NBA Player News

Both players have been sidelined since the beginning of March, and it will likely remain that way for the final two weeks of the season. This won’t have much of an impact on their recent rotation, though it should make guys like Scotty Pippen Jr., Jak LaRavia and Lamar Stevens more secure options for the rest of the year.

After missing the entire 2022-23 season with a broken leg, Gillespie appeared in 24 games for the Nuggets in 2023-24. He posted averages of 3.6 points and 1.1 assists in 9.4 minutes, not impacting fantasy basketball. Managers should not expect much more from Gillespie next season.

Bitadze has re-signed with Orlando, which was the expected outcome once he hit free agency. He appeared in 62 games in his first full season with the Magic, averaging 5.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 15.4 minutes. Bitadze was most impactful in fantasy basketball when starting center Wendell Carter Jr. was out due to injury, with he and Moritz Wagner offering solid streaming value. Look for more of the same in 2024-25, especially if Orlando also re-signs Wagner.

This was expected, as the Celtics viewed inking Tatum and Derrick White to extensions as an offseason priority. White reportedly agreed to his deal on Monday morning, with Tatum following suit a few hours later. While he fell short of providing first-round fantasy value this season, that was a byproduct of the Celtics adding Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to the roster. With the latter due to miss 5-6 months after undergoing left leg surgery, Tatum’s chances of offering first-round value next season have increased. As for the contract, it’s the largest in NBA history and includes a player option (approx. $71.5 million in 2029-30) and a trade kicker.

After appearing in 25 games throughout two seasons with the Pistons, Umude will move to Milwaukee. He made 24 appearances for Detroit in 2023-24, averaging 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 3-pointers in 12.8 minutes. Umude shot 45.3% from three last season and has the frame needed to develop into a solid defender. He isn’t worth targeting in drafts before the 2024-25 campaign.

Holiday will be back in Houston next season, and he will provide some defense when needed. However, with Reed Sheppard in the mix now, they won’t have enough minutes for Holiday to provide much fantasy value whatsoever.

Melton was incredibly limited last season by injuries, but before that, he was a top-75 player in fantasy for the 76ers and really stepped up when James Harden and Tyrese Maxey missed time. Now, he’ll look to provide some of the 3-and-D value that the Warriors will need to replace Klay Thompson now that he is in Dallas. This is a sneaky good pickup for the Warriors as they try to remain competitive in a stacked Western Conference.

The full details of the deal haven’t been released, but it is clear that Green will be part of a Hornets team that is looking to be more successful after two straight lottery seasons. Green will have a chance to start, but even if he plays a reserve role, he will still see big minutes. His fantasy upside was limited in Dallas, but he may get the chance to have the ball in his hands more on a team that isn’t quite as centered around one or two ball handlers.

Batum was sent to Philly last season as part of the James Harden deal early in the season. Before that, he had been with the Clippers for three straight seasons, and now he’ll rejoin the squad. He may be asked to play a larger role with Paul George now in Philly, which could lead to him being fairly productive in fantasy hoops. However, at his age, the expectations should be low.

Thompson reportedly had four year offers that were worth more money, but he took a pay cut to try and win a championship with the Mavs. His departure will open up a starting spot that will likely be filled by second-year guard Brandin Podziemski, barring more moves by the Warriors. Thompson should fill out the starting forward spot opposite PJ Washington, which means that Naji Marshall will likely fill a reserve role behind them. Green will have a chance to see big minutes for the Hornets next season, though his fantasy upside will be limited.

After a breakout season with Boston, White is getting rewarded. He averaged multiple career-highs, including 4.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.2 blocks and 2.7 triples, while playing an instrumental role in Boston’s title run. They’ll have him under contract through the 2028-29 season as they look to chase more titles with this core.