2 weeks agoDallas Mavericks center
Dereck Lively II (knee) was on the court for the open portion of practice and fully participated in the session on Tuesday. Right knee soreness kept Lively out of action for Dallas' final eight outings of the regular season, but the dynamic rookie big man looks primed to return for the start of the Western Conference quarterfinals in Game 1 on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. His return would mean fewer minutes at center for
Daniel Gafford from the Mavs' starting lineup, but the two interior presences would likely split playing time in the middle fairly evenly and cancel one another out from a DFS standpoint.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Grant Afseth - SI.com
2 weeks agoMiami Heat guard
Terry Rozier (neck) did not practice on Tuesday. Neck spasms continue to bother Rozier, who didn't play in any of Miami's final four games of the regular season due to the issue. If his absence extends into Wednesday's play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers,
Tyler Herro would function as the Heat's primary ball handler alongside
Jimmy Butler and hold added DFS appeal. Stat-sheet stuffer
Delon Wright would also play a more prominent role from the second unit in this case.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Zachary Weinberger - ClutchPoints
2 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Lakers announced on Tuesday that forward
Cam Reddish (ankle) has been downgraded to questionable for Tuesday's play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Dealing with a sprained right ankle, Reddish hasn't been a consistent member of LA's rotation in recent weeks anyway but could be sidelined altogether on Tuesday against New Orleans. More bench minutes would be needed from
Taurean Prince on the wing for the Lakers if Reddish is unable to go, but neither are going to be recommended DFS plays either way.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Dave McMenamin - ESPN
2 weeks agoSix-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin announced his retirement from the NBA on Instagram on Tuesday. Griffin was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009 out of Oklahoma and made second-team All-NBA three times, third-team All-NBA twice, and won the 2011 Rookie of the Year award. He played his final season with the Boston Celtics a year ago. Known for his explosiveness during the Clippers' "Lob City" era, Griffin did a great job of adapting his style of play later in his career to compensate for a loss of athleticism as injuries began to pile up for him. After 13 years in the Association, Griffin, 35, closes his career with lifetime averages of 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 31.9 minutes over 765 games (692 starts) with the Clippers, Pistons, Nets, and Celtics.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski - ESPN
2 weeks agoThe Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) for the start of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but they are hopeful treatment on his strained left calf will allow him to return sometime later in the series. It coincides with Monday's report from The Athletic's Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo's status for beginning of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals is very much up in the air, but the 29-year-old two-time MVP sounds to be doubtful at best for Game 1. For the Pacers, it's a big upgrade to the matchup outlooks of their entire offense from a DFS perspective, namely
Pascal Siakam's.
Damian Lillard will steer Milwaukee's offense in any games Antetokounmpo misses, with
Bobby Portis being the direct fantasy beneficiary of any of the Greek Freak's absences.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski - ESPN
2 weeks agoMilwaukee Bucks forward/center
Bobby Portis has given head coach Doc Rivers a vote of confidence, saying he has unlocked a whole new player in him. Rivers' fit with the Bucks has been questioned heavily after he replaced Adrian Griffin in late January and finished the regular season with a losing record at the helm. He went 17-19 with the Bucks, which saw the team drop to the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Portis averaged 15.3 points and 8.9 rebounds under Rivers, a slight improvement from his season averages. The 29-year-old could end up playing a very big role in the first-round matchup against Indiana, with
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in a race to get healthy for the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: SiriusXM NBA Radio
2 weeks agoDetroit Pistons forward
Simone Fontecchio (toe) has hinted that he's going to sign a long-term extension with the team in the offseason. The 28-year-old Italian is set to become a restricted free agent in the summer after completing his first two seasons in the NBA. Following an underwhelming rookie year with the Jazz, Fontecchio found his flow in 2023-24 and did particularly well after getting traded to Detroit. He notched 15.4 points and 4.4 rebounds across 30.3 minutes in 16 games with the Pistons before a toe injury ended his campaign a few weeks early. Fontecchio's performance was one of only a few bright spots for Detroit, as the team finished with the worst record in the league for a second consecutive year.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Omari Sankofa II
2 weeks agoPortland Trail Blazers center
