RADIO
Russell Westbrook Has Knee Surgery
9/14:Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and could miss the start of the NBA's regular season. The team plans to re-evaluate Westbrook's rehab progress in four weeks, putting his chances at playing in the team's season-opening meet with Golden State in doubt. The injury shouldn't have a huge impact on Westbrook's season outlook from a per game numbers perspective, but fantasy owners should make sure they have alternative options for the first couple of weeks of the season in case Westbrook misses time.Source: ESPN - Royce Young
Suns Acquire Ryan Anderson And De'Anthony Melton
8/31:The Phoenix Suns have acquired power forward Ryan Anderson and guard De'Anthony Melton in a trade with the Houston Rockets. Phoenix sends Marquese Chriss and Brandon Knight to Houston. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Suns could start Anderson at the four, providing the starting unit with strong spacing to help out the team's offense and make life easier for rookie center Deandre Ayton. Anderson should see a huge increase in his fantasy value over where it would have been had he remained in Houston. Meanwhile, Melton and fellow rookie Elie Okobo are the current point guards in Phoenix, but reports have indicated that the team is still in search of a veteran to man the position, making it tough to predict Melton's role with the team.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
Rockets Trade For Brandon Knight And Marquese Chriss
8/31:The Houston Rockets have acquired guard Brandon Knight and power forward/center Marquese Chriss from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for power forward Ryan Anderson and guard De'Anthony Melton. Knight will likely fill the role of the fourth guard for the Rockets if healthy and is coming off a season in which he averaged 11 points per game in 54 appearances for the Suns. His 32.4 percent mark from three is discouraging, but he's shown in the past that he's capable of being a good three point shooter. Meanwhile, Chriss could see minutes as the backup center behind Clint Capela and will look to take a step forward. Chriss is capable of making plays at the basket and stepping out to the perimeter, making him an intriguing fantasy option if he buys into head coach Mike D'Antoni's system. If he doesn't, he could find himself glued to the bench.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
Carmelo Anthony Signs With Rockets
8/13:Forward Carmelo Anthony has signed a one-year, $2.4 million dollar contract with the Houston Rockets. The veteran was recently dealt from OKC to Atlanta, receiving a buyout from the Hawks. Though his role with the team is unknown at this point, he will likely compete for a spot in the starting unit with forwards PJ Tucker and Ryan Anderson at either the three or four positions.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
Clint Capela Staying In Houston
7/27:The Houston Rockets and center Clint Capela have reached a $90 million agreement that will keep him with the team for the next five seasons. Capela saw a significant increase in production in 2018, averaging 13.9 points, 10.8 boards and 1.9 blocks over 27.5 minutes per contest. That trend will likely continue as he enters his fifth season as he has the luxury of playing in one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Look for him to fly off the board relatively quickly in fantasy drafts this upcoming season as he is a consistent threat for double-doubles in addition to his superior defensive abilities.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
Noah Vonleh Signs With New York
7/24:The New York Knicks have signed free-agent forward/center Noah Vonleh. The number nine pick in the 2014 NBA draft, who began last season with the Portland Trail Blazers before being dealt to Chicago, averaged 4.9 points and 5.8 boards over just 16.2 minutes per game. He will likely compete with forwards Mario Hezonja and Lance Thomas this upcoming season for the starting four spot while All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis (knee) continues rehab. Not a significant source of scoring, Vonleh is as good as they come on the glass and could see a significant bump in production if his minutes increase in 2019.Source: Ian Begley
Dirk Nowitzki Signs One-Year Deal With Mavs
7/24:Dallas Mavericks forward/center Dirk Nowitzki has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the team. The 40-year-old, who will be in his 21st season with the club, was still relatively productive in 2018, averaging 12 points, 5.7 boards and shot nearly 41 percent from deep. Though his best days are well behind him, he will likely see around 25-30 minutes per game starting at the four spot this upcoming season.Source: NBA.com
Kevin Love Signs Extension With Cleveland
