7 mins agoMilwaukee Bucks forward/center
Bobby Portis has given head coach Doc Rivers a vote of confidence, saying he has unlocked a whole new player in him. Rivers' fit with the Bucks has been questioned heavily after he replaced Adrian Griffin in late January and finished the regular season with a losing record at the helm. He went 17-19 with the Bucks, which saw the team drop to the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Portis averaged 15.3 points and 8.9 rebounds under Rivers, a slight improvement from his season averages. The 29-year-old could end up playing a very big role in the first-round matchup against Indiana, with
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in a race to get healthy for the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: SiriusXM NBA Radio
22 mins agoDetroit Pistons forward
Simone Fontecchio (toe) has hinted that he's going to sign a long-term extension with the team in the offseason. The 28-year-old Italian is set to become a restricted free agent in the summer after completing his first two seasons in the NBA. Following an underwhelming rookie year with the Jazz, Fontecchio found his flow in 2023-24 and did particularly well after getting traded to Detroit. He notched 15.4 points and 4.4 rebounds across 30.3 minutes in 16 games with the Pistons before a toe injury ended his campaign a few weeks early. Fontecchio's performance was one of only a few bright spots for Detroit, as the team finished with the worst record in the league for a second consecutive year.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Omari Sankofa II
30 mins agoPortland Trail Blazers center
Deandre Ayton had a rough start at his new club but feels his first year was "amazing" overall. The 2023-24 was almost like two different seasons for Ayton, as he greatly improved his performances after the All-Star break. The former first-overall pick became a 22-12 guy following the break and ended up averaging 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds for the season. Hopefully, we will see the post-break Ayton for the entire year in 2024-25, and he will stay clear of injury troubles -- the 25-year-old saw action in only 55 games in 2023-24.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sean Highkin
39 mins agoWashington Wizards forward
Deni Avdija has his sights set on improving at both ends of the court next season. He wants to be a better off-ball defender and become a better ball-handler. Avdija made a big leap in his fourth NBA campaign, averaging career-high numbers across the boards. He developed into one of Washington's top scorers, averaging 14.7 points per game, and also boosted his rebounding numbers to 7.2 per game while handing out 3.8 assists. The Israeli talent turned just 23 at the start of January and should have a lot more upside.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chase Hughes
48 mins agoWashington Wizards forward
Kyle Kuzma plans to come back next season with a "different type of conditioning." The 28-year-old has just completed his third campaign in D.C., averaging a career-high 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, which is another career-best number for him. However, Kuzma went from averaging 35 minutes a night to clocking 32.6 minutes. He'll be carrying extra fantasy value in 2024-25 if he can stay on the court for longer. Kuzma is set to be among the team leaders for a while after Washington inked a four-year, $102 million deal with him last offseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chase Hughes
56 mins agoMemphis Grizzlies point guard
Derrick Rose (groin, back) is planning to be back on the court with the team in 2023-24. The former MVP signed a two-year deal with the Grizzlies last summer and appears to have no plans of retiring despite another injury-riddled season. Rose, who will turn 36 in early October, played his final game of the campaign on Feb. 28 and ended up featuring just 24 times for the Grizzlies. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes as a bench piece. He will likely be used even more sparingly next season, with a number of younger players on the rise in Memphis.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Drew Hill
1 hour agoMemphis Grizzlies point guard
Ja Morant (shoulder) is on schedule with his recovery and is expected to be cleared for basketball activities halfway through the offseason. The Grizzlies star had his 2023-24 campaign limited to only nine games after he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in January. Despite missing the first 25 games of the season with a suspension, Morant was on fire right away when he returned to the court, posting 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. Hopefully, Morant doesn't suffer any setbacks over the summer, and we can finally enjoy his talents over the course of a full season. Various issues have resulted in Morant playing in only 190 regular-season the past four years.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Drew Hill
12 hours agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward
