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76ers guard Jared McCain tears ligament in thumb in workout

Thu Sep 25 4:34pm ET
Field Level Media

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain tore the UCL in his right thumb on Thursday at an offseason workout, the team announced in a setback to the second-year player's recovery from a meniscus tear.

The 76ers and McCain are consulting with specialists on the next steps in treatment, the team said.

Earlier this month, McCain, 21, said he planned to be ready for training camp, which begins Saturday, but he had yet to receive clearance from the 76ers to be able to practice in full.

McCain, the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Duke, received an NBA Rookie of the Year vote despite playing in just 23 games (eight starts) before his knee injury required season-ending surgery.


He was averaging 15.3 points per game on 46 percent shooting, including 38.3 percent from distance, when he was injured Dec. 13, 2024, against Indiana. McCain also recorded 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per contest last season.

Philadelphia, which is coming off an injury-marred 24-58 campaign, opens the new season Oct. 22 at the Boston Celtics.

The 76ers could turn to rookie VJ Edgecombe, the third overall pick of the 2025 draft out of Baylor, or fifth-year guard Quentin Grimes, a restricted free agent who remains unsigned.

Player Notes
Bilal Coulibaly Thu Sep 25 7:30am

Washington Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly (thumb) will not be available for training camp, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports. The Wizards expect him to be ready for action by the first or second week of the regular season. Coulibaly had thumb ligament surgery on Sept. 12. The athletic forward was also impacted by injuries last season, making only 59 appearances. Coulibaly's shooting numbers were underwhelming, but he posted respectable numbers with 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals. Due to Coulibaly's absence, players like Kyshawn George and Cam Whitmore could get more playing time in the first few games of the season.

Jalen Suggs Thu Sep 25 7:10am

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (knee) told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel that he's "feeling good" ahead of training camp. However, his status for training camp is up in the air. "Camp and the return will come in time, in [God's] time, but our process is really working and I love the spot that we're in right now," Suggs said. Health issues almost entirely ruined Suggs' 2024-25 campaign, as he featured in only 35 regular-season games. He sat out the playoffs after undergoing knee surgery in March. The Magic backcourt will rely on Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones if Suggs isn't ready to start the season.

Nicolas Claxton Thu Sep 25 7:10am

Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton is both physically and mentally ready for the new campaign, Brian Lewis of The New York Post reports. Claxton was limited by a back problem last season and wasn't as productive as he wanted to be. Still, Claxton had a fairly decent year, averaging 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 26.9 minutes. However, Claxton has previously shown that he can come close to averaging a double-double when healthy, and before last season, he recorded at least two blocks per game in back-to-back years. Claxton could be a highly valuable addition to fantasy squads if he regains his top form.

Malcolm Brogdon Thu Sep 25 6:50am

New York Knicks guard Malcolm Brogdon is reportedly viewed as a key bench piece by his new team. "Brogdon, I'm told, he's expected to play a key bench role in the rotation," ESPN's Shams Charania said on NBA Today. The Knicks picked up Brogdon on a non-guaranteed one-year contract, but it definitely looks like he will play a significant role on the team moving forward. Brogdon has previously shown he can be highly productive coming off the bench, winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2023. Despite not starting a single game with the Boston Celtics in 2022-23, Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 26.0 minutes.

Precious Achiuwa Thu Sep 25 6:40am

Forward/center Precious Achiuwa has signed a non-guaranteed one-year contract with the Miami Heat, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. The big man, who spent the last season and a half with the New York Knicks, returns to the team where he started his NBA career in 2020. Achiuwa is capable of putting up solid numbers if given enough time on the floor. He averaged 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 20.5 minutes last season. In Miami, Achiuwa will serve as backup for Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware.

