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Mavericks GM Mike Schmitz Backs Dusty May for NBA Jump
Dallas Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz backed first-time NBA head coach Dusty May during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan, pointing to May's climb from video work to assistant coach, college head coach and national champion as preparation for the job. May inherits a Dallas roster built around Cooper Flagg, who averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals across 70 starts while winning Rookie of the Year. The Mavericks already ranked fourth in pace last season, and May's push for a more entertaining style should keep Flagg in a strong counting-stats environment. Kyrie Irving is the key swing piece after missing all of last season with a torn left ACL, as his return would ease Flagg's creation burden but likely lower his assist ceiling.
Source: 105.3 The Fan
Source: 105.3 The Fan
Cooper Flagg Draws Offseason Praise from Mavericks GM
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has earned offseason praise from general manager Mike Schmitz, who discussed the reigning Rookie of the Year's development during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan. The 19-year-old averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals as a rookie, becoming the first first-year player since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Kyrie Irving, nearing a return from his ACL tear, should ease some creation burden, but Flagg's scoring, rebounding, and defensive production keep him locked in as an early-round fantasy anchor.
Source: 105.3 The Fan
Source: 105.3 The Fan
Dereck Lively II Making Progress in Foot Recovery
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is making progress in his recovery from season-ending right foot surgery, with general manager Mike Schmitz saying Lively has been "working his tail off" and staying locked in around the facility. The 2023 No. 12 pick said in June that he was out of the boot and crutches and back in normal shoes, but later reports noted he still had not progressed to running. Lively appeared in only seven games last season, averaging 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. He remains a high-upside rim runner and shot blocker when healthy, but Daniel Gafford is the safer fantasy bet until Lively's timeline gets clearer. Morez Johnson Jr. adds another frontcourt body if the ramp-up drags.
Source: 105.3 The Fan
Source: 105.3 The Fan
Haywood Highsmith Remains Backburner Option for Heat
Free-agent forward Haywood Highsmith could eventually draw a look from the Miami Heat, though the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman framed any reunion as a backburner scenario. Highsmith spent parts of four seasons in Miami before being traded to Brooklyn last summer, waived by the Nets in February and later signed by Phoenix. A right knee meniscus tear limited him to seven games with the Suns, where he averaged 5.4 points in 13.0 minutes before being waived this month. Winderman noted Miami's bigger need is frontcourt size, preferably someone who can also play center, not another 6-foot-5 combo forward. Gabe Vincent is a similar long-shot reunion name, but neither carries meaningful fantasy value right now.
Source: Ira Winderman
Source: Ira Winderman
Anthony Edwards Backs Timberwolves' Retooled Roster
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is confident the team's retooled roster can get past the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the teams that ended Minnesota's last two playoff runs. "Against those two teams, I think we're going to beat them," Edwards told ESPN during a visit to Manila. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 61 games in 2025-26, carrying heavy scoring responsibilities before Minnesota added LaMelo Ball and moved Julius Randle to Brooklyn. Ball's arrival may trim Edwards' playmaking volume, but it should also ease defensive pressure and keep him in the first-round fantasy mix.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Patrick Beverley Lands with Boulazac
Veteran guard Patrick Beverley has signed with Boulazac Basket Dordogne of France's Betclic Elite for the 2026-27 season, the club announced Friday. The 38-year-old spent last season with PAOK Thessaloniki, averaging 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in eight Greek League regular-season games before adding 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists across nine FIBA Europe Cup contests. Beverley logged 666 regular-season NBA games before heading overseas, averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while earning three All-Defensive Team selections. This is just a late-career European stop, leaving him far outside the NBA fantasy picture.
Source: BasketNews
Source: BasketNews
Tyrese Haliburton Calls Out Road Opener
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton took issue with the team's season-opening assignment, saying on the "Numbers on the Board" podcast that he was shocked Indiana opens Oct. 21 at New Orleans without a national TV slot. The All-NBA guard tore his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and missed all of the Pacers' 19-63 season, so the matchup would be his first NBA game action in roughly 16 months. Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 2024-25, keeping him in bounce-back centerpiece territory. His return should cut into Andrew Nembhard's usage while giving new Pacers center Ivica Zubac a high-end pick-and-roll partner.
Source: Scott Horner
Source: Scott Horner
Carter Bryant Reflects on Rough NBA Welcome
San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant opened up about a humbling rookie introduction during a recent appearance on the Road Trippin' Show. The 2025 No. 14 pick recalled getting tested early by Devin Vassell in a shooting workout, then struggling with Kelly Olynyk's footwork and veteran tricks in the post. Bryant still worked into San Antonio's rotation as a rookie, appearing in 71 regular-season games while averaging 4.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 11.5 minutes. He is not a redraft target yet, but his defensive profile and late-season minutes bump make him more interesting as a long-range stash if the Spurs expand his role.
