2 days agoMiami Heat forward Caleb Martin was back in form in Game 3 of the NBA Finals Wednesday, registering 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 32 minutes off the bench. He made the biggest improvement offensively, having previously totaled only six points in the first two games of the series. Martin shot 4-for-9 in the contest and was 2-for-5 with the three-ball. However, the Heat still ended up taking a resounding loss and a bigger all-around contribution from Martin would greatly improve the team's chances in the series. After averaging 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds in the previous round against Boston, Martin has so far settled for just 5.3 points and 4.0 boards versus Denver.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoMiami Heat center Bam Adebayo produced an awful 7-for-21 shooting performance in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, but he found a way to finish a 109-94 loss with a big double-double. An 8-for-10 effort at the free-throw line helped Adebayo to collect 22 points, while he grabbed a team-high 17 rebounds. Adebayo ended up recording over half of the team's rebounds as Miami was crushed on the boards 58-33. In 41 minutes of action, the Heat center also tallied three assists and one block. The poor shooting efficiency left a large stain on Adebayo's line Wednesday, but he has upped his offensive game overall in the series, averaging 23.0 points with 13.0 rebounds 4.0 assists and 1.0 blocks.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoMiami Heat forward Jimmy Butler led his squad with 28 points in Wednesday's 109-94 loss to Denver. The Heat were limited to 37 percent shooting in the game and Butler personally wasn't very efficient with his work either, going 4-for-1 from downtown and 11-for-24 overall from the field. Butler has been filling the stat sheet regularly throughout the playoffs, but he managed only two rebounds, four assists and one block this time around, logging his second consecutive game without a single steal. After the game, the Heat star sounded very frustrated with the low-energy performance and we should see a much better effort from Butler Friday night.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoDenver Nuggets guard/forward Christian Braun made an outstanding contribution off the bench in Wednesday's Game 3 victory over Miami, posting 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting and picking up four rebounds, one assist and one steal in just 19 minutes of action. Braun also provided the Nuggets with a great spark off the bench in Game 2, coming up with three steals and showing off good finishing ability around the rim. His minutes have been steadily climbing in the series, and Braun could play an even bigger role in Friday's Game 4 as the Nuggets look to grab a 3-1 series lead.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoDenver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon recorded his second double-double of the 2023 postseason on Wednesday, contributing 11 points and 10 rebounds in a 109-94 win over Miami. He also registered five assists and one steal while shooting 5-for-10 from the field and playing 34 minutes without a single turnover. Gordon has shot the ball incredibly well in the Finals so far, hitting 63 percent from the field, and he's averaging 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the series.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoDenver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray recorded a big triple-double in Wednesday's Game 3 win over Miami, making some NBA Finals history in the process. The Nuggets guard is the first player to post 10-plus assists in each of his first three Finals appearances. He added a game-high 34 points to his line with 10 rebounds, shooting 12-for-22 from the field and 3-for-6 from downtown. Murray and Nikola Jokic became the first duo in NBA history to each record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game. The Kentucky product himself won't be happy with his seven turnovers, but he gets a quick opportunity to produce an improved performance, with Game 4 coming up already on Friday.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoDenver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic made history on Wednesday, becoming the first player ever with a 30-20-10 triple-double in an NBA Finals game. He went for 32 points on 12-for-21 shooting and recorded 21 rebounds and 10 assists. It's Jokic's third 30-20-10 game in the playoffs while the rest of the NBA has combined for only two such games in league history. Jokic added two blocks to complete his big line, and the former MVP is now averaging 33.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists in the series.--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 days agoPortland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe appears to be off-limits in recent trade talks. The organization is reportedly open to moving the third overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. However, Sharpe is off-limits in any trade discussions as the Blazers believe he has the potential to be an All-Star. Sharpe mainly played a limited role during his rookie season, but played really well towards the end of the season. Damian Lillard has made it clear he doesn't want to be part of a rebuild. The Blazers don't seem willing to move Sharpe, so we'll see what other trade pieces the team has to offer this offseason to help build a contender.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jake Fischer