Deandre Ayton had a rough start with his new club but feels his first year was "amazing" overall. The 2023-24 season was almost like two different seasons for Ayton, as he greatly improved his performances after the All-Star break. The former first overall pick became a 22-12 guy following the break and ended up averaging 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds for the season. Hopefully, we will see the post-break Ayton for the entire year in 2024-25, and he will stay clear of injury troubles -- the 25-year-old saw action in only 55 games in 2023-24.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sean Highkin
2 weeks agoWashington Wizards forward
Deni Avdija has his sights set on improving at both ends of the court next season. He wants to be a better off-ball defender and become a better ball-handler. Avdija made a big leap in his fourth NBA campaign, averaging career-high numbers across the boards. He developed into one of Washington's top scorers, averaging 14.7 points per game, and also boosted his rebounding numbers to 7.2 per game while handing out 3.8 assists. The Israeli talent turned just 23 at the start of January and should have a lot more upside.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chase Hughes
2 weeks agoWashington Wizards forward
Kyle Kuzma plans to come back next season with a "different type of conditioning." The 28-year-old has just completed his third campaign in D.C., averaging a career-high 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, which is another career-best number for him. However, Kuzma went from averaging 35 minutes a night to clocking 32.6 minutes. He'll be carrying extra fantasy value in 2024-25 if he can stay on the court for longer. Kuzma is set to be among the team leaders for a while after Washington inked a four-year, $102 million deal with him last offseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chase Hughes
2 weeks agoMemphis Grizzlies point guard
Derrick Rose (groin, back) is planning to be back on the court with the team next season. The former MVP signed a two-year deal with the Grizzlies last summer and appears to have no plans of retiring despite another injury-riddled season. Rose, who will turn 36 in early October, played his final game of the campaign on Feb. 28 and ended up featuring just 24 times for the Grizzlies. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes as a bench piece. He will likely be used even more sparingly next season, with a number of younger players on the rise in Memphis.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Drew Hill
2 weeks agoMemphis Grizzlies point guard
Ja Morant (shoulder) is on schedule with his recovery and is expected to be cleared for basketball activities halfway through the offseason. The Grizzlies star had his 2023-24 campaign limited to only nine games after he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in January. Despite missing the first 25 games of the season with a suspension, Morant was on fire right away when he returned to the court, posting 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. Hopefully, Morant doesn't suffer any setbacks over the summer, and we can finally enjoy his talents over the course of a full season. Various issues have resulted in Morant playing in only 190 regular-season the past four years.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Drew Hill
2 weeks agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward
Brandon Ingram (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Lakers. The 26-year-old injured his knee during a matchup with the Orlando Magic in March and was sidelined for 12 games. However, he returned for the regular-season finale versus the Lakers, amassing 13 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Fortunately, head coach Willie Green reported that Ingram looked good during practice on Monday, so the plan is to increase his minutes for Tuesday's rematch with Los Angeles. Of course, he'll likely see less work than usual. But Ingram is still worth considering for any DFS contest after Green's latest update.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Jim Eichenhofer
2 weeks agoCharlotte Hornets center
Mark Williams (back), while taking questions from the media on Monday, stated he does not need surgery. He also said "he's definitely feeling better" and plans to play every game next season. While Williams' proclamation regarding his availability throughout the 2024-25 campaign could be a stretch, fantasy managers are still glad to hear things are moving in the right direction. The 22-year-old averaged a career-high 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks this season. However, Williams was limited to only 19 games because of a back injury. With that said, he's not worth reaching for in fantasy drafts, but he could easily surpass his ADP expectations if he stays healthy.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Rod Boone
2 weeks agoToronto Raptors guard
Immanuel Quickley, while speaking at his exit interview on Monday, expressed his desire to remain with the organization. The 24-year-old, who was traded to Toronto in the deal that sent
OG Anunoby to the Knicks, averaged a career-high 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 38 games with the Raptors. But he will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so there should be interest from multiple clubs around the National Basketball Association. With that said, Quickley is figured to earn over $25 million on his next contract, although the Raptors will likely be more than happy to match any offers he'll garner as a restricted free agent.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Josh Lewenberg
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