2 months agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has the chance to play for either the United States or France in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics. According to Grant Hill while he was talking to Marc Stein, USA Basketball is still pursuing the MVP big man to play for them in the summer games. The official rosters haven't been announced just yet but Embiid teaming up with the likes of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert in France could be a very lethal frontcourt. Meanwhile, adding him to a usual-star-studded roster like the United States has, could make them an unstoppable force.--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Grant Hill via Marc Stein

2 months agoAccording to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Detroit Pistons and guard Zavier Simpson have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. The last time the 26-year-old out of Michigan suited up in an NBA game was with Oklahoma City for four games in the 2021-22 season. Last year, he averaged 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 1.7 steals across 32 games for the Orlando Magic's G League affiliate. Simpson also played for Detroit during this year's Las Vegas summer league, but didn't see too much playing time.--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Chris Haynes

2 months agoThe Portland Trail Blazers waived guard Jeenathan Williams on Friday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The 24-year-old appeared in five games for the team at the end of last season and posted averages of 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 61.5% shooting from the floor. Williams was a late-season addition when the Blazers knew they weren't going to make the playoffs. After helping with their tanking efforts, it seems like he's not in the team's long-term plans.--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania

2 months agoAccording to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed on a two-year deal to return and play alongside his brother. The 31-year-old has played a deeper bench role for the team over the last four seasons and has averaged 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds across 8.4 points per game. He still shouldn't be on any fantasy radars unless injuries start to pile up during the regular season. The exact amount of the contract has yet to be announced.--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania

2 months agoBrooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (back) is reportedly 100 percent healthy and a full-go heading into training camp. The 27-year-old isn't expected to have any limitations after missing most of last season due to injuries. Simmons only played in 42 games in 2022 and produced the worst season of his NBA career. The All-Star guard is reportedly the healthiest he has been in years. Simmons is expected to compete for the starting point guard spot in training camp. It seems unlikely that the Nets are going to hand it to him as they want to see him actually put in the work to improve his game. We'll wait and see if Simmons can actually turn it around and get back to his All-Star form.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Ian Begley

2 months agoSan Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson has been a fixture in the starting lineup over the last three seasons. In fact, Johnson has started 204 of 207 games he has appeared in, but that could change. The 23-year-old recently said in an interview that he'd be willing to come off the bench next season. The Spurs might put Victor Wembanyama at forward opposed to center, which could push Johnson out of the starting lineup. Johnson said he just wants to win, so it appears he's more than willing to play with the second unit. Last season, Johnson averaged a career-high 22.0 points along with 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 63 games with the Spurs. He ranked outside the top-150 in terms of fantasy value and hasn't produced a top-100 season yet. That being said, Johnson probably won't be too high of a pick after his ADP was in the 70s last season.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Tom Orsborn

2 months agoSan Antonio Spurs forward Sidy Cissoko has signed a three-year deal with the organization. The Spurs selected Cissoko with the 44th overall pick during June's NBA Draft. The expectation is that Cissoko is going to spend a majority of his time in the G-League. The 22-year-old looked decent during the Summer League, but remains a work in progress. The Spurs are rebuilding, so possibly they give Cissoko a better look later in the season. It seems unlikely that Cissoko is going to have fantasy value this upcoming season.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Michael Scotto

2 months agoThe San Antonio Spurs have signed forward Dominick Barlow to a two-way contract on Thursday. The 20-year-old played on a two-way deal with San Antonio last season. He averaged 3.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 14.6 minutes per game in 29 games last season. The hope is that he'll get more consistent of a role this upcoming season. Barlow played well during the Summer League, which is good to see from the young forward. He averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in four appearances. It seems unlikely that Barlow is going to have a significant enough role to have fantasy value next season.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski

2 months agoFree-agent forward Juancho Hernangomez has agreed to a two-year deal to play in Greece. The 27-year-old played in 42 games with the Toronto Raptors last season before being released in February. Before being released, Hernangomez averaged 2.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 14.6 minutes per game. The big man has experienced some success during his seven-year career, but was mainly a role player. Possibly, he reinvents himself in Greece and comes back to the NBA at a later time.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Sports Illustrated

2 months agoLos Angeles Lakers forward Cole Swider has been waived by the organization on Wednesday. The 24-year-old split time between the NBA and the G-League last season. He only made seven appearances with the Lakers and didn't contribute much during those games. In a corresponding move, the Lakers have signed forward Alex Fudge to a two-way deal. Fudge went undrafted out of Florida during the NBA Draft in June. He appeared in six Summer League games, but didn't bring much to the table during those contests. The expectation is that he'll spend most of his time in the G-League.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com

2 months agoBoston Celtics guard Derrick White will be the starting point guard heading into next season, according to head coach Joe Mazzulla. The 29-year-old has been a reliable option for Boston since they acquired him from the San Antonio Spurs. However, Marcus Smart prevented him from reaching his full potential as a player. The good news for White is that the Celtics traded away Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason. That means that White should gain full control of the point-guard position in Boston, which in turn means increased fantasy value for him.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Brian Robb

2 months agoAccording to The Athletic's Tony Jones, the Denver Nuggets are planning to rely more on young players next season. The exits of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green have opened up minutes in the rotation, and Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are in line for bigger roles. Braun already showed plenty of potential last season, while Watson had impressive Summer League outings this month. Rookie Hunter Tyson, who was voted into the Las Vegas Summer League First Team after averaging 20.8 points and 6.0 rebounds, could also provide a significant contribution straight away for the NBA champions.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tony Jones

2 months agoUtah Jazz power forward John Collins looks set for a major bounce-back season in 2023-24, with his new team considering him an "integral part" of plans to play big lineups. "Adding John Collins was a no-brainer," an anonymous member of the Jazz told Keith Smith of Spotrac. "He's an outstanding talent. We feel like he got lost in the shuffle some in Atlanta. With us, we're going to make sure he's regularly involved and has a consistent role. We want to play big lineups, because it's an advantage we have over most other teams. John is going to be an integral part of that strategy." Collins was limited to only 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds in 2022-23. However, he was a 20-10 guy not long ago and his fantasy stock should get a boost from the fresh start in Salt Lake City.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Keith Smith

2 months agoPhoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton is highly valued by the team's new coaching staff and appears to be penciled in for a big role in 2023-24. "We're committed to Deandre," an anonymous member of the Suns told Keith Smith of Spotrac. "He's going to play a key role for us this year as the backline of our defense. And we'll make sure he gets enough touches on offense to keep him involved on that end too. It's not just going to be him living off screens and offensive rebounds." Ayton had a solid campaign in 2022-23, averaging 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds with close to 60 percent shooting from the field, but his play deteriorated badly during the playoffs and the former first-overall pick has found his name in trade rumors this summer. However, it looks like Ayton will not only stay in Phoenix but will also have a vital part in the plans of new head coach Frank Vogel.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Keith Smith

2 months agoMiami Heat forward Nikola Jovic could be set for a bigger role next season after impressing with his development. The 20-year-old was one of the team leaders in the Summer League, averaging 15.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in four outings, kicking off the action with back-to-back 20-point efforts. "There's a lot to like about his development so far," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jovic. "… You see the rebounding, you see the off-ball awareness defensively, his ability to take a rebound off the glass and push it in transition. These are skills that are really tough to teach. He has great vision." Jovic, who was drafted 27th overall last year, averaged only 13.8 minutes during his rookie campaign, playing in 15 contests. He will have further opportunities to impress Spoelstra this summer, having been named to Serbia's World Cup roster.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: The Miami Herald