 2-1 Loss To Penguins The good news for the Detroit Red Wings is that their 2-1 setback at Little Caesars Arena against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins is that it won't count against them in the standings, as it was the fifth pre-season game of their schedule.

"I thought that Axe was, overall tonight, was certainly one or two on our blue line, as far as tonight's game went," McLellan said. "I thought he played a pretty solid outing. In our end, he handled the pressure and made plays from the red line in, he was dynamic and moved pucks around." 

"He was a factor. He wasn't someone I walked into the coach's room after the game and talked about or worried about, other than the positive side." 

That wasn’t the case for several other players who, although not mentioned by name, surely heard about it from McLellan behind closed doors.

"There were some others back there that need to get better," McLellan said.

Sandin-Pellikka chose to wear jersey No. 44, becoming the first Detroit defenseman to do so since Christian Djoos, who appeared in 36 games during the 2020-21 season. Before Djoos, the number had been worn by Anders Eriksson, later traded for Chris Chelios in 1999, and by Russian Five member Viacheslav Fetisov, who eventually switched to No. 2. 

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Canadiens' Hutson Ranked Among NHL's Best Players

Lane Hutson (© Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens made it back into the playoffs during the 2024-25 season, and a big reason for it was the incredible play of defenseman Lane Hutson. The 21-year-old cemented himself as a legitimate star during his rookie year, as he posted six goals, 60 assists, and 66 points in 82 games. With this, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year. 

Hutson's offense from the point during his rookie year was very impressive, and he has now been rewarded for it. 

Sportsnet recently released their rankings for the top 50 NHL players heading into the 2025-26 season, and Hutson just made the cut by grabbing the No. 50 spot.

When noting that Hutson had such an awesome rookie season, it makes all the sense in the world that he has been included in Sportsnet's top 50 players rankings. There is no question that he made a big impact in 2024-25, and he should only get better as he continues to gain more NHL experience. 

A few players who were ranked just ahead of Hutson on Sportsnet's list include Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lightning), Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars), and Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils).

It will now be interesting to see what kind of year Hutson has in 2025-26 with the Canadiens from here. If he takes another big step forward in his development, it would not be surprising in the slightest if he lands a higher ranking from Sportsnet next year. 

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MLS Promotes Charles Altchek With Commissioner Role on Horizon

Major League Soccer is promoting Charles Altchek, considered by many to be a potential future commissioner, to oversee the group that aids clubs in their business efforts. Altchek will be the new executive vice president for club performance and league growth, filling a role vacated earlier this year by Chris McGowan. In that capacity, he …

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Fantasy Basketball Category Punt Guide for 2025-26

While some fantasy managers prefer to draft the best available player, allowing for positional need, others are willing to "punt" on a particular category. To do this is to ignore a category to strengthen your production in other categories. Those more experienced in fantasy basketball may be willing to punt multiple categories during the draft process. For those willing to execute a punting strategy, it would be best to stop at three categories, with the percentages and turnovers being the simplest trifecta to pull off in most cases.

So, when should you decide to punt a category? For one, never before a draft begins, because this does not account for the picks made by other managers. For example, you're in a draft position where you expect Giannis Antetokounmpo to be on the board, setting up a free-throw percentage punt. And then he's off the board before your pick comes up, or someone of higher value slips down the board. A fantasy manager needs to be able to adjust on the fly, so one should not predetermine what category (or categories) they're going to punt.

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Below is a look at each of the nine major categories and some potential options when punting each.

2024-25 rankings credit: Basketball Monster

Points

Punting the points category tends to boost the values of players who aren't primary scoring options for their respective teams. However, this approach will likely take fold after the first round. Players such as Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can fit in various punt builds and all averaged at least 24 points per game last season. The value comes deeper in drafts, with the Thompson twins, Dyson Daniels and Josh Hart being attractive options for fantasy managers looking to punt points. Daniels and Hart finished last season as top-10 players in punt points builds. Hart's value may take a hit this season if he's moved to the bench, but he should play plenty for the Knicks, whether he starts or not.

First-round Targets: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Second-round Targets: Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Third round and later: Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls), Jimmy Butler (Golden State Warriors), Jakob Poeltl (Toronto Raptors), Tari Eason (Houston Rockets), Josh Hart (New York Knicks)

2024-25 Top 12 for points punt builds:

1. Nikola Jokić
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
4. Tyrese Haliburton
5. Anthony Davis
6. Dyson Daniels
7. Karl-Anthony Towns
8. Damian Lillard
9. Josh Hart
10. Stephen Curry
11. Luka Dončić
12. Nikola Vučević

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Rebounds

Punting the rebounds category boosts the value of guards, but some bigs aren't great at hitting the glass. Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. and Milwaukee's Myles Turner are two examples, as they averaged 5.6 and 6.5 rebounds per game last season. The good news for managers who land either is that both are productive shot blockers and can provide additional value in the three-point category. James Harden averaged a respectable 5.8 rebounds per game last season, but that number could decrease with a healthy Kawhi Leonard on the floor, not to mention the additions of John Collins and Brook Lopez.