7/24:Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Kevin Love has agreed to a four-year extension with the team for a reported $120 million. Love is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, averaging 17.6 points, 9.3 boards and appearing in only 59 games as a result of various injuries, including a fractured hand and multiple concussions. However, the 29-year-old can still provide value, especially with the departure of forward LeBron James, and could see an increase in production in the 2019 season if he can stay healthy, something that has been an issue throughout his career.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
Nemanja Bjelica Signs With the Kings
7/22:Forward Nemanja Bjelica joins the Sacramento Kings on a three-year, $20.5 million deal. He was previously averaging 6.1 points per game, 3.8 block per game and 1.3 assists per game as a backup forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He previously told the 76ers he was going to Europe instead of signing with them, but apparently Kings general manager Vlade Divac convinced him to stay in the NBA. He won't be much of a contributor on the Kings with Willie Cauley-Stein, Marvin Bagley, Zach Randolph and Skal Labissiere all ahead of him in the rotation.Source: Shams Charania
Alex Len Headed to Atlanta on a Two-Year Deal
7/22:Center Alex Len is signing with the Atlanta Hawks on a two-year, $8.5 million contract. He is averaging 7.2 points per game, 6.5 rebounds and one block per game for his career. He was bound to leave ever since Deandre Ayton got drafted by the Phoenix Suns. Len will have plenty of playing time on a rebuilding team like the Hawks. He is only 25 years old and will be a good fit together with John Collins in the front court. Expect the pair to produce fantasy-wise, especially with Trae Young giving assists.Source: Shams Charania
Richaun Holmes Heading To Phoenix
7/21:The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to trade forward/center Richaun Holmes to the Phoenix Suns for cash considerations. Holmes appeared in only 48 games with his former club, averaging only 6.5 points and 4.4 boards over 15.5 minutes per game during the 2018 season. The fourth-year man will have trouble finding consistent minutes in his new home, even if center Tyson Chandler remains on the roster, and is only worth an add in an injury situation. As a result, you will likely find him floating around as a free agent in the majority of fantasy leagues this Fall, regardless of league size.Source: Paul Hudrick
Channing Frye Returning To Cleveland
7/21:Forward Channing Frye will be returning to Cleveland, reaching a one-year, $2.4 million deal. Frye appeared in 44 games for the Eastern Conference champs before being dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers where he finished the year. Averaging only 4.8 points in Cleveland and 5.8 points in Los Angeles, the 12-year veteran was statistically irrelevant in addition to not seeing much time on the floor. That situation will likely remain the same as he will only be called upon when filling in for an injured player or when the team is looking for a brief threat from behind the arc.Source: Dave McMenamin
Dante Cunningham Signs With Spurs
7/21:Forward Dante Cunningham has reached a one-year agreement with the San Antonio Spurs. The financial terms were not disclosed. Cunningham played for the Pelicans before being dealt to Brooklyn midway through last season, appearing in 73 games combined. The journeyman averaged a subpar 6.25 points between both clubs, but was able to put together a few productive outings as a starter throughout the course of the year. Nonetheless, he will likely see less than the 20 minutes that he averaged in 2018 and should see the bulk of his minutes only when filling in for an injured player. However, even when he does play, he cannot be relied upon for consistent production on either end of the floor.Source: ESPN
Michael Beasley Agrees To One-Year Deal With Lakers
7/21:Forward Michael Beasley has agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Beasley played in 74 games with the Knicks last season where he averaged 13.2 points on an effective 50 percent shooting from the field. Despite his efficient mid-range prowess and his ability to knock down a few from deep, he will have issues finding consistent minutes, especially with forwards LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram on the roster.Source: Chris Haynes
Marco Belinelli Signs With Spurs
7/21:The San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with guard/forward Marco Belinelli. After being waived by the Atlanta Hawks halfway through the 2018 season, Belinelli signed with Philadelphia in February, appearing in 28 games for the Sixers where he averaged 13.6 points on 49 percent shooting from the field and nearly 39 percent from deep. Now on his second stint with the Spurs, the Italian Sharpshooter will draw some spot starts throughout the upcoming 2019 season in addition to finding regular minutes off the bench. However, he may see a slight dip in production going to a team that is defensive oriented and plays at one of the slowest paces in the league.Source: ESPN