Saddiq Bey Wed Sep 24 6:20am

New Orleans Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey (knee) has completed his rehab and is ready for the 2025-26 campaign. Bey sat out the entire 2024-25 season with a torn left ACL. The 26-year-old aims to be a "Swiss army knife" for the team, making an impact with his versatility. We haven't seen Bey on the court in a while, and it remains to be seen what his role will be with the Pelicans; however, he has previously been a solid contributor on teams. For his NBA career, Bey has averaged 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in 30.1 minutes.

Kevin Love Wed Sep 24 6:00am

Utah Jazz forward/center Kevin Love is expected to attend the team's training camp, Grant Afseth of RG reports. Love arrived in Salt Lake City as part of a three-team trade, and his future has been uncertain since the 37-year-old doesn't fit into the Jazz's rebuilding plans. It has been speculated that the Jazz would buy out Love's contract to let him join a contender for his 18th NBA season. However, it appears that Love will begin preparing for the season with the Jazz. Love provides veteran experience but lacks significant fantasy value. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 10.9 minutes last season. The former All-Star has an expiring contract worth $4.2 million this year.

Kel'el Ware Wed Sep 24 5:50am

The Miami Heat exercised their $4.7 million team option on forward/center Kel'el Ware, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. The option will come into effect for the 2026-27 season, and in a year's time, the Heat must decide whether to pick up a $7.1 million fourth-year option in Ware's contract for the 2027-28 campaign. Considering Ware's impact during his rookie year, it's safe to assume that he will remain in Miami for the foreseeable future. The 21-year-old notched 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 22.2 minutes last season. He was a double-double machine as a starter, and Ware's role on the team is expected to grow further in 2025-26.

Josh Hart Wed Sep 24 12:00am

According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, New York Knicks forward Josh Hart will play through his finger injury this season and address it next offseason. Hart underwent finger surgery during the offseason, but unfortunately, he re-aggravated the injury. The 30-year-old will likely elect to wear a splint during the upcoming campaign. Hart averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.5 steals across 77 games last season. Despite the setback, he should continue to provide plenty of value to fantasy managers.

Monte Morris Tue Sep 23 11:40pm

Shams Charania of ESPN reports that free agent point guard Monte Morris has agreed to a one-year deal with the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. The 29-year-old appeared in 45 regular-season games with Phoenix last season, averaging 5.2 points, 1.6 assists and 1.5 rebounds across 12.7 minutes per contest. Despite providing the Pacers with backcourt depth, Morris will not be a fantasy asset for fantasy managers during his ninth campaign in the NBA.

Karl-Anthony Towns Tue Sep 23 11:20pm

James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports that New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns dismissed recent rumors on Tuesday, clarifying that he did not undergo any procedures on his finger or knee this summer despite speculation to the contrary. Speaking at media day, Towns told reporters, "No, I did not have a knee [procedure]. Where are you hearing this?" If fully healthy, Towns could be a significant fantasy asset across all formats. In his first season with the Knicks, he averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and shot an impressive 42.0% from three-point range.

Zion Williamson Tue Sep 23 10:50pm

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson expects new executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars to be hard on him this season. "He's going to hold me accountable, and as he holds me accountable, he's going to give me a lot of responsibility as well, which I'm excited for, " Williamson said regarding Dumars on Tuesday. The 6-foot-6, 284-pound power forward has struggled with injuries, missing 268 games over five seasons in the NBA. However, when he is available to suit up, Williamson is a fantasy force across all formats, averaging 24.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steals in 214 regular-season contests.

Kyrie Irving Tue Sep 23 10:10pm

According to Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal.com, Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving (knee) is "ahead of schedule" in his ACL recovery efforts. Mathur also reports that neither side has put a timetable on when Irving will return to the floor. During the 2024-25 regular season, he posted averages of 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 50 contests before suffering a torn ACL in March that required surgery. The 33-year-old All-Star agreed to a three-year, $119 million contract in the offseason after declining his $43 million player option. The Mavs expect Irving to return this upcoming season and he is worth drafting and stashing in all fantasy formats until he is available.