First-round Targets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Second-round Targets: James Harden (LA Clippers), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)

Third round and later: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Myles Turner (Milwaukee Bucks), Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers), Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics)

2024-25 Top 12 for rebounds punt builds:

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2. Nikola Jokić
3. Victor Wembanyama
4. Tyrese Haliburton
5. Tyrese Maxey
6. Damian Lillard
7. Stephen Curry
8. Kyrie Irving
9. Kevin Durant
10. Luka Dončić
11. Jamal Murray
12. Anthony Davis

Assists

Don't need assists? Punting the category may be the path for managers who land Wembanyama, Davis or Towns early. However, don't assume this approach will only benefit the post players. Some guards will be of higher value in punt-assist builds, including Curry and Anthony Edwards in the early rounds and Derrick White just inside the top-50. White will be an interesting case this season, as the Celtics won't have Jayson Tatum to start, potentially meaning he'll be asked to do a little more scoring to supplement Jaylen Brown's efforts.

First-round Targets: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks), Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)

Second-round Targets: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets), Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Third round and later: Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers), Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Ausar Thompson (Detroit Pistons)

2024-25 Top 12 for assists punt builds:

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
3. Nikola Jokić
4. Anthony Davis
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Kevin Durant
7. Kyrie Irving
8. Kristaps Porziņǵis
9. Stephen Curry
10. Dyson Daniels
11. Nikola Vučević
12. Jaren Jackson Jr.

Steals

Punting steals? Look for post players and guards not known for jumping passing lanes or stripping their opponents to be of greater value. Towns and Durant are two early-round players to consider in a build where you're punting steals, with the latter more capable of offering additional value as a shot blocker. Walker Kessler, Ivica Zubac and Nikola Vučević are among the post players who should be available as your drafts progress into the middle rounds, as well as Phoenix's Mark Williams if you're willing to roll the dice on his injury history.

First-round Targets: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks), Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks)

Second-round Targets: Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Third round and later: Myles Turner (Milwaukee Bucks), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers), Nikola Vučević (Chicago Bulls), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat)

2024-25 Top 12 for steals punt builds:

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Nikola Jokić
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
4. Anthony Davis
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Kevin Durant
7. Tyrese Haliburton
8. Damian Lillard
9. Stephen Curry
10. Domantas Sabonis
11. Jayson Tatum
12. Nikola Vučević

Blocks

While punting steals will benefit post players on average, the values of guards tend to increase in builds where blocks are punted. Jokić averaged 0.6 blocks per game last season and is at 0.7 for his career, so managers willing to decide early on a punt build should strongly consider blocked shots if they're fortunate enough to land The Joker. Dyson Daniels would be a solid option, as he averaged 0.7 blocks per game last season. However, the Hawks guard was an elite producer of steals, so you'll definitely get some defensive value despite ignoring the blocks category.

First-round Targets: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Second-round Targets: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), James Harden (LA Clippers), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)

Third round and later: Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers), Jimmy Butler (Golden State Warriors)

2024-25 Top 12 for blocks punt builds:

1. Nikola Jokić
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
3. Damian Lillard
4. Luka Dončić
5. Tyrese Haliburton
6. Stephen Curry
7. Karl-Anthony Towns
8. Tyrese Maxey
9. Kyrie Irving
10. Jayson Tatum
11. Victor Wembanyama
12. Domantas Sabonis

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Fantasy Basketball Guards 2025-26: Top 50 rankings, season outlooks, key stats
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way in our preseason guard rankings.

Turnovers

Punting turnovers can benefit two types of players: guards and high-usage post players. Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Cade Cunningham and Trae Young are first-round options who would be helpful for those willing to punt turnovers, while James Harden is an enticing option in the second round. Another option will be Houston's Amen Thompson. He won't be the only Rockets player asked to take on more playmaking responsibilities after Fred VanVleet tore his ACL. Still, he will have more opportunities after he filled in admirably for FVV last season. LeBron James will be worth a look outside the first two rounds, especially after he provided first-round value in 12-team formats where turnovers were punted.

