1 month agoIndiana Pacers point guard
Tyrese Haliburton (back) will play in Game 1 against the Knicks on Monday. The team has once again upgraded him from questionable to available after listing him on the injury report with lower back spasms. Indiana needs to see Haliburton outduel New York's star guard
Jalen Brunson to have a chance in the series. He had a good time against the Knicks during the regular season, averaging 19.7 points and 13.3 assists with 51.2 percent shooting in three games. Haliburton's work in the matchup included an extraordinary 20-20 double-double with a career-high 23 assists on Dec. 30.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Dustin Dopirak
1 month agoLos Angeles Clippers guard/forward
Paul George looks set to enter unrestricted free agency this offseason. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, George has received multiple contract offers below the max, which he will not accept. The nine-time All-Star has a $48.8 million player option for next season and can become a free agent if he can't agree on an extension with the Clippers before June 30. He is eligible to sign up to a four-year, $221 million contract. If the Clippers can't strike a deal with George, who's likely looking to get his final big contract after turning 34 at the start of May, he would instantly become one of the top available free agents on the market.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
1 month agoAccording to Shams Charania of The Athletic, there is mutual interest between the Orlando Magic and
Klay Thompson. The five-time All-Star will become an unrestricted free agent, and Orlando can open up an excess of $60 million in cap space this offseason. Thompson was paid $43.2 million in 2023-24, and the Warriors reportedly offered him a two-year, $48 million extension before the season started. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has indicated that he wants Thompson back for the 2024-25 campaign, but a change of scenery might benefit him. The Magic seem like a great fit for Thompson, as the team badly needs to add some three-point shooting to the squad after ranking last in the league in threes made during the 2023-24 regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
1 month agoBrooklyn Nets center
Nicolas Claxton appears set to remain with the team. The 25-year-old is hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason, but sources have indicated to Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily that the team is "very confident" in its ability to re-sign Claxton. Nets general manager Sean Marks said a couple of weeks back that extending Claxton will be Brooklyn's "No. 1 priority" in the offseason. Claxton, who's reportedly set to fetch a contract with a yearly salary of around $25 million, was among the top shot-blockers in the league in 2023-24 with 2.1 swats and averaged a career-high 9.9 rebounds, along with 11.8 points in 29.8 minutes. The team seems to have big plans for him, and at 25 years old, Claxton should have plenty of room to develop.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lucas Kaplan
1 month agoMinnesota Timberwolves center
Rudy Gobert (personal) has landed on the injury report as questionable ahead of Game 2 against Denver on Monday. He became a father for the first time Monday morning. It's unclear if Gobert manages to travel to Denver in time for tip-off. His absence would push
Naz Reid to a more prominent role. The 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year had a nice start to the second-round series, producing 16 points in a 106-99 victory with four rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Brandon Ingram isn't expected to be extended by the team this offseason. The 2020 All-Star is eligible to sign a four-year, $208 million deal. However, it looks like the Pelicans are ready to move on from Ingram, who has one year left to go on his current contract. Ingram, who will be making around $36 million in 2024-25, has enjoyed a solid career in New Orleans, averaging 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists across five seasons. But the 26-year-old has battled various injuries, with 64 regular-season appearances in 2023-24 being the most he has managed across a single campaign, and he was a major letdown for the team in the 2024 playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Evan Sidery
1 month agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
P.J. Tucker is expected to exercise his $11.54 million player option for the 2024-25 season. Tucker had a miserable time in L.A., making only 30 appearances across the regular season and playoffs. He even requested a trade publically midseason, resulting in a $75k fine from the NBA. However, Tucker is unlikely to fetch a similar salary on the open market, making this a no-brainer decision for the veteran. Considering how things have worked out for him with the Clippers since Tucker arrived in town in the
James Harden trade, it would probably suit both sides if they parted ways at the first opportunity.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto
1 month agoBoston Celtics forward/center
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) has told The Athletic he expects to recover at a "historic rate." The Latvian big man suffered a right soleus strain in Game 4 of the first-round matchup against Miami on April 29. There isn't a specific timeline set for Porzingis' return, and he also said at the weekend that he isn't "super close yet," but Boston is hoping to see him again in the Conference Finals. With Porzingis out,
