Mike Miller- sprains ankle Monday: Miller left Monday's preseason game with a sprained left ankle. Miller left the game, returned briefly, and then ultimately decided to head back to the bench. The fact that he tried to give it a go indicates it's probably not too serious, but we'll keep you posted. Miller will be coming off the bench for the Heat this year but may see enough minutes to be worth a late round flyer.
Gerald Wallace- out with back spasms: Wallace missed Monday night's preseason game against Miami due to back spasms. Wallace participated in the morning shootaround, but the Bobcats elected to hold him out of Monday's game. No word yet on how much time he's expected to miss, but hopefully it's nothing serious.
Andrew Bynum- starting to work out: Bynum (knee) has been cleared to participate in non-basketball activities. "I can start running next week, and then maybe start practicing in two to three weeks," Bynum said. "But the important thing is the doctor cleared me." After previously guessing that he might not be back until December, Bynum now hopes to be playing in games by late November. As we've come to know with Bynum, it's not wise to take anything for granted when it comes to his injury recovery, but this is definitely a positive sign. Lamar Odom will start at power forward in Bynum's steed.
Jeff Teague- out Monday: Teague (ankle) is out for Monday's preseason game against Orlando. The ankle injury may prevent Teague from leapfrogging Mike Bibby on the depth chart before the season opener, but Teague is expected to see a significant jump in playing time this season and has a very good chance of unseating Bibby at some point.
J.J. Hickson- will start at power forward: Coach Byron Scott hinted that he will likely use Hickson as the starting power forward this season with Antawn Jamison coming off the bench. Hickson has shown flashes of greatness during his first two seasons and flat-out dominated at the Vegas summer league this year. Scott's desire to get him in the starting lineup reinforces the belief that Cleveland wants to make Hickson a focal point of the offense. Hickson could be an intriguing fantasy option in 2010-11, so consider using a mid-to-late round pick on this promising youngster.
Antawn Jamison- may come off bench: Coach Byron Scott seems to be leaning toward starting J.J. Hickson at power forward and bringing Jamison off the bench. Jamison was expected to absorb a significant part of the scoring load vacated by LeBron James, and while that still might partially be true, it's also becoming clear that the Cavs want to start capitalizing on J.J. Hickson's potential by making him a major part of the offense. Another concern for Jamison is durability, as he dealt with a few nagging injuries last year and is currently bothered by a sprained knee. He's still worth a middle-round pick, but coming off the bench puts a bit of a dent in his value.
Yi Jianlian- back to the bench: Yi was back on the bench in favor of JaVale McGee Sunday after starting the previous two games at center. McGee should open the season as the Wizards' starting center but he will be on a bit of short leash. Yi has looked good this preseason and will be breathing down McGee's neck for minutes. Yi is not worth a draft pick at this point, but definitely put him on your fantasy watch list, as he could be in line for an expanded role at some point in the 2010-11 season.
Troy Murphy- making progress with back: Murphy has made "considerable progress" but will not play in either of the Nets' remaining two preseason games. Murphy is expected to practice this weekend, so he is moving closer to a return. However, there's still considerable doubt about his availability for the Oct. 27 season opener, meaning rookie Derrick Favors could be in line to start at least one game.