NBA Player News

King, who last appeared in an NBA game as a member of the Kings last season, has been a standout for the Rockets’ G League affiliate this season. He’s unlikely to factor into the 76ers’ rotation, so this will not impact fantasy basketball leagues. To free up a two-way slot for King, the 76ers have reportedly waived Saben Lee.

Livingston, the 58th overall pick in the 2023 draft, could not carve out a role for himself in Milwaukee. He appeared in 21 games in both seasons, most recently averaging 1.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in 2024-25. Livingston’s contract for the 2025-26 season would have been guaranteed if he remained on the Bucks roster come July 15.

Unsurprisingly, Ayton has decided to join the Lakers after agreeing with the Trail Blazers on a contract buyout. Los Angeles had a clear need at the center position, and they’ll look to the first overall pick in the 2018 draft to fill it. While he has averaged a double-double in his first seven seasons, Ayton’s last two years in Portland were underwhelming. Limited to 40 games last year due to injury, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 30.2 minutes. Ayton is not the uber-athletic center who tends to flourish playing alongside Luka Doncic, but he’ll play starter’s minutes for a hopeful contender. Being in a lineup with Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves will limit Ayton’s fantasy ceiling, but providing top-100 per-game value should not be an issue.

Despite signing D’Angelo Russell, the Mavericks clearly needed more ball-handlers. Kyrie Irving (ACL) is set to miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season, and Spencer Dinwiddie has signed with the Hornets. For this reason, according to Charania’s report, they’ll hold onto Exum for another season. Injuries limited him to 20 games last season, with the former lottery pick averaging 8.7 points, 2.8 assists and 1.7 three-pointers in 18.6 minutes. Since returning to the NBA during the 2023-24 season, Exum has improved significantly as a shooter. The ability to handle the ball and defend multiple positions will help Dallas account for Irving’s absence, but Exum is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball dramatically.

With D’Angelo Russell in Dallas, Dinwiddie became the odd man out in the backcourt, and he’ll take on a backup role behind LaMelo Ball. Given Ball’s voluminous injury history, it wouldn’t be surprising if Dinwiddie played enough to make meaningful contributions for fantasy managers.

Brown has an impressive, championship-laden resume as an assistant to Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr, and he’ll look to help New York take the next step after back-to-back losses in the conference semifinals.

The 12-week timeframe puts the next significant JJJ update no earlier than September 24, which means he may be ready for the start of the regular season. If Jackson Jr. is forced to miss time into October, Santi Aldama could see a major boost in usage and fantasy value. Zach Edey (ankle) is already set to miss the beginning of the season, leaving Memphis’ frontcourt rotation potentially thin to kick off the 2025-26 campaign.

Despite his first season in Philadelphia being a disappointment, Gordon will return to the City of Brotherly Love for another run. Before a wrist injury ended his season in late February, the veteran guard made 39 appearances (13 starts) and averaged a career-low 6.8 points with 1.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 three-pointers. A positive for Gordon was that he shot nearly 41 percent from three. His contract is for the veteran’s minimum, and fantasy managers should not expect too much from Gordon if the 76ers manage to remain healthy.

The Grizzlies announced on Tuesday that Jackson — who agreed earlier this week to a five-year, $240 million extension — injured his toe during a live basketball run on Monday. The team also announced that he’ll need to undergo a procedure to address the issue, but no information was provided regarding the severity of the injury. While Jackson is expected to make a full recovery, a timeline for return will not be announced until after the procedure. He’s the second rotation big to require a procedure this summer, with Zach Edey expected to miss at least four months after undergoing left ankle surgery. If Edey or Jackson is not ready to begin the regular season, Santi Aldama’s fantasy ceiling will be raised.

McCain played like one of the best rookies in the NBA last season before a knee injury ended his rookie campaign in mid-December. While he is expected to be ready to go when the 2025-26 season begins, the 76ers are taking a conservative approach to McCain’s recovery. He won’t play during Summer League, which means the ball should be in lottery pick VJ Edgecombe’s hands even more. During his media availability on Tuesday, the rookie said he’ll be sharpening his point guard skills during Summer League. The ability to play on or off the ball would boost Edgecombe’s value, especially in dynasty leagues.

Acquired from the Thunder at the 2024 trade deadline, Mann was limited to 13 games last season due to a back injury. He did not play again after November 21 but averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 three-pointers in 24.5 minutes. Mann can provide value off the bench as Charlotte’s backup point guard when healthy. However, he’s likely to be most useful in fantasy leagues next season when LaMelo Ball is unavailable due to injury.