Al Horford is set to play a huge role against Cleveland's well-equipped frontcourt in the second round. The series kicks off on Tuesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jared Weiss
1 month agoDallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has signed a multi-year extension with the team. "We are excited to have Coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension," said Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont. "Kidd led our team to two playoff appearances in three seasons, and we are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise." Kidd has compiled a 140-106 regular-season record with the Mavericks. Dallas announced the extension just a few days after Kidd had been strongly linked with the freshly vacant Los Angeles Lakers coaching position. Before joining the Mavericks in 2021, Kidd worked in Los Angeles for two years as an assistant, helping the Lakers to the 2020 championship. He has also held head coaching positions in Brooklyn and Milwaukee, posting a 323-296 career record.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoOrlando Magic guard
Markelle Fultz had an efficient 4-for-6 shooting performance while providing eight points off the bench in Sunday's Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers. He finished with eight points across 13 minutes of action, completing his line with one rebound and one steal. Fultz started the season well, but he quickly landed on the shelf with a knee problem, which ended up ruining his campaign. The former first-overall pick was limited to only 48 appearances in the regular season, averaging 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. After being a regular starter throughout his career, the Magic had Fultz in the first unit only 18 times in 2023-24. Fultz had a career year just a season ago, but the 2023-24 campaign leaves quite a few question marks hanging over his head. The 25-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoOrlando Magic forward
Jonathan Isaac couldn't provide a spark off the bench as the team's season ended with a Game 7 loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Isaac was back in the second unit following
Gary Harris' return to action. He contributed only two points in 18 minutes and had two rebounds with one assist. It was an awful finish to the series from Isaac, who was held scoreless in Game 6. However, he showed his full potential through the first five games of the matchup. The 26-year-old averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals in 21.4 minutes. Isaac is an outstanding defensive presence when he's healthy. In 2023-24, he once again had some injury problems but managed to play in 58 regular-season games, his most since 2018-19.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoOrlando Magic center
Wendell Carter Jr. made a mark under both baskets in Sunday's Game 7 against Cleveland. He provided 13 points with 5-for-10 shooting and snagged three steals as the Magic's season ended with a 106-94 loss. The big man from Duke, who shot 2-for-4 from outside, also recorded seven rebounds and one assist in 35 minutes. After struggling initially, Carter Jr. had a strong finish to the series. In a sense, it summed up his entire campaign, as the Magic center was fairly inconsistent in 2023-24. Carter Jr. averaged 11.0 points and 6.9 rebounds in seventh year in the NBA. He was a double-double machine only a couple of seasons ago, so the 25-year-old should have plenty of potential to do better in 2024-25.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) returned to practice on Sunday. The veteran sniper got hurt in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Clippers, spraining his right ankle. Dallas had no trouble finishing off the Clippers in six games, but Hardaway Jr. will make a welcome return if he's ready to go for the second round against the Thunder on Tuesday. The 32-year-old was among the league's most prolific bench scorers in the regular season, averaging 14.4 points in 26.6 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Grant Afseth
1 month agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
Maxi Kleber (shoulder) will be re-evaluated in three weeks. He was initially expected to miss the rest of the postseason after Kleber suffered a separated shoulder in Friday's first-round clincher against the Clippers. It now looks like Kleber could be back for the Western Conference Finals if Dallas gets past Oklahoma City in the second round. In the meantime,
P.J. Washington,
Daniel Gafford, and
Dereck Lively II will share the frontcourt minutes. The Thunder have struggled in the rebounding department this season, putting the three in a position to have a productive series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tim MacMahon
1 month agoDenver Nuggets guard
Jamal Murray (calf) is questionable for Monday's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the 27-year-old managed to suit up for Game 1 on Saturday night, it appears the calf injury impacted his play. He finished that one with 17 points, a significant decline from his scoring contributions in the previous series versus the Lakers. In all fairness, the rest of the roster struggled, so Murray and company could turn things around in Game 2.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
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