RADIO
Adou Thiero Remains a Lakers Development Project
Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero had a quiet rookie season, but Silver Screen and Roll's Edwin Garcia wrote that the team should keep him in its long-term plans. The 22-year-old missed training camp and the start of the regular season while recovering from left knee surgery and later lost time to an MCL sprain. He logged only 25 regular-season games, averaging 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 6.0 minutes while shooting 51.6% from the field. There were still fantasy-relevant flashes, including a 25-point South Bay outing on 10-for-12 shooting and 5-for-5 from deep. Thiero needs a steadier jumper and a real rotation lane, but his rim pressure and defensive tools make him a summer watchlist name.
Source: Edwin Garcia
Source: Edwin Garcia
76ers Hire Mike Gansey as President of Basketball Operations
The Philadelphia 76ers hired Mike Gansey as president of basketball operations, ESPN's Shams Charania reports, weeks after firing Daryl Morey following a second-round sweep by the Knicks. The 43-year-old spent 15 years in Cleveland, serving as the Cavaliers' general manager since 2022, and Bob Myers led the search that landed him. Nick Nurse stays on as coach, so the system carries over. With Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (knee) tied to aging, hard-to-move max deals, a teardown isn't realistic, which keeps the rotation largely intact for fantasy purposes. The cleaner value lives in the young backcourt: Tyrese Maxey, fresh off an All-NBA nod, and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. Both see usage climb whenever the stars sit, and that's been often, giving them sturdier floors than the availability-dependent ceilings of Embiid and George.
Source: Bryan Fonseca
Source: Bryan Fonseca
Chicago Bulls Explore Kevin Young as Coaching Candidate
According to ESPN's Jamal Collier, the Chicago Bulls have interest in BYU head coach Kevin Young and have held early conversations with him during their head coaching search. Young has gone 49-22 across two seasons at BYU, bringing an NBA-style background after assistant stops with the Suns and 76ers. Chicago played fast last season, ranking second in pace, but the results lagged behind with a 113.0 offensive rating and 118.1 defensive rating. A Young hire would be especially interesting for Josh Giddey (ankle), Matas Buzelis, and Anfernee Simons, as his spacing-heavy approach could help Chicago turn more of its tempo into efficient fantasy production.
Source: Jamal Collier
Source: Jamal Collier
Kyrie Irving Reports He's Nearing Full Strength in ACL Recovery
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (knee) said on a Friday Twitch stream that he's "close to being over at 100%" in his recovery, more than 14 months removed from surgery. The nine-time All-Star tore his left ACL in March 2025 and missed all of 2025-26, but general manager Mike Schmitz and president Masai Ujiri have backed his return rather than entertaining trade talk. No timetable is set, and Dallas doesn't open camp until late September, leaving runway for a full ramp-up. Before the injury, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 50 games. Age 34 and coming off a torn ACL, he profiles as a draft-day discount rather than a top-tier guard, though Ujiri's plan to let him play off the ball next to Cooper Flagg protects both his efficiency and Flagg's on-ball value.
Source: Grant Afseth
Source: Grant Afseth
Mitchell Robinson Plans to Play in Game 1 After Finger Surgery
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (finger) underwent surgery on his broken right pinky and plans to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals next Wednesday with a brace on his hand, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. The 28-year-old has been a low-usage piece all postseason, averaging 5.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 14.2 minutes off the bench behind Karl-Anthony Towns. His value has always come from energy rebounding and rim protection rather than scoring, so the brace is the real question: a player whose calling card is securing the ball now has to do it with a protected hand. Even at full strength, he offers little beyond rebounds and blocks for fantasy purposes, and if the finger limits him, Ariel Hukporti is the only proven fallback at center for New York.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Ajay Mitchell Ruled Out for Game 7
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (calf) has been ruled out for Saturday's Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs. The 23-year-old has been unavailable since aggravating the injury during Game 3, removing one of Oklahoma City's better bench scorers and secondary ball-handlers from the rotation. Mitchell averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists during the regular season and 15.1 points with 4.3 assists in the playoffs before going down. With Jalen Williams (hamstring) also sidelined, Jared McCain and Cason Wallace should remain busy behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jalen Williams Unavailable in Decisive Game 7
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) won't play in Saturday's Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against San Antonio. The 25-year-old tried to return in Game 6, but he logged only 10 minutes and finished with one point and one assist before being ruled out again. Williams averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during the regular season, so Oklahoma City loses a key secondary creator. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should handle even more late-clock work, while Jared McCain and Cason Wallace are in position for elevated backcourt minutes.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Magic Finalizing Hire of Sean Sweeney as Head Coach