First-round Targets: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Second-round Targets: James Harden (LA Clippers), Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets), Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)

Third round and later: LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Kristaps Porziņǵis (Atlanta Hawks)

2024-25 Top 12 for turnover punt builds:

1. Nikola Jokić
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
4. Luka Dončić
5. Anthony Davis
6. James Harden
7. Karl-Anthony Towns
8. Damian Lillard
9. Stephen Curry
10. Kevin Durant
11. Cade Cunningham
12. LeBron James

Three-pointers

Giannis Antetokounmpo's 8-cat value last season may not have been as elite as we've become accustomed to, but he'll still be a first-round pick in fantasy drafts. He'll be helpful to managers willing to punt three-pointers or free-throw percentage. Anthony Davis is another first-round option for those willing to punt triples, while Domantas Sabonis, Jalen Johnson and Evan Mobley are all potential second-round targets. Outside of the first two rounds, Zion Williamson offers intrigue, but selecting him early comes with significant risk due to his injury history. Also, post players such as Rudy Gobert, Walker Kessler and Jarrett Allen will have added value in this build. However, in Allen's case, he may take a hit due to sharing the frontcourt with Mobley, whose role may expand even more this season.

First-round Targets: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks)

Second-round Targets: Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings), Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)

Third round and later: Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers), Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), Jakob Poeltl (Toronto Raptors)

2024-25 Top 12 for three-pointer punt builds:

1. Nikola Jokić
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
3. Victor Wembanyama
4. Anthony Davis
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Dyson Daniels
7. Ivica Zubac
8. Tyrese Haliburton
9. Domantas Sabonis
10. Mark Williams
11. Jalen Johnson
12. Jakob Poeltl

Field-goal percentage

High-usage guards who can struggle with accuracy tend to be the targets in a build where field-goal percentage is punted. Anthony Edwards, Luka Dončić, and Trae Young are among the players who should go in the first round in most drafts. Stephen Curry and LaMelo Ball would be helpful in this build among the second-round options. Beyond the third round, Charlotte's Brandon Miller and Toronto's Immanuel Quickley would fit into this punt build, as both shot 42 percent or worse from the field last season.

First-round Targets: Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

Second-round Targets: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)

Third round and later: Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets), Immanuel Quickley (Toronto Raptors)

2024-25 Top 12 for field-goal percentage punt builds:

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Nikola Jokić
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
4. Luka Dončić
5. Tyrese Maxey
6. Damian Lillard
7. Tyrese Haliburton
8. Stephen Curry
9. Anthony Davis
10. James Harden
11. Jayson Tatum
12. Kyrie Irving

Free-throw percentage

One would assume that post players would benefit from punting free-throw percentage, and there's no shortage of options regardless of round. However, there will also be some perimeter players who can fit into the build. Luka Dončić shot a career-best 79.1 percent from the line after joining the Lakers last season, but he's a career 75.1 percent shooter. That isn't terrible, but it could fit into an FT%-punt build. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the one first-round player who could immediately trigger punting this category. A career 69.3 percent shooter, he's shot 68.5 percent or worse from the line in five of his last six seasons, including a career-low 61.7 percent last season.

First-round Targets: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers)

Second-round Targets: Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets), Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Alperen Şengün (Houston Rockets), Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)

Third round and later: Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), Jakob Poeltl (Toronto Raptors), Ausar Thompson (Detroit Pistons)

2024-25 Top 12 for free-throw percentage punt builds:

1. Nikola Jokić
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
5. Anthony Davis
6. Luka Dončić
7. Dyson Daniels
8. Tyrese Haliburton
9. Karl-Anthony Towns
10. Walker Kessler
11. Evan Mobley
12. Ivica Zubac

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2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Draft Prep Guide: Rankings, strategy, sleepers, mock draft results, and more

The Rotoworld Basketball staff is excited to set you up for success, both on draft day and throughout the 2025-26 season. This year is especially exciting as the NBA returns to NBC and streams on Peacock, and we’re ready to bring you the fantasy coverage to match.

On this page, you’ll find links to all of our preseason content in one place. We have rankings in various formats, position breakdowns, mock draft analysis, and general draft strategy.

And this is just scratching the surface of what we'll have to offer. As the NBA preseason ramps up, we’ll continue adding fresh rankings, analysis, and strategy articles. Bookmark this page and check back often to stay ahead of your league.

Happy drafting season!