Jayson Tatum Tue Sep 23 3:00pm

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (Achilles) could be back this season if his recovery continues. He made it clear on ESPN's First Take that he has not ruled out a return this season and stated that "I don't go to rehab six days a week for nothing." He also clarified that a full recovery is the top priority and that he will not rush back. Tatum suffered his torn Achilles against the Knicks in May, but it is clear he is still looking to return this season. Whether he'll be able to do that or not still remains to be seen, though, and if he does get back will the Celtics be in a place where he can be effective enough to make a difference. His recovery will be a key storyline to follow throughout the season.

Darius Garland Tue Sep 23 2:40pm

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (toe) remains without a timetable to return, according to Cavaliers' President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman. Altman said, "He had a really good offseason. He focused on weight room. He's stronger. He's back on the court now and doing basketball activities. Toe looks good, he feels good. But we're not putting a timetable on it." Garland is expected to miss the start of the season after he underwent surgery in June following a big toe injury at the end of last season. He tried to play through the injury in the second round against the Pacers, but he was not close to 100%. Donovan Mitchell will likely carry the load to start the year, although Lonzo Ball has also been cleared to start camp and could be in the mix for playing time with Craig Porter Jr. and second-round pick Tyrese Proctor.

Haywood Highsmith Tue Sep 23 2:20pm

Brooklyn Nets forward Haywood Highsmith (knee) said the plan is for him to be ready for the start of the regular season after he had meniscus surgery on August 8. Highsmith was traded this offseason from the Heat to the Nets following that surgery in what seems to be a cost-cutting move for Miami. Highsmith started his career with the 76ers but has played the last four seasons in Miami. He started 42 of his 74 games in 2024-25 with a career-high average of 24.6 minutes per game. He contributed 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals per game as a solid rotational piece. How he fits in the Nets' rotation remains to be seen, but the first step to figuring that out is his return to full health.

Thomas Bryant Tue Sep 23 2:10pm

Free Agent center Thomas Bryant has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he'll back up the big men in Cleveland after spending last year with the Heat and the Pacers. He'll be starting his ninth NBA season after playing some important minutes down the stretch last season for Indiana. He made eight starts in his 56 games with the Pacers, averaging 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.6 blocks in 15.1 minutes per game. He will serve as depth behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley with his new team, but he could be worth a look if either goes down due to injury. Bryant has been productive for short stretches throughout his career, but doesn't typically log heavy minutes.

Grant Williams Tue Sep 23 6:30am

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (knee) will not participate in training camp, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer reports. Williams tore his right ACL in late November of last year and needs more time to rehabilitate before he can rejoin the action. The 26-year-old does not have a specific timeline for his recovery, but Boone notes that he may not be "far off" from returning. Before injuring his knee, Williams enjoyed a decent start to life in Charlotte, posting 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. However, due to the serious nature of the injury, it might take some time before Williams can consistently produce similar numbers.

Josh Green Tue Sep 23 6:20am

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Josh Green (shoulder) has not recovered in time to be ready for training camp, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer reports. Green had surgery in June to address instability in his left shoulder. With Kon Knueppel and Collin Sexton in the mix, Green faces additional competition for playing time this season, and it's a bad blow for him that he can't battle for his position during training camp. During his first year in Charlotte, Green averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals, starting 67 of 68 contests.

Dejounte Murray Tue Sep 23 6:00am

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (Achilles) does not have a timeline for his return, head of basketball operations Joe Dumars confirmed on Monday. The versatile guard tore his right Achilles tendon on Jan. 31 during a contest against the Boston Celtics. While it's unclear when Murray will be able to return to the court, Dumars mentioned that he is "deep" into rehab and his recovery is going "very well." Murray had his first campaign with the Pelicans last season, averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.0 steals. Jordan Poole will lead the Pelicans' backcourt at the start of the campaign without Murray.


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