RADIO
Grant Nelson Returns to Brooklyn on a Two-Way Deal
The Brooklyn Nets agreed to a two-way deal with forward/center Grant Nelson, agent Max Wiepking told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The 24-year-old fills Brooklyn's final two-way slot alongside Chaney Johnson and Tyler Bilodeau after spending last season between Long Island and Brooklyn. Nelson (knee) had his season cut short by patellar tendinitis after a February 10-day call-up in which he totaled 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists across four games. He earned that look by averaging 11.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 19.3 minutes for Long Island while shooting 54.9 percent from the field. With Julius Randle, Day'Ron Sharpe, Moritz Wagner, Danny Wolf, and Noah Clowney in the frontcourt mix, Nelson is more of a developmental big than a fantasy target.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Kobe Stewart Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets signed guard/forward Kobe Stewart to an Exhibit 10 contract, filling the roster spot created by Jarkel Joiner's waiver. Stewart went undrafted out of Presbyterian in 2025 and spent his first professional season bouncing between the Austin Spurs, Memphis Hustle, and Wisconsin Herd. The 24-year-old averaged 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 20.0 minutes across 46 G-League games, shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three. He also played for Milwaukee in Summer League, averaging 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds over six games. Charlotte is expected to waive Stewart before the season and steer him toward Greensboro, leaving him off fantasy radars unless his jumper makes a real leap.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Hornets Waive Jarkel Joiner
Charlotte Hornets guard Jarkel Joiner was waived after a brief stay on the roster, with Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer reporting that Charlotte signed guard/forward Kobe Stewart to an Exhibit 10 deal in the corresponding move. Joiner is the latest name to cycle through the final spot on Charlotte's 21-man offseason roster, following Josiah Allick, Trey Townsend, and Kyle Mangas. The former NC State guard spent last season with Raptors 905, averaging 10.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 49 G-League games. With Coby White, Dennis Schroder, and Kon Knueppel ahead of him in Charlotte's backcourt picture, Joiner remains off fantasy radars.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
John Konchar Lands on Knicks' Radar
Free-agent guard/forward John Konchar is among the players the New York Knicks are considering as they look at options for their final roster spots, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Konchar became available after Minnesota waived him shortly after acquiring him from Utah in the Josh Green trade. Begley described Konchar as a strong rebounder, defender, and offensive connector who can make perimeter shots. The 30-year-old averaged 4.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 19.9 minutes across 56 games with Memphis and Utah last season. New York already has Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson in its bench mix, so Konchar would need a clear rotation opening to gain fantasy traction.
Source: Ian Begley
Source: Ian Begley
Ben Simmons Agrees to One-Year Deal with Kings
Free-agent guard/forward Ben Simmons agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents told ESPN's Shams Charania and Marc J. Spears. The 2018 Rookie of the Year is back after sitting out all of 2025-26 and last played in 2024-25, when he averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.7 steals in 22.0 minutes across 51 games with Brooklyn and the Clippers. Sacramento had been looking for veteran ball-handling depth behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., with general manager Scott Perry attending a Florida workout before the deal came together. Simmons still does not offer shooting, so his fantasy case depends on assists, steals, rebounds, and whether he can hold a real second-unit role. Malik Monk is worth tracking if Simmons cuts into backup playmaking reps.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Drew Eubanks Draws Knicks Interest
Free-agent center Drew Eubanks is on the New York Knicks' radar as they weigh options for a final roster spot, according to Ian Begley of SNY. Eubanks spent last season with Sacramento, averaging 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 13.1 minutes across 42 games before a torn UCL in his left thumb ended his year in March. Any Knicks deal would likely be non-guaranteed, with Eubanks competing for the third-center job behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. New York is expected to open with 14 standard contracts due to second-apron concerns, so this would be deep frontcourt insurance rather than a fantasy-relevant move.
Source: Ian Begley
Source: Ian Begley
Donte DiVincenzo Remains Around Team During Rehab
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) remains a daily presence around the team as he works through rehab from the injury he suffered in the first round of the playoffs, general manager Matt Lloyd told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Lloyd declined to give the 29-year-old a return timeline but praised his commitment to rehab and his continued impact inside the locker room. DiVincenzo started all 82 games last season, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 threes. He is extension-eligible, but his fantasy case is simpler: managers need a clean return date before treating him as more than a late-season stash.
