Are you totally up to date on what's happening around the NBA? You have to be if you want to stay ahead of the competition in your fantasy league.
To help, we've done the work for you and compiled a look at the most fantasy-relevant news and notes for all 30 teams around the league.
Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks and fantasy managers everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief -- Trae Young's ankle injury isn't as bad as originally feared. X-Rays were negative and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeted Wednesday: "Improvement on his right ankle today. No plans for an MRI. He could return as soon as next week." Young has averaged 26.8 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.0 RPG and 3.5 3PG in his first four games of the season, putting up those ridiculous number despite logging just 29.8 MPG.
Boston Celtics: Gordon Hayward's 21 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists on Wednesday against Milwaukee marked his first game as a Celtic with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. That's the type of performance the team envisioned when it signed Hayward away from the Jazz back on July 4, 2017. Now two full years since his gruesome leg injury, Hayward is looking more like his old self, playing 34.3 MPG with averages of 17.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG and 1.8 3PG. All encouraging signs for the former All-Star swingman.
Brooklyn Nets: Last week, I mentioned the need to keep an eye on DeAndre Jordan's production, and so far the findings are pretty interesting. While Jordan has notched double-digit rebounds in each of his past three games, the veteran center has yet to log more than 23 minutes in any contest. That says something, considering that the Nets have gone to overtime twice in their four games this season. As long as Jarrett Allen is healthy, Jordan's fantasy value takes a pretty large hit in 2019-20.
Charlotte Hornets: You can't learn everything there is to know about a rookie in their first few weeks in the NBA, but when a first-year player makes an immediate impact like PJ Washington, it stands out. The No. 12 overall pick out of Kentucky this past June, Washington has shot at least 50% from the floor in four out of five games, is shooting better than 50% from 3-point range and has averaged 7.0 RPG and 1.0 SPG. Still rostered in only 27.1% of ESPN leagues, that number is far too low for a player like Washington who is playing more than 30 MPG while Nicolas Batum is out.
Chicago Bulls: Otto Porter Jr. always has that look of a future star, showing that rangy athleticism that's so hard to find. That hasn't translated to him being a fantasy star, however, and he's off to a slow start on this talented Bulls team this season. Porter is shooting just 23.5% from 3-point range (5-of-21) and averaging less than 1.0 SPG and BPG. On top of that, he has reached double-figures in scoring just once in five games and has yet to pull down more than five rebounds in a game.
Cleveland Cavaliers: No, Kevin Love hasn't forgotten how to rebound -- his 15.7 RPG ranks second to Andre Drummond (16.3) so far this season -- but let's talk about Tristan Thompson for a second. The veteran big man is turning heads in the early going, recording a double-double in all four games to go along with 2.3 BPG. The 28-year-old, who has never averaged more than 11.7 PPG in any of his eight NBA seasons, is at 20.3 PPG and makes for an excellent sell-high candidate.
Dallas Mavericks: The sample size is small, but in Kristap Porzingis' first four games with the Mavericks there is a lot to get excited about. His scoring (22.3 PPG) and rebounding (7.8 RPG) are back, as are his blocks (2.5 BPG), and there is a chance that his 3-point shooting (2.5 3PG) and assists (3.5 APG) could be up a notch from his days in New York. Porzingis had never attempted more than 4.8 3-pointers per game in any of his three seasons with the Knicks but he's at 7.5 attempts so far with the Mavs.
Denver Nuggets: Gary Harris' ADP slipped to 138.6 in ESPN leagues this year, but if he can stay healthy, he has a chance to end up being one of the biggest draft-day bargains. The sixth-year shooting guard has averaged 13.5 PPG, 2.3 3PG, 3.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG and is a career 80.3% free throw shooter. The main concern is durability; he has surpassed 67 games only once in his first five seasons.