2025 FANTASY BASKETBALL RANKINGS

Preseason Top 200 led by Jokić, SGA (UPDATED OCT 9 - LeBron James injury)

Dynasty Top 300: Wemby, SGA, and Cooper Flagg’s arrival

Top 10 rookies led by Cooper Flagg

Top 20 second-year player rankings led by Clingan, Sarr

2025 FANTASY BASKETBALL POSITION BREAKDOWNS, PLAYER PROFILES

Top 50 Fantasy Basketball Guards

Top 50 Fantasy Basketball Forwards

Top 50 Fantasy Basketball Centers

2025 FANTASY BASKETBALL MOCK DRAFTS

Rotoworld Basketball Expert Mock Draft Show

️ Written Analysis from Expert Mock Draft Show

Salary Cap Mock Draft: Jokic, SGA command high prices

2025 FANTASY BASKETBALL STRATEGY ARTICLES

15 Tips to Make Your Draft Day (and Season) More Fun

Breakout Picks: Can Reed Sheppard, Toumani Camara take a leap?

Projecting the Top 25 players for 2030

Who to pair with Jokic, Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo

Franz Wagner, Zion Williamson headline staff favorites in drafts

Jalen Brunson, James Harden among staff fades based on ADP

Top three-point targets include Payton Pritchard, Norman Powell

Dynasty Sleepers: Kyshawn George and Nikola Jović among names to watch

LeBron James, Paolo Banchero among players to avoid in drafts

Hacking the Default Rankings

Fantasy Basketball Category Punt Guide for 2025-26

Draft Tips and Beginners’ Guide for Fantasy Basketball

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Sources: Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors agree to two-year, $48.5M contract

Sources: Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors agree to two-year, $48.5M contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

At long last, the Warriors’ months-long standoff with restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga has reached its end.

A day before the deadline for Kuminga to accept the qualifying offer, the 22-year-old on Tuesday agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million contract to return to Golden State with a team option on the second year, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report the news via Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner.

As the summer-long negotiations persisted, the Warriors ended up increasing their offer to Kuminga by a total of $8 million over the next two years and guaranteed him approximately $15 million more than his qualifying offer would have for this season, Charania reported.

Kuminga’s absence in the Bay hung like a cloud over Warriors Media Day on Monday and the first day of NBA training camp Tuesday, but coach Steve Kerr insisted he wasn’t concerned about the situation and, through conversations with general manager Mike Dunleavy, was confident the two sides would strike a deal.

Until Tuesday, Kuminga and the Warriors had not been unable to find common ground in July, August and all of September, save a few hours, bringing Golden State’s offseason to a standstill.

Entering restricted free agency, it was unclear which direction the Warriors might go with Kuminga, a player many within the organization love but at times hasn’t fit well with Golden State’s scheme centered around Steph Curry, and especially now with the addition of veteran Jimmy Butler.

But it’s clear both the Warriors and Kuminga want to continue their partnership for the time being.

Now that the Kuminga situation has been resolved, the Warriors officially can fill out their roster with free agents. The team has both Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton committed to contracts they couldn’t sign until the Kuminga situation was figured out, and it is widely believed that Steph Curry’s brother, Seth Curry, also is waiting to come on board.

In four seasons with Golden State, Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game on 50.7-percent shooting from the field and 33.2 percent from 3-point range in 258 games (84 starts).

With the option to craft a new contract next summer, Kuminga now will have the chance to prove whether or not he’s worth an even larger payday when he takes the court with Golden State during the 2025-26 NBA season.

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Yankees' Aaron Judge, Max Fried earn monthly awards as postseason play begins

The Yankees' chase for their 28th title ramps up on Tuesday night when they begin their Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox, and two of their best players closed out the regular season by earning some hardware.

Outfielder Aaron Judge was named AL Player of the Month for September, while starter Max Fried was named Pitcher of the Month.

Judge capped off what will likely be his third AL MVP season with a blistering month of September. In 25 games, Judge led the majors with a 1.292 OPS, blasting 10 home runs with 17 RBI while walking 27 times. 

Judge finished the season leading all major league players in batting average (.331), on-base percentage (.457), and slugging percentage (.688) while hitting 53 home runs with 114 RBI. He also became just the third player in major league history to win a batting title while hitting 50 home runs, joining Mickey Mantle (1956) and Jimmie Foxx (1938).

Fried, meanwhile, won all five of his September starts, pitching to a miniscule 1.89 ERA while striking out 35 hitters in 33.1 innings. 

The lefty's first season in pinstripes couldn't have gone much better. Stepping into the role as the Yankees' ace following Gerrit Cole's Tommy John surgery, Fried pitched to a 2.86 ERA while leading the American League with 19 wins. 

Fried will get the ball in Tuesday night's Game 1, facing fellow lefty Garrett Crochet.