Gents, it's almost time. Draft is this Sunday at 8pm.
Here I've compiled the official starting lineups of every team. If their name is on this email, you cannot start them in our league. You can draft and stash the players who are only starting because the actual starter is injured, and you can start this player in our league the moment they return to their rightful place on the bench. So depending on how much injury news you want to read, and how intently you plan on updating your squad throughout the season, you might just want to shy away from these specific guys. Up to you.
Again, if their name's on this email, you can't play them.
Here goes.
Boston
Marcus Smart
Derrick White
Jaylen Brown
Jayson Taytum
Al Horford
*When Robert Williams comes back after a month or so (hopefully) Derrick White will become available for our league
Brooklyn
Kyrie Irving
Joe Harris
Kevin Durant
Ben Simmons
Nic Claxton
*Although this might be the most mercurial starting lineup in the league, this is the official lineup our league will operate under
New York
Jalen Brunsen
Evan Fournier
RJ Barrett
Julius Randle
Mitchell Robinson
Philly
Tyrese Maxey
James Harden
Tobias Harris
PJ Tucker
Joel Embiid
Toronto
Fred VanFleet
Gary Trent Jr
OG Anunoby
Scottie Barnes
Pascal Siakam
Chicago
Ayo Dosunmu
Zach Lavine
DeMar DeRozan
Patrick Williams
Nikola Vucevic
*Lonzo Ball is the natural starter over Ayo, but the injury sounds really nasty and I don't know when we'll see him this year
Cleveland
Darius Garland
Donovan Mitchell
Caris LaVert
Evan Mobley
Jarrett Allen
*LaVert's the soul-crusher here. We'll monitor if he loses that starting spot
Detroit
Cade Cunningham
Jaden Ivey
Saddiq Bey
Bojan Bogdanovic
Isaiah Stewart
*Marvin Bagley was going to start over Bogdanovic but now he's out until early November. We'll see who wins that spot when he comes back
Indiana
Tyrese Haliburton
Chris Duarte
Buddy Hield
Jalen Smith
Myles Turner
Milwaukee
Jrue Holiday
Grayson Allen
Bobby Portis
Giannis Antetokuonmpo
Brook Lopez
*I have beef with this one. Every report I can find still backs up what Middleton said on media day, which was that he would miss the start of the season. Yet both ESPN and CBS (a shockingly reliable source for lineup info) have him starting. For this reason I am making a declaration, based on their preseason games: Bobby Portis is a starter. Until Middleton comes back you cannot start BP in our league. You can absolutely draft him, because he's a great bench player who will return to the bench very soon. But you cannot start him
Atlanta
Trey Young
Dejounte Murray
De'Andre Hunter
John Collins
Clint Capela
Charlotte
Terry Rozier
Kelly Oubre Jr
Gordan Hayward
PJ Washington
Mason Plumlee
*Everything about this team frustrates me. LaMelo's out with an ankle sprain, and with the tank for Wembenyama already well underway, they might keep him out for a little while longer. Oubre slid into that spot in their final preseason game, so I have to assume that will happen. If Cody Martin takes it instead, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it
Miami
Kyle Lowry
Tyler Herro
Caleb Martin
Jimmy Butler
Bam Adebeyo
*Talk about a stake in the heart. I didn't want it to be true, but Tyler Herro's gonna be starting games for the Heat. Unless he's relegated to the bench during the season, he is unavailable for us to draft
Orlando
Cole Anthony
Terrence Ross
Franz Wagner
Paolo Panchero
Wendell Carter Jr.
*Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, and Gary Harris are all hurt for the Magic, so draft and stash Anthony and Ross, but you can't start them until the better players come back
Washington
Monte Morris
Bradley Beal
Will Barton
Kyle Kuzma
Kristaps Porzingis
Denver
Jamal Murray
Kentavius Caldwell-Pope
Michael Porter Jr
Aaron Gordan
Nikola Jokic
Minnesota
D'Angelo Russell
Anthony Edwards
Jaden McDaniels
Karl-Anthony Towns
Rudy Gobert
OKC
Josh Giddey
Tre Mann
Lu Dort
Poku
Jeremiah Robinson-Earle
*Two things. SGA is out for the start of the season, so once he comes back it's likely Tre Mann will be benched. Secondly, I'm guessing on the Poku thing. My sources (ESPN and CBS) say Bazley will start at the 4, but he's come off the bench in every preseason game. So I'm declaring it will be Poku
Portland
Damian Lillard
Anfernee Simons
Josh Hart
Jerami Grant
Jusuf Nurkic
*Josh Hart, the lovable son of a bitch, he went and made the starting lineup
Utah
Mike Conley
Collin Sexton
Malik Beasly
Lauri Markkanen
Kelly Olynyk
*I can't lie to ya'll. I don't know. Nobody knows. This team's gonna do whatever it takes to suck shit through a straw and get that number one pick. The only problem is, there's some really good talent for our purposes on this team. So above is my best guess, but we might have to make adjustments soon (AKA: draft from Utah at your own risk)
Golden State
Stephen Curry
Klay Thompson
Andrew Wiggins
Draymond Green
Kevon Looney
*Looks like nothing at all is gonna happen with this Draymond thing, so he's locked into the starting lineup
LA Clippers
Reggie Jackson
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Marcus Morris
Ivica Zubac
LA Lakers
Russell Westbrook
Kendrick Nunn
LeBron James
Anthony Davis
Damian Jones
Phoenix
Chris Paul
Devin Booker
Mikal Bridges
Cam Johnson
Deandre Ayton
*Looks like Cam Johnson's gonna be fine, so the Sun's lineup stays intact
Sac Town
De'Aaron Fox
Kevin Huerter
Harrison Barnes
Keegan Murray
Domantas Sabonis
Dallas
Luka Doncic
Tim Hardaway Jr
Reggie Bullock
Dorian Finney-Smith
Javale McGee
Houston
Kevin Porter Jr.
Jalen Green
Eric Gordan
Jabari Smith
Alperen Sengun
Memphis
Ja Morant
Desmond Bane
Dillon Brooks
Santi Aldama
Steven Adams
*When JJJ comes back, Aldama will very much be available for our league
New Orleans
CJ McCollum
Brandon Ingram
Herb Jones
Zion Williamson
Jonas Valanciunas
San Antonio
Tre Jones
Devin Vassell
Doug McDermott
Keldon Johnson
Jakob Poeltl
*Another guess. If anything changes drastically we'll pivot
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