• The Kings and some fantasy managers that have already drafted were stung Friday by the news that Francisco Garcia had broken his right wrist, suffered when a physioball burst while he was using it for a weight-lifting exercise. Team president Geoff Petrie said that he’ll be out “for a significant amount of time” but nothing specific will emerge until after his Saturday surgery at the earliest. I wouldn’t fault those of you in standard leagues for making an add/drop if there is a desirable option on the wire, however.

On a related note, Andres Nocioni should immediately be rostered in the majority of leagues. He was only recently unseated by Garcia as the expected starter and will be more productive than a number of teams’ current worst players with steady minutes assured. In 23 games for the Kings last season, he averaged 13.7 points on 45 percent shooting, 2 threes, 6 boards, and 1.3 steals-plus-blocks in 31 minutes. We should see word out of Kings’ camp on how they specifically plan to fill in at small forward in the coming days.

• Kevin Garnett emerged from his first 13 minutes of preseason action exhausted but unscathed, complaining about not being in the flow of action but not about any pain in his knee. That’s the first sniff test, but he’ll need to make steady progress over the next few weeks to be close to 100 percent for the start of the regular season. The Celtics’ next three exhibition games are Sunday (1pm ET), Tuesday (7pm ET), and Wednesday (7:30pm ET).

• Allen Iverson will sit out at least the rest of the preseason because of a partial tear in his left hamstring, and his availability for the start of the regular season is very much in doubt. Iverson himself expects to be there on opening night, but doesn’t want to push things.

“I don’t want to try to come back too early and have this thing lingering throughout the whole season. The important thing is to let it get right before you go back there and try to play on it, because it only makes it worse and you have to deal with it for a long stretch.”

From a fantasy perspective, less AI means more of everyone else, as Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo’s minutes are very safe in games where Iverson does not participate. You should feel slightly better about Conley, Mayo, and Rudy Gay and downgrade Iverson in the wake of the injury, but don’t overreact as we’re still 17 days from games that count. That said, working against everyone here is that the acclimation process will now have to take place in the regular season.

• Two items of note from the GSW/LAL boxscore this evening: Monta Ellis returned from an ankle injury and scored 24 points in 29 minutes; and Anthony Randolph played 41-plus minutes for the second exhibition in a row (18 pts, 8 reb, 0 blk). Since it’s Don Nelson we’re talking about, there must be a perfectly logical reason for that to happen.

• Samuel Dalembert followed up a very positive write-up with a very poor line on Friday (22 min, 0 pts, 0 blk, 4 to, 4 pf). The fact remains that the Sixers would be a much better team if he stays as “happy and confident” as he professes to be right now. Another factoid is that he wouldn’t be easy to trade even if he does recapture much of his previous form.

• Rick Carlisle doesn’t sound ready to hammer down a time frame for Josh Howard‘s return to the court.

“Josh is going to be a while. He’s making steady progress, but we’re not sure when he’s going to play. I’ll probably announce it the day he’s going to play, whenever that is – whether it’s two weeks, a month or a month and a half … The guy had two significant surgical procedures, so he’ll be ready when he’s ready and we’ll go from there.”

Carlisle may be exaggerating the situation because of some frustration, but it’s still not a great sign and a reminder why Howard is falling as far as he is in drafts. On a related note, Shawn Marion scored 26 points and had three steals in 30 minutes tonight.

• Devin Harris says that his ankle injury is not serious and that he thinks he’ll be able to play on Sunday.

• For a reminder as to why some people are liking Roy Hibbert late this season, click here.

• Chuck Hayes – he of little-to-no fantasy value – is emerging as the favorite to start alongside Luis Scola for the Rockets because, as Rick Adleman put it, there is nobody on the team who can match him “as far as defending inside.” David Andersen and Carl Landry formed the team’s starting frontcourt on Friday and combined for a -30 in the nine-point loss to the Magic.

• Another bad news nugget regarding Delonte West:

What happened before Tuesdays game vs. the  Bobcats does not help his case whatsoever … On Brian Windhorst’s official Twitter account , he announced that West would be playing … As players were getting ready for the game, one unnamed national AP writer said hello to West. West allegedly replied with an expletive. West was then pulled from the room by players and coaches. This incident led to West being pulled from playing and being excused from practice the next day. West has yet to return to practice and the Cavaliers are saying he still needs more time and space.

You can’t help but feel for the guy at this point – let’s just hope he can beat whatever demons he has affecting him right now.