Status as of Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Statuses come from the official NBA Injury Report, team announcements and attributed reporting from national and local insiders.
Less than a week into the 2026-27 season, the injury report has already reshaped a handful of fantasy rosters. Orlando lost Paolo Banchero for what is expected to be multiple weeks, Cooper Flagg sat out Dallas’ home opener after a hard foul in Indiana, and the Sixers held LeBron James out for the first time this season. On top of that, several of the preseason injuries we flagged last week are still lingering into the first full week of the schedule. Here’s our fantasy basketball injury report with where every key injury stands heading into Week 2.
NBA Injury Report Week 2: Biggest New Injuries
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic - Ankle
Banchero suffered a low-grade high ankle sprain in Friday’s 115-93 loss to Minnesota, and Shams Charania of ESPN reports he will miss multiple weeks. That diagnosis typically comes with a four-to-six-week timeline, which puts a return somewhere in late November. It’s a brutal blow for fantasy managers, as Banchero was off to a terrific start, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds on 70 percent shooting through two games. Expect Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane to absorb the bulk of the extra usage, and Orlando has handled his absences well before, going 7-3 without him last season.
Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks - Shoulder
Flagg took a hard flagrant foul from Aaron Nesmith on a breakaway late in the second quarter of Friday’s win over the Pacers and did not return. An MRI on Saturday revealed a mild left shoulder sprain, and he was ruled out of Saturday’s home opener against the Spurs. The Mavericks will re-evaluate him this week. The word “mild” is encouraging, but treat him as day-to-day at best until Dallas provides an update. Before the injury, the reigning Rookie of the Year had 32 points in the opener and was filling the box score against Indiana.
LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers - Back
James sat out Saturday’s game against the Bucks to manage low back pain and sciatica, his first missed game of the season. It was the first leg of a back-to-back, and he has been listed as day-to-day for Sunday’s matchup with Detroit. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported during training camp that the 41-year-old is managing chronic arthritis in his left foot along with the same sciatica that cost him the first month of last season. Back-to-back absences are likely to be a regular occurrence, which caps his weekly value in head-to-head formats.
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons - Hamstring
Duren will miss at least two weeks with a right hamstring strain, which keeps him out until early November at the earliest. He was first ruled out for Sunday’s game against Philadelphia, per Eric Vincent of ClutchPoints. Hamstring strains can linger, so treat two weeks as the minimum rather than a return date. Ausar Thompson is also questionable for Sunday with an ankle injury.
Kristaps Porzingis, Golden State Warriors - Illness
The Porzingis situation took a significant turn this week. Shams Charania reported on Oct. 21 that Porzingis is seriously contemplating his future in basketball as he deals with recurring symptoms from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and that Golden State has started exploring trade routes. The Warriors declined to comment on his health or the trade talk but said they do not expect him to be around the team in the immediate future. Per Charania, stepping away from the game for good is possible if there’s no breakthrough in his recovery. He should be dropped in all redraft formats.
Fantasy Basketball Injury Updates: Players Still Sidelined
Coby White, Charlotte Hornets - Calf
White has yet to make his season debut and was ruled out again for Saturday’s game against Miami. Coach Charles Lee said last Sunday that White had increased his workload and added contact in practice, but there is still no official return timeline. Given his history of calf strains, Charlotte has every reason to be patient.
Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets - Hamstring
Knueppel is in the same boat as White. He has missed every game so far and was ruled out for Saturday against the Heat. Like White, he has been doing more in practice and taking contact, but Lee hasn’t put a date on his return. Grant Williams (hamstring) is also out, leaving the Hornets thin on the wing.
Nic Claxton, Chicago Bulls - Hamstring
Claxton’s two-week re-evaluation came and went without a return. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reported on Oct. 19 that he will be re-evaluated in another two weeks, which pushes his next checkpoint to early November.
Bradley Beal, Los Angeles Clippers - Knee
Beal remains out with the knee injury that kept him from being ready for the start of the season. The Clippers have not announced a return date.
Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Clippers - Achilles
Ingram continues to work his way back from a partially torn Achilles. He resumed on-court work earlier this month, but there is still no target date for his season debut.
Max Strus, Los Angeles Clippers - Foot
Strus is still sidelined with the partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot. His four-week re-evaluation window from Oct. 5 lands in early November, and that is a check-in, not a return date.