2 days agoNew York Knicks forward Josh Hart is expected to opt-out of the final year of his contract and head to free agency. Hart would be an unrestricted free agent if he decides to decline his player option that is worth roughly $12 million. Hart was a key part of the Knicks roster as he helped them make it to the second round of the postseason. The 28-year-old is hopeful that he can remain with the Knicks going forward. It sounds like Hart believes he can make more than $12 million in free agency, so possibly the Knicks offer him more than that. It seems likely that Hart would gladly return to the Knicks, but money is probably going to be the determining factor of where he goes this summer.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Bleacher Report

2 days agoChicago Bulls center Andre Drummond is expected to exercise his $3.3 million player option for the 2023-2024 season. The big man had a minimal role in Chicago last season, but did play in 67 contests. He averaged 6.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 12.7 minutes per game. Drummond was effective off the bench, but the limited playing time didn't give him much fantasy value. Honestly, he's really only worth rostering when Nikola Vucevic isn't available. It's possible that Drummond could get more money elsewhere, but he appears comfortable in Chicago.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports

2 days agoToronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. is expected to opt out of his $18.5 million player option for the 2023-2024 season. The assumption is that the 24-year-old would be able to earn more per year in free agency. One team that has been listed as a possible suitor for Trent is the Orlando Magic. Trent is a 38.4% shooter from three, so it makes sense that the Magic would target him. Orlando struggled in offensive rating and were 24th in three-point percentage this past season. It's worth noting that Gary Harris has a $13 million team option for next season. It's possible that Orlando declines that option and uses that money to sign Trent this offseason. A move to Orlando would probably increase Trent's usage.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: heavy.com

2 days agoMiami Heat guard Tyler Herro (wrist) has already been ruled out for Game 3 versus the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. The 23-year-old has been sidelined since he fractured his wrist at the beginning of the playoffs. The good news is, Herro is expected to go through another full workout on Thursday. This workout should be a big determining factor for his availability for Friday's Game 4. Herro has reportedly been dealing with soreness in his hand this week. It remains to be seen if he'll actually suit up at all during this series. Fantasy managers should check back on Wednesday for another update on his status.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Barry Jackson

2 days agoMiami Heat center Cody Zeller (foot) will suit up for Wednesday's Game 3 matchup against the Denver Nuggets. As expected, Zeller will play despite dealing with a sprained right foot. It doesn't sound like the issue is going to limit him, but he doesn't play a big role in the rotation anyway. Zeller is expected to play around 8-10 minutes off the bench, which probably won't be enough to have DFS value.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Ira Winderman

2 days agoPhoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul was informed on Wednesday that he will be waived by the team. The 38-year-old soon becomes an unrestricted free agent and intends to play "several more years", per Chris Haynes. It's a significant cost-cutting measure by Phoenix, but Paul is still guaranteed about half of the $30 million he was originally owed next season. The contending Suns now look to retool their roster for another championship push during the upcoming campaign. As for Paul, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer immediately represents one of the most coveted players on the open market for squads in win-now mode. The 11-time All-NBA playmaker has averaged 15.1 points, 9.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.2 turnovers per game amidst his three-year stay in the desert. Paul notably led the association in free-throw percentage (93.4%) in 2020-2021 and APG (10.8) during 2021-2022.--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Chris Haynes

3 days agoAccording to Zach Lowe of ESPN, many within the Lakers' organization want D'Angelo Russell to remain with the team. The 27-year-old averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 17 games with LA last season. He also shot 41.4% from behind the arc in those appearances and was instrumental in helping the Lakers make a deep playoff push. Unfortunately, Russell didn't play well in the postseason. However, the club needs a point guard, especially since adding Kyrie Irving isn't a lock. That said, Los Angeles reportedly isn't looking to offer Russell a max contract, so there will certainly be more to this situation in the coming weeks.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Zach Lowe