Source: KSTP Sports
Source: KSTP Sports
LaMelo Ball Draws Praise From Wolves GM
Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball has spent much of the summer around his new team, general manager Matt Lloyd told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Lloyd said Minnesota did extensive background work before acquiring the former Rookie of the Year from Charlotte and called him "a hard worker" and "an incredibly focused worker." Ball averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 3.8 threes across 72 games last season, his healthiest campaign in years. With Julius Randle and Naz Reid gone, Ball should have a major creation role next to Anthony Edwards. The availability risk remains, but the usage, assists, and three-point volume point to strong fantasy value.
Source: KSTP Sports
Source: KSTP Sports
Cody Williams Gets Fresh Start with Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Cody Williams drew praise from general manager Matt Lloyd after arriving from Utah in last weekend's trade. Lloyd told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News that Williams' late-season growth helped drive Minnesota's interest, adding, "There was a reason he was the 10th pick in the draft." The 21-year-old averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists over his final 30 games last season, though his season-long 21.4 percent shooting from three remains the swing concern. Minnesota wants to evaluate him as a versatile wing defender in camp, though Jonathan Kuminga, Jaden McDaniels, and Terrence Shannon Jr. leave Williams fighting for reserve minutes rather than a fantasy-ready role.
Source: KSTP Sports
Source: KSTP Sports
Jarkel Joiner Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets signed guard Jarkel Joiner to an Exhibit 10 contract this week, with Kyle Mangas waived in the corresponding move, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Joiner went undrafted out of NC State in 2023 and spent last season with Raptors 905, averaging 11.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in the G-League. Charlotte has cycled several players through the back end of its offseason roster, making this look more like organizational depth than an NBA rotation push. Coby White, Dennis Schroder, and Grayson Allen are among the guards ahead of him in Charlotte, leaving Joiner off fantasy radars.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Hornets Waive Kyle Mangas
The Charlotte Hornets waived guard Kyle Mangas on Thursday, one day after signing him, and replaced him with Jarkel Joiner on an Exhibit 10 contract. Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer reported the corresponding move, which continues Charlotte's back-end roster churn ahead of training camp. Mangas is the third player the Hornets have rotated through that open offseason spot this week, following Josiah Allick and Trey Townsend. Greensboro acquired Mangas' returning rights in August, so the likely path is a Swarm stint tied to an Exhibit 10 bonus if he stays long enough. The 27-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 35 G League games for Austin last season, but this move has no fantasy impact.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Malaki Branham Officially Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Magic
The Orlando Magic officially signed guard/forward Malaki Branham to an Exhibit 10 contract, one of two camp deals completed alongside JD Davison. Branham, a former Ohio State guard, finished last season with the G-League's Cleveland Charge after Charlotte waived him in February. Orlando has 13 guaranteed contracts plus Jamal Cain's non-guaranteed deal, leaving Branham and Davison to compete for a possible final standard roster spot under new head coach Sean Sweeney. The two-way path is already closed, with Izaiyah Nelson, Alex Morales, and Colin Castleton occupying those slots. Branham has a scoring pedigree, but Orlando's guard depth leaves him buried unless the roster picture changes.
Source: Jason Beede
Source: Jason Beede
JD Davison Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Magic
The Orlando Magic signed guard JD Davison to an Exhibit 10 contract, one of two camp deals the team completed alongside Malaki Branham, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. Davison, the 2024-25 G-League MVP, was waived by Houston in August after the Rockets had converted him to a standard contract in April. His path into Sean Sweeney's rotation is close to blocked. Orlando has all three two-way spots filled by Izaiyah Nelson, Alex Morales, and Colin Castleton, while Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, Jevon Carter, and Jase Richardson crowd the guard rotation. Davison is likely competing for an Osceola role, not fantasy relevance.
Source: Jason Beede
Source: Jason Beede
Amen Thompson Agrees to Five-Year Extension with Houston
Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale extension with the franchise, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a 10 percent trade kicker and locks in one of Houston's core pieces after Thompson led the NBA in minutes last season. The 23-year-old logged 37.4 minutes per game across 79 starts while averaging career highs of 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. That workload remains the fantasy hook. Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun will command touches, but Thompson's rebounding, defensive production, and ball-handling role keep him firmly valuable. The jumper is still the swing skill, so his ceiling rises only if the shooting catches up.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Dean Wade Embraces Defensive Role with 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Dean Wade said his focus this season will be on playing hard, bringing energy, and making a difference defensively, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Wade joined Philadelphia on a four-year, $39 million deal after spending his first seven NBA seasons in Cleveland, where he averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.3 minutes across 59 games last season. With LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid ahead of him in the frontcourt pecking order, Wade is ticketed for a low-usage connector role. His fantasy appeal is limited to threes, rebounds, and defensive production unless injuries open extra minutes.
Source: Brett Siegel
Source: Brett Siegel