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic - Ankle
Black did not make it back for Opening Night as we hoped, but he is trending in the right direction. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Knicks. With Banchero out for several weeks, Black has a real chance to carve out a bigger role once he’s cleared.
Tobias Harris, San Antonio Spurs - Calf
The Spurs are sticking to their word about not rushing Harris back from his calf strain. He was ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Mavericks and has yet to play this season.
Jusuf Nurkic, Utah Jazz - Toe
Nurkic remains out with the partial plantar plate tear in the second toe of his right foot. Chris Haynes reported on Oct. 7 that he’d miss at least four weeks, so early November is the earliest realistic window for his return.
Dereck Lively, Dallas Mavericks - Foot
Lively was ruled out again for Friday’s game against Indiana as he continues to work back from December foot surgery. Dallas still hasn’t provided a timeline, and with Flagg also hurt, the Mavericks’ injury list is getting long.
Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings - Knee
There has been no new update on Raynaud’s right patellar subluxation. Frankie Cartoscelli of KHTK Sactown Sports 1140 reported that he’s expected to miss at least the first five or six games, possibly longer.
Dylan Cardwell, Sacramento Kings - Calf
Cardwell’s calf strain carries the same timeline as Raynaud’s, at least five or six games with a longer absence possible. With both backup centers out, Sacramento’s frontcourt depth is being tested early.
Players Returning From Injury: Off the NBA Injury Report
Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans - Toe
Murray’s toe injury appears to be behind him. He no longer appears on the Pelicans’ injury report, which confirms the team was simply being cautious with him in the preseason.
Isaiah Stewart, Memphis Grizzlies - Ankle
Stewart’s two-week re-evaluation on his moderate left ankle sprain has passed, and he is no longer listed on Memphis’ injury report. Monitor his minutes in his first few games, as the Grizzlies may ease him in alongside Zach Edey.
Day-to-Day NBA Injuries to Monitor for Fantasy Basketball
Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets - Knee
VanVleet was ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Hawks with a knee issue. He is coming back from a serious knee injury, and Houston was expected to manage his workload early in the season, so expect occasional rest days.
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks - Knee
Irving was listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against San Antonio with a knee issue. With Flagg out, Dallas will need him on the floor, but managers should check the injury report before every game.
Ben Sheppard, Indiana Pacers - Knee
Sheppard was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee, per Scott Agness of FieldhouseFiles.com, and does not have a timetable for a return. T.J. McConnell (hamstring) is also dealing with an injury in Indiana’s backcourt.
Devin Carter, Boston Celtics - Illness
Carter has been diagnosed with mononucleosis and is without a timetable to return, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets - Knee
Strawther was diagnosed with a left knee sprain on Oct. 16 and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. That pushes his next update to late November.
Mouhamed Gueye, Atlanta Hawks - Foot
Gueye underwent surgery to repair a fractured left foot he suffered during a workout, per Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network. No official timeline has been announced.
Long-Term NBA Injuries: Out for the Season or Multiple Months
Players ruled out for the season or with announced multi-month absences. Timelines appear only when a team or a named reporter has provided one.
Ben Simmons, Sacramento Kings - Achilles
Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during a live drill at practice and underwent successful surgery on Oct. 20, per James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento. The Kings have ruled him out for the 2026-27 season.
Donte DiVincenzo, Minnesota Timberwolves - Achilles
DiVincenzo remains out after tearing his right Achilles in last spring’s playoffs. He told The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski he is confident he will return at some point this season, but no date has been set.
Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors - ACL
Anthony Slater of ESPN reported on Oct. 16 that Butler could return sometime between January and February as he continues to recover from right ACL reconstruction.
Moses Moody, Golden State Warriors - Knee
Moody is progressing toward a potential return between December and January after rupturing his left patellar tendon in March, according to Slater.
Mark Williams, Phoenix Suns - Shoulder
Williams underwent surgery in September to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and is expected to miss an extended period of time. Oso Ighodaro, who is also currently out with an oblique injury, and Khaman Maluach remain the options at center in Phoenix.
Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers - Knee
Sharpe tore his meniscus during an offseason workout in August and was given a six-month timeline, which points to a return around late February or March at the earliest.