4 days agoSan Antonio Spurs small forward Keldon Johnson could be traded this summer as the Spurs are willing to hear offers involving the 24-year-old, according to Clutch Sports NBA reporter Brett Siegel. This past regular season, the Kentucky Wildcat averaged 29.5 minutes, 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 0.7 steals across 69 contests. Johnson would be an excellent option coming off the bench for a contending team.Source: Brett Siegel
4 days agoIndiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam is expected to receive a max contract offer from the Pacers this summer, per Shams Charania of the Athletic. The 30-year-old averaged 35.4 minutes, 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.4 blocks, and 0.8 steals across 17 postseason contests. He helped take the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals after being traded from the Toronto Raptors in January.Source: Shams Charania
4 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber (shoulder) is set to return for Game 4 against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein. The 32-year-old power forward has been out of the Mavs lineup since May 3rd due to an AC joint separation. Kleber could see plenty of minutes as Derek Lively II (neck) is currently listed as doubtful. Before Kleber was sidelined, he averaged 19.3 minutes, 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 blocks in six postseason contests.Source: Marc Stein
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley (Achilles) is questionable for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas on Tuesday. Conley has suffered from a right soleus strain but has suited up the last five contests. The 36-year-old veteran will likely be good to go, with Minnesota on the verge of elimination. He has averaged 13.3 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31.7 minutes in the series.Source: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoIndiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell enjoyed another productive bench outing on Monday against the Celtics, scoring 15 points and tallying five rebounds, four assists, and one steal as Indiana's season ended with a 105-102 loss. He finished with 7-for-16 shooting, missing his lone attempt from three-point range. McConnell impressed throughout the playoffs with his high-energy performances off the bench. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists across 20.5 minutes. Plenty of teams will likely be looking at him as a potential offseason acquisition, with McConnell on a very affordable $9.3 million deal for next season. Recent reports suggest that he has been a long-term target of the Phoenix Suns, who are desperate for a point guard.Source: ESPN
4 days agoIndiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam finished the 2023-24 campaign with a double-double, notching 19 points and 10 rebounds in Monday's 105-102 loss to the Celtics. His line included three assists as Siakam shot 8-for-18 from the field with a 0-for-3 effort from downtown. It was a bad ending to an otherwise productive series, which saw Siakam become the first player in history to record 50-plus points with zero free-throw attempts in the first two games of a Conference Finals series. The Cameroonian star is set to become an unrestricted free agent, but he had a good spell with the Pacers and is expected to re-sign with the team. He is eligible for a five-year, $245 million deal.Source: ESPN
4 days agoIndiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard was the squad's leading scorer with 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting as the team's season ended with a Game 4 defeat against Boston on Monday. The 24-year-old added 10 assists for a nice double-double and recorded six rebounds with one steal and one block. Indiana will be very disappointed by getting swept in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Nembhard's performances in the series are definitely a positive for the team. He averaged 28.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 9.5 assists in the two full games played without Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring). This was only his second season in the league, and Nembhard could be ready to make big strides in 2024-25.Source: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday finished Monday's Game 4 victory against Indiana with 17 points, nine rebounds, and two assists, shooting 7-for-13 from the floor and hitting twice from downtown with six attempts. Despite picking up an illness bug in the middle of the series, Holiday was highly efficient throughout the matchup. He hit nearly 42 percent of his three-point attempts and shot 58.7 percent overall to average 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. With him in such good form, the Celtics look near unbeatable.Source: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard Derrick White had an incredible defensive performance against the Pacers in Monday's closeout game, recording five steals and three blocks. He also picked up four rebounds and four assists in the contest, capping off the big performance with a game-winning three-pointer to push Boston into the 2024 NBA Finals. He was a poor 2-for-9 with the three-ball for the night but shot a solid 7-for-14 overall to finish with 16 points. Incredibly, White leads the C's in both blocks and three-pointers made in these playoffs. He's averaging 17.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 0.9 steals for the postseason.Source: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum collected his 11th double-double of the 2024 postseason on Monday with 26 points and 13 rebounds in a 105-102 win over the Pacers. He was two assists short of a triple-double and added one steal to his tally. It was a productive effort from Tatum, although the Celtics star had a tough time from three-point range with a 3-for-11 effort, which left a bad mark on his shooting efficiency. He finished the closeout game with 11-for-26 overall shooting. Tatum's shooting struggles aren't anything new in these playoffs, but he has improved his numbers throughout the postseason and pushed his scoring average to 30.3 points in the Eastern Conference Finals. The five-time All-Star also recorded 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in the series.Source: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP on Monday after his squad completed a sweep against Indiana. Brown ended the series with a 29-point effort on 11-for-22 shooting while filling up the stat sheet in a 105-102 win with six rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block. He averaged 29.8 points in the series with 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals. In Game 2 of the series, Brown became the first player in Celtics history with multiple 40-point efforts in the Eastern Conference Finals. The 27-year-old didn't make any of the All-NBA teams this season, but he must be fired up by the snub and continues to play a hugely important role for Boston.Source: ESPN
5 days agoDallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (neck) is doubtful for Tuesday's playoff meeting with Minnesota. The rookie to a knee from Karl-Anthony Towns to the back of the head on Sunday night and didn't return, with the team reporting he suffered a sprained neck. It's a tough blow for Dallas, considering Lively averaged 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. Numerous outlets have reported that he's already been ruled out, so DFS managers shouldn't expect to see him on the floor. As a result, Daniel Gafford could spend more minutes in the middle. The Mavs could also give work to Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber (shoulder), with the latter being listed as questionable heading into Tuesday evening.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoAccording to NBA insider Evan Sidery, the Warriors are anticipated to "actively shop" forward Andrew Wiggins this offseason. The 29-year-old has nearly $85 million remaining on his current contract. However, with the emergence of Jonathan Kuminga in 2023-24, the Warriors could move Wiggins to upgrade another area of need. He averaged a career-low 13.2 points last season, meaning his fantasy outlook isn't as bright as in previous years. But Wiggins is still young enough to turn things around, especially if he gets more looks at the basket with a new team.Source: Evan Sidery
5 days agoAccording to NBA insider Evan Sidery, the Philadelphia 76ers could make a push to acquire Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram this offseason. There are reports the Sixers are interested in Paul George. But if George decides to remain in Los Angeles, Philadelphia views Ingram as a "plan B option." The 26-year-old is coming off a down season, averaging 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 boards. He also shot 35.5% from behind the arc. With that said, Ingram is always one of the best players on the floor. Yet, he can't stay healthy, so his fantasy stock is nearly at an all-time low.Source: Evan Sidery
5 days agoAccording to NBA insider Evan Sidery, the Pelicans and Cavaliers are expected to "re-engage" in discussions surrounding guard Darius Garland. The Cavs may want to break up the backcourt duo of Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Of course, Cleveland would rather keep Mitchell on the roster. If that happens, Garland could be on his way to a new team. The 24-year-old averaged 18.0 points during the 2023-24 campaign, over three points fewer than the previous season. He also appeared in only 57 games due to injury. There's no denying Garland's upside. However, he isn't a reliable offensive contributor. His inability to stay healthy will also negatively impact his fantasy stock. But the 2019 No. 5 overall pick could benefit from a change of scenery and surpass fantasy expectations if he can figure out how to stay on the floor. The Pelicans could also use a stable presence at the one position.Source: Evan Sidery