Detroit Pistons: It continues to be wait-and-see for the return of star power forward Blake Griffin. Keith Langlois of Pistons.com provided this update on Wednesday: "They said they'll re-evaluate him in the first week of November, which means the re-evaluation could come as soon as Friday. Griffin traveled with the Pistons on their current trip that takes them to Toronto and Chicago, though not with the expectation that he would be available for either game; rather, it was to have access to the training and support staff to aid his rehabilitation." Markieff Morris will likely continue to start until Griffin returns.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry -- who only a week or two ago was a top-five pick in most fantasy drafts -- suffered a fractured left hand in Wednesday's loss to the Suns. Ouch! Curry will be out an extended amount of time, leaving D'Angelo Russell as the team's primary scorer. Don't be surprised if the Warriors are more apt to rest Russell and Draymond Green throughout Curry's absence, with their playoff chances now looking extremely remote only four games into the season. Who saw this coming?!
Houston Rockets: Depth remains an issue on this year's Rockets team, which is part of the reason why PJ Tucker has averaged 35.5 MPG during the team's first four games. The veteran forward is always overlooked in fantasy circles, but he can be a great glue player on the right team, providing efficient scoring, rebounding, steals and 3-pointers. He's available in 62.5% of ESPN Fantasy leagues.
Indiana Pacers: Malcolm Brogdon had an average draft position of 79.0 in ESPN Fantasy leagues this year, and one week into the season that already looks glaringly low. In fact, the former Bucks guard is one of the best fantasy values out there, given his ADP. Brogdon leads the league with 11.3 APG, is the league's best free throw shooter and has averaged 22.0 PPG through the Pacers' first four games.
LA Clippers: In their first game with Kawhi Leonard resting, the Clippers were unable to maintain contact with the Jazz on Wednesday and the game got out of hand. Things will change once Paul George returns, but until then, it's worth noting that with Leonard out Wednesday it was Lou Williams (17), Patrick Beverley (13) and JaMychal Green (11) who led the Clippers in shot attempts.
Los Angeles Lakers: Is Dwight Howard worth a permanent spot on fantasy rosters this season? That remains to be seen, but games like the one he had on Sunday (16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks) against Charlotte will certainly make you think twice about dropping him. On a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis taking most of the shots and JaVale McGee earning his share of minutes at center, finding consistent production may be difficult for Howard. Keep him on your roster for now.
Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant is showing a lot of promise early on in his rookie season, doing it on both ends of the court (17.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.8 SPG) but one area of concern is his penchant for turning the ball over. Morant enters Thursday tied for the league lead with 20 turnovers, having committed 5.0 TPG thus far. In leagues that factor in turnovers, this is something to watch closely in the weeks ahead.
Miami Heat: Entering Thursday, Bam Adebayo ranks third in the NBA in free throw attempts (37), shooting a respectable 73%, but that's just part of the story with the third-year big man, who is finally out of Hassan Whiteside's shadow. Adebayo has averaged 15.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG and 4.8 APG during the Heat's first four games, and all would be career highs.
Milwaukee Bucks: Eric Bledsoe suffered a rib injury early in the preseason, and though he's been available during the Bucks first four games of the season, he clearly isn't himself (10.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.5 SPG). If the veteran point guard doesn't start to show improvement soon, don't be surprised if the Bucks shut him down for a little while or at least reduce his role until he returns to full strength.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Those who drafted Robert Covington did so with his defensive numbers in mind, but in the early going this season, the veteran forward has been more of a scorer and rebounder than a defender. Covington, who has averaged at least 1.4 SPG during each of the past six seasons, is at 1.0 SPG through the team's first four games, and he has been almost a non-factor in the blocks department (0.8 BPG). It's not time to worry yet, but it's something to keep an eye on.
New Orleans Pelicans: A week into the season, and already the Pelicans are dealing with injury woes. Jrue Holiday missed the past two games due to a sprained left knee and Derrick Favors missed the team's last game due to knee soreness. That's a bad sign for Favors, considering that he played just 20.3 MPG during the team's first three games of the season. Holiday is expected to return to the lineup Thursday against the Nuggets.
New York Knicks: RJ Barrett is not only starting for the Knicks, he's staying on the court as much as almost anyone in the NBA. In his first five games as a pro, the prized Duke product has played the following amount of minutes: 37, 36, 37, 40, 31. That's a promising development for a player who scores, rebounds, distributes and shoots the 3-ball like Barrett.