Source: Sportando
Source: Sportando
Lester Quinones Remains on Real Madrid's Radar
Free-agent guard Lester Quinones has drawn renewed interest from Real Madrid, according to Marca, as relayed by Sportando, with the Spanish club still searching for one more backcourt piece after missing on Armoni Brooks and Lonnie Walker IV. The former Memphis guard was waived by Orlando last October and has yet to turn his scoring profile into a steady NBA role across 54 games with Golden State, Philadelphia, and New Orleans. His G-League resume is stronger, as he earned All-NBA G-League First Team honors while averaging 23.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists for Osceola before a brief China stint with Qingdao. A move to Spain would remove any lingering NBA fantasy stash appeal.
Source: Sportando
Source: Sportando
Dillon Brooks Looks to Expand Game
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks said at a Friday media session that he wants to sharpen his three-point shooting, passing, and finishing around the rim after signing a three-year, $73 million extension. The former second-round pick is coming off a career-best 20.2 points per game, but his supporting numbers stayed light at 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists while his three-point rate dipped to 34.4 percent. That thin peripheral profile is the fantasy concern. If Brooks adds more playmaking under Jordan Ott, his value gets less scoring-dependent. If not, Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard could squeeze his usage and leave him as more of a points-and-threes option.
Source: Doug Haller
Source: Doug Haller
Max Strus Emerges as Cavaliers Trade Piece
Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Max Strus has surfaced as a salary-matching piece in the team's pursuit of Denver restricted free agent Peyton Watson, with Evan Sidery reporting that Cleveland is looking for a team willing to take on Strus' $16.7 million expiring contract. The 30-year-old missed the first 67 games last season after left foot surgery, then averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across 12 games while shooting 40.2 percent from deep. Strus still has value as a floor-spacer, but his fantasy outlook depends heavily on landing spot. If he is moved, Jaylon Tyson could get a cleaner path to wing minutes, while Sam Merrill would remain a bench shooting option.
Source: Evan Sidery
Source: Evan Sidery
Olivier Sarr Signs Two-Year Deal with Real Madrid
Former Cleveland Cavaliers center Olivier Sarr is headed overseas after signing a two-year deal with Real Madrid through the 2027-28 season. The 27-year-old spent most of his NBA time with Oklahoma City before a two-way stint in Cleveland, and Madrid added him for frontcourt depth with Usman Garuba recovering from a ruptured left Achilles. Sarr averaged 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 39.1 percent from three across 50 NBA games, and he was productive enough in the G-League to earn another look. He held no standalone fantasy value on a two-way deal, so his exit does not change Cleveland's fantasy outlook. The more relevant fantasy name remains his younger brother, Washington Wizards center Alexandre Sarr, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery.
Source: Eurohoops
Source: Eurohoops
Max Shulga Heads to Real Madrid
Real Madrid officially signed Ukrainian guard Max Shulga to a two-year deal through the 2027-28 season, ending his brief run in the Boston Celtics organization. The 24-year-old was the No. 57 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he logged just 11 regular-season games at 3.3 minutes per night before Boston declined his team option and did not tender him a qualifying offer. Shulga built his name at VCU, shooting 41.5 percent from three on 207 attempts in 2023-24 before earning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors in 2024-25. His years in Spanish youth basketball help him count as a locally trained player for Real Madrid, but there was no NBA fantasy value here, and the overseas move closes any stash appeal.
Source: Eurohoops
Source: Eurohoops
Kyrie Irving's Recovery Shapes Mavericks' Outlook
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving remains the team's biggest question entering 2026-27, with ESPN's Tim MacMahon noting that Dallas needs him to return to form to become a real postseason threat. The nine-time All-Star has been sidelined since tearing his left ACL in March 2025, when he was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 50 games. Dallas is intrigued by Irving's fit next to Cooper Flagg, as his off-ball shooting and creation should ease the burden on the young franchise centerpiece. Until Irving is fully cleared, Max Christie has the clearest path to extra backcourt minutes, while the rest of Dallas' depth guards remain low-usage options. Irving remains a draft-and-stash target once his return timeline sharpens.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Max Christie Eyes Bigger Role with Dallas
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie was named the team's biggest X factor for 2026-27 by ESPN. Christie set career highs last season with 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across 77 games while shooting 40.4 percent from three, and ESPN noted that Dallas needs him to grow into a more reliable perimeter stopper next to Kyrie Irving. The 23-year-old is also arguably the Mavericks' only traditional shooting guard on a frontcourt-heavy roster. With Irving working back from left ACL surgery and Cooper Flagg leading the next phase of the franchise, Christie's minutes, spacing, and defensive role give him some points-and-threes appeal if the starting job holds.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