Brandon Ingram (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Lakers. The 26-year-old injured his knee during a matchup with the Orlando Magic in March and was sidelined for 12 games. However, he returned for the regular-season finale versus the Lakers, amassing 13 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Fortunately, head coach Willie Green reported that Ingram looked good during practice on Monday, so the plan is to increase his minutes for Tuesday's rematch with Los Angeles. Of course, he'll likely see less work than usual. But Ingram is still worth considering for any DFS contest after Green's latest update.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Jim Eichenhofer
12 hours agoCharlotte Hornets center
Mark Williams (back), while taking questions from the media on Monday, stated he does not need surgery. He also said "he's definitely feeling better" and plans to play every game next season. While Williams' proclamation regarding his availability throughout the 2024-25 campaign could be a stretch, fantasy managers are still glad to hear things are moving in the right direction. The 22-year-old averaged a career-high 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks this season. However, Williams was limited to only 19 games because of a back injury. With that said, he's not worth reaching for in fantasy drafts, but he could easily surpass his ADP expectations if he stays healthy.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Rod Boone
12 hours agoToronto Raptors guard
Immanuel Quickley, while speaking at his exit interview on Monday, expressed his desire to remain with the organization. The 24-year-old, who was traded to Toronto in the deal that sent
OG Anunoby to the Knicks, averaged a career-high 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 38 games with the Raptors. But he will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so there should be interest from multiple clubs around the National Basketball Association. With that said, Quickley is figured to earn over $25 million on his next contract, although the Raptors will likely be more than happy to match any offers he'll garner as a restricted free agent.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Josh Lewenberg
13 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers guard
De'Anthony Melton (back) didn't practice on Monday. The 25-year-old has been bothered by a back injury for most of the season. He's appeared in only seven games since the start of 2024, and he combined for only 21 minutes in the previous two contests before sitting out for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Brooklyn Nets. It appears Melton is still having issues, so there's a good chance he won't be on the floor for Wednesday's Play-In battle with Miami. If that's the case,
Cameron Payne would be a viable DFS value option for the limited two-game slate.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Kyle Neubeck
13 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) practiced on Monday. The reigning MVP logged 32 minutes in Friday's win over the Orlando Magic, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one block. However, he briefly exited the contest after tweaking his knee, although he returned to finish the game. Embiid wasn't available for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Brooklyn Nets, so there is some concern about his health. Yet, head coach Nick Nurse indicated the 30-year-old was held out for precautionary reasons. With that said, it would be surprising if Embiid weren't available for Wednesday's Play-In battle with the Miami Heat. But if he can't suit up,
Paul Reed would see a surge in interest from DFS managers.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Kyle Neubeck
13 hours agoDetroit Pistons guard
Cade Cunningham is coming off his best season since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. He appeared in 62 games, averaging 22.7 points and 7.5 assists. But the 22-year-old still has things he'd like to improve throughout the offseason, specifically his conditioning. His ballhandling is also something he vowed to focus on. Cunningham has averaged 3.5 turnovers during his career, so fantasy managers would undoubtedly appreciate an improvement in that area. In addition, while his 62 appearances were an upgrade from the 2022-23 campaign, his inability to stay healthy over the years will negatively impact his fantasy stock until he proves he can stay on the floor.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Omari Sankofa II
13 hours agoGolden State Warriors guard
Gary Payton II (calf) won't suit up for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old missed the final three contests of the regular season because of a strained calf. With that in mind, Payton only averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds throughout the 2023-24 campaign, so his absence won't have much of an impact on DFS managers.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
13 hours agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James (ankle) is probable for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the New Orleans Pelicans. James has battled a left ankle injury for months. However, he should be ready to roll for the pivotal contest. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale, with James finishing with a 28-point, 17-assist, 11-rebound triple-double. He also had five steals and a block. Of course, the 39-year-old will receive plenty of attention from DFS managers. Yet, James will receive more if
Anthony Davis (back) can't suit up.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
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