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Orlando Magic are finalizing the hire of San Antonio Spurs associate coach Sean Sweeney as their new head coach. Sweeney will replace Jamahl Mosley, who was fired after a 45-37 finish and a first-round collapse against Detroit before taking over in New Orleans. The 41-year-old made his name on defense, running a Spurs unit that climbed to third in the league this season, and he'll wrap San Antonio's playoff run before reporting to Orlando. The fantasy question is whether a defense-first voice can unlock a stagnant offense built around Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs. Banchero's usage shouldn't budge, but a slower, grind-it-out scheme could cap the counting-stat ceiling for the supporting cast, with Bane's perimeter scoring the swing variable to track.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jalen Williams Limited in Game 6 Return
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams produced one point and one assist in Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He went 0-for-1 from the field and 1-for-2 at the line in only 10 minutes, returning after missing the previous three games with a hamstring strain. Williams also came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season, so this looked more like a controlled reintroduction than a normal workload. He averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during the regular season, but his Game 7 value depends heavily on whether Oklahoma City is ready to loosen his role.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Jared McCain Provides Bench Spark in Game 6 Loss
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain finished Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 loss to the San Antonio Spurs with 13 points, two rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 27 minutes. He shot 4-for-11 from the field, 2-for-3 from deep, and 3-for-3 at the line, giving Oklahoma City one of its cleaner offensive lines on a night when the team shot 36.8 percent overall. With Jalen Williams limited to 10 minutes in his return, McCain's secondary creation stood out. His regular role has been modest, but the six assists give him some Game 7 intrigue if Oklahoma City keeps needing more ball movement.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Posts Lowest-Scoring Night of His MVP Season
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander managed just 15 points (6-for-18 FGs, 3-for-3 FTs), one rebound, and four assists in Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 loss to the Spurs. The back-to-back MVP went 0-for-5 from deep and finished a game-worst minus-28, his quietest offensive night of the entire 2025-26 season. The series has followed a clear script: when Wembanyama outscores Gilgeous-Alexander, San Antonio wins, and Game 6 was no exception. None of that dents his outlook. A Game 7 at home is the reset spot, the 0-for-5 from three reads as noise, and OKC will run everything through him as the season hangs on one game.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
De'Aaron Fox Struggles From the Field Thursday
San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox was limited to five points, five rebounds, and seven assists in Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He shot 1-for-9 from the field and missed all three attempts from deep, but San Antonio still forced Game 7 behind a 20-0 third-quarter run and a 52-42 rebounding edge. Fox has not looked fully settled as a scorer in this series, yet the playmaking volume remains useful while the Spurs lean on Victor Wembanyama and their younger guards to carry more of the offense. Fox's fantasy line will need better efficiency to match his usual ceiling in Saturday's elimination game.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Stephon Castle Controls the Spurs Offense in Game 6 Win
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle racked up 17 points (5-for-10 FGs, 7-for-8 FTs), nine assists, five rebounds, one steal, and just one turnover in Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 win over the Thunder. The reigning Rookie of the Year notched his eighth 15/5/5 game of the postseason, behind only Magic Johnson and Larry Bird among rookies and sophomores in a single playoff run. The bigger development is the ball security: Castle had 20 turnovers across the series' first two games before settling down. That control, layered on his scoring and playmaking, is what gives him a dependable multi-category floor the rest of this run.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Dylan Harper Finds His Rhythm Thursday
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper recorded 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two three-pointers in Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 20-year-old rookie shot 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-4 at the free-throw line while helping San Antonio force Game 7. After averaging only 6.0 points over the previous three games, Harper delivered a timely response in an elimination spot. He still works off the bench, but the efficient scoring and secondary playmaking keep him firmly involved in San Antonio's postseason rotation.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Victor Wembanyama Drops 28 to Force a Winner-Take-All Game 7
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama posted 28 points (10-for-21 FGs, 4-for-4 FTs), 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, three blocks, and four 3-pointers in Thursday's 118-91 Game 6 rout of the Thunder. The 7-foot-4 star opened with a pair of triples and an early block on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as San Antonio led wire-to-wire, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday in Oklahoma City. He joined David Robinson and Tim Duncan as the only Spurs with five 25-point, 10-rebound games in a single postseason. Filling all five categories anchors his fantasy value, and with a Finals berth at stake, expect another massive workload Saturday.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
