4 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward
Gordon Hayward has expressed displeasure with his role on the team. "Disappointing with how it all kind of worked out. Certainly frustrating," Hayward said. "I feel as a player, I have a lot to offer. Just wasn't really given much of an opportunity to do that. I thought I would be given that opportunity." After the Thunder traded for Hayward in February, the former All-Star averaged just 17.2 minutes per game with the team and saw even less action in the playoffs, logging 47 minutes across seven appearances. Hayward will enter unrestricted free agency this offseason after completing a four-year, $120 million deal.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Joel Lorenzi
4 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward
Josh Giddey ended up playing a very limited role in the second-round series against Dallas, but he's not seeking a change of scenery. "I love it here. This is a home away from home. I love everything about this place, the city, the fans," Giddey said. "The organization top to bottom is just unbelievable people throughout the building, and getting to come here to work every day is a lot of fun. It doesn't feel like work." Giddey also had a down year during the regular season, recording career-low numbers across the board with 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. The 21-year-old is eligible for an extension this offseason, but the team is reportedly looking to move him on.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Clemente Almanza
4 days agoToronto Raptors guard/forward
Bruce Brown could be on the move again soon after splitting 2023-24 between Indiana and Toronto. According to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star, the Raptors will likely pick up a $23 million option on Bruce's contract and trade him before the 2025 deadline. There should be no storage of takers for a versatile player like Brown, who has proven himself at the highest level by winning the NBA championship with Denver last season. He moved to Indiana as a free agent a year ago but was traded to Toronto in the
Pascal Siakam deal in January. Bruce averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 27.9 minutes during the season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Doug Smith
4 days agoNew York Knicks power forward
Julius Randle could land on a new squad for next season. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, teams are "monitoring" Randle's situation in New York. The three-time All-Star will be eligible to sign a four-year, $190 million contract extension this offseason. His current deal runs until the summer of 2026, with a $32 million player option for the final season. Randle's 2023-24 campaign was largely ruined by a shoulder injury, but the 29-year-old played at a high level when in the lineup, averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
5 days agoBoston Celtics center
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) is out for Tuesday's postseason clash with the Pacers. DFS managers already expected him to miss this one, so the official update from the league's injury report isn't surprising. Fortunately, there's a chance he could return during the Eastern Conference Finals. But until he's back in the lineup,
Al Horford and
Luke Kornet will continue to handle things underneath the basket. With that said, Horford is the better option for fantasy purposes, with the 37-year-old amassing 22 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks in the series-clinching win over the Cavaliers on May 15.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoBoston Celtics forward/center
Xavier Tillman Sr. (personal) is questionable for Tuesday's postseason matchup with Indiana. The 25-year-old has averaged only 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 points throughout the postseason. Even with
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) expected to miss at least a few more contests, Tillman isn't likely to make his way into the rotation anytime soon, even if he's available. Instead,
Al Horford will cover things in the middle, with
Luke Kornet coming in for relief.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoDenver Nuggets forward
Aaron Gordon was limited to only four points on 2-for-5 shooting in Sunday's Game 7 defeat to Minnesota. Gordon was a big factor in the series but couldn't get anything going on Sunday, even settling for only four rebounds after racking up 18 boards across the previous two games. In 42 minutes on the court, Gordon also recorded two assists and one block. Gordon's offensive numbers dropped in 2023-24, but he remains a valuable piece of the Nuggets' core and should be a solid fantasy contributor in multiple categories again next season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoDenver Nuggets point guard