Oklahoma City Thunder: It was difficult to see this coming, but anyone with Steven Adams on their fantasy team has to be concerned about the veteran's lack of scoring so far this season. Adams is shooting 31.3% and has yet to score more than eight points in his first four games this season, which is shocking for a seventh-year pro who has averaged 13.9 PPG in each of the past two season. He missed Wednesday's game due to a knee injury too. Something to keep an eye on, but for now, you just have to wait it out and hope Adams improves.
Orlando Magic: Jonathan Isaac might be turning into a fantasy star before our very eyes. An efficient shooter who can drill the 3-ball and shoot over 80% from the free throw line, Isaac is coming along as scorer and a rebounder. But it's his defense that should have your attention. At age 22, the bouncy forward has 11 blocks in Orlando's first four games this season and is also a force in the steals department (1.2 SPG). Pat yourself on the back if you landed him on draft day.
Philadelphia 76ers: There are certainly many more parts to this team than rookie Matisse Thybulle, about whom I about in this space last week, but his numbers during his first week in the NBA are about as interesting as it gets. Thybulle isn't going to score much beyond the occasional 3-pointer from the wing, but his defense demands your attention. There is a very real chance that he could lead the league in steals, as he has 12 in his first four games. He also has six blocks. In category leagues where you need a defensive specialist and can afford to punt points, this is your guy.
Phoenix Suns: Aron Baynes is on just 5.3% of fantasy rosters in ESPN leagues, but the fill-in for Deandre Ayton deserves your attention after going for 24 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 2 3-pointers in Wednesday's win over the Warriors. While those numbers aren't likely to be duplicated, Baynes is an overlooked option, who can score, rebound, pass, shoot the 3-ball and block shots.
Portland Trail Blazers: We've been waiting for years for CJ McCollum to start shooting more 3-pointers, but the early trends this season aren't super encouraging. Entering Thursday, McCollum leads the league with 66 2-point attempts (16.5 per game). Meanwhile, the likeable scoring guard has averaged just 4.5 3-point attempts per game.
Sacramento Kings: When Marvin Bagley III went down with a fractured thumb, there was some question as to which Kings man would step up and fill his shoes. Already, it looks like we have our answer: Richaun Holmes. Two days after busting out with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks against the Nuggets, Holmes followed it up with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks against the Hornets. Holmes is available in more than 95% of rosters in ESPN leagues, so jump at the chance while you can.
San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray has logged three games since returning from ACL surgery, and the early returns couldn't be better. The No. 29 pick in 2016 leads the Spurs by a longshot with a 29.26 PER (next closest is LaMarcus Aldridge at 22.10) and not only is he the team's best defensive player but also one of its best offensive options with 14.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 6.0 APG. Murray's main weakness right now is a lack of a 3-point shot.
Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet came out of nowhere last season and was clutch in the championship series against the Warriors to help bring the Raptors their first NBA title, but even after all that, he slipped to an ADP of 121.3 in ESPN leagues. That already seems like a huge mistake. VanVleet is among the league leaders with 37.2 MPG through the Raptors' first five games and is putting up top-30 type of fantasy numbers: 17.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 2.4 3PG.
Utah Jazz: It was good to see Mike Conley go for 29 points and five assists in Wednesday's win over the Clippers, because his first three games as a member of the Jazz were concerning to say the least. Prior to the Clippers game, the 32-year-old had made 9 of 45 shots (20%) and posted three fantasy duds: 1 point, 1 assist (at Suns); 5 points, 5 assists (vs. Thunder); and 13 points, 3 assists (at Lakers). His productivity remains a concern until he strings together a few big games in a row.
Washington Wizards: Isaiah Thomas went undrafted in many fantasy leagues after bouncing around the NBA the past few seasons, going from the Cavaliers to the Lakers to the Nuggets. Now in Washington, it remains to be seen if the veteran scorer can stay healthy this season at the age of 30, but his first two games with the Wizards have been reminiscent of the 28-year-old who electrified the Eastern Conference with the Celtics. Thomas scored 16 and dished out five assists in his Wizards debut, then followed it up with 17 points and 10 assists on Wednesday. He should be rostered in all 12-team leagues.