Jamal Murray had a game-high 35 points on Sunday against Minnesota as the team's title defense ended with a 98-90 Game 7 loss. Following his disappointing effort in Game 6, Murray appeared determined to carry his squad to the Western Conference Finals, posting 24 points in the first half. But the Timberwolves tightened up the defense in the second half and produced a historic comeback in the contest. Murray's final stat line of the season included three rebounds and three assists. 2023-24 was a good year for Murray, as the Canadian star set new career highs with 6.5 assists and 42.5 percent three-point shooting while averaging 21.2 points. However, he again missed a large chunk of the campaign with health issues, playing in only 59 regular-season contests. Murray's injury history is definitely something fantasy managers need to consider while planning for 2024-25.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic stuffed the stat sheet but couldn't keep his team alive in Game 7 against the Timberwolves on Sunday. The 2023 champions blew a 15-point half-time lead to lose 98-90 despite Jokic posting 34 points, 19 rebounds, seven assists, and one block. After being voted the regular season MVP for the third time in his career, Jokic averaged 28.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in the playoffs. With him having not even hit 30 years of age, the Jokic era in Denver has a long way to go, and he will continue to be an elite fantasy asset for quite some time.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves center
Rudy Gobert played his part in Sunday's 98-90 Game 7 victory over Denver with 13 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. He finished with 3-for-7 shooting from the field and impressed at the free-throw line with a 7-for-9 effort. Gobert had a tough time against
Nikola Jokic in the series but did a solid job overall by averaging a double-double. He will have a key role to play again in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas' big men
Daniel Gafford,
Dereck Lively II, and
P.J. Washington.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward
Jaden McDaniels produced a second consecutive 20-point game on Sunday in a Game 7 win against the Nuggets, shooting 7-for-10 from the field en route to 23 points. He was the team's joint top scorer with Karl-Anthony Toews. McDaniels' night included a 3-for-4 effort from downtown, and he completed his line with six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block. The 23-year-old is more known for his defensive qualities, but McDaniels definitely gave Minnesota a boost in the attacking end in the last couple of games, which helped the team tilt the series in its favor. McDaniels now boasts three 20-point performances in 11 playoff games after having only had seven such outings during the regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard/forward
Anthony Edwards had a miserably shooting night against the Nuggets in Sunday's Game 7, but he still played an effective game in a 98-90 win. Denver did a great job against Edwards by limiting him to 6-for-24 shooting. However, the Timberwolves superstar got close to triple-double numbers in the game with 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Edwards also added a pair of steals to his tally while finishing plus-11 for the contest in 44 minutes. It's been a great postseason for Edwards, and he should have a few more spectacular performances up his sleeve for the Conference Finals. In 11 playoff games, Edwards has put up 28.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.7 steals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center
Karl-Anthony Towns registered his third double-double in four games against Denver on Sunday, leading the team to a 98-90 Game 7 victory. Towns was tied for most points on the team with 23 and grabbed 12 rebounds. He was limited to only 1-for-6 shooting from three-point range but finished 8-for-14 overall from the field and made a large impact all over the court. In 39 minutes, Towns was able to add two assists, two steals, and one block to his line. After years of misery in Minneapolis, Towns has finally made it to the Conference Finals, but he faces another tough matchup. Dallas has a lot of frontcourt depth, which will make it a challenging series for Towns.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoNew York Knicks forward
Josh Hart (abdomen) was available for Sunday's pivotal meeting with the Pacers after suffering an abdominal strain on Friday night. However, while Hart should be recognized for his willingness to play through the ailment, he struggled to a degree, ending the afternoon with 10 points and shooting 3-for-9 from the field and 0-for-4 from deep. Hart did add eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Yet, it was apparent he wasn't fully healthy. With the Knicks eliminated from the playoffs, Hart will get some rest and prepare for the 2024-25 campaign. He appeared in 81 games for New York during the regular season, and although he isn't the most consistent on the offensive end, he'll see plenty of interest from fantasy managers.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
6 days agoNew York Knicks guard
Donte DiVincenzo scored a game-high 39 points in Sunday's loss to Indiana. He added four rebounds, two steals, and one assist. With
OG Anunoby (hamstring) and
Josh Hart (abdomen) plagued by injury, DiVincenzo stepped up in a big way, going 11-for-21 from the field and 9-for-15 from deep. However, it wasn't enough, with the Knicks failing to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old is coming off his best season, averaging a career-high 15.5 points with 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He also appeared in 81 games after logging 72 in Golden State last season. With that said, DiVincenzo's durability and increased production should spark the interest of fantasy managers heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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