NBA Player News

Miller had it rolling on Friday, scoring 26 first-half points on 10-of-10 shooting from the field. The Magic did a better job of defending the rookie in the second half, but by then, the damage was done as Charlotte held on for the upset. Over the past two weeks, Miller has provided 7th-round per-game value in 9-cat formats, playing well at the right time for fantasy managers looking to lock down league championships. Charlotte ends Week 23 with a home game against the Thunder on Sunday.

According to the NBA, Mutombo passed away on Monday surrounded by family. The fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, he won four Defensive Player of the Year awards and earned eight All-Star Game appearances and three All-NBA selections. A three-time blocks and two-time rebounds champion, Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2015. He was also known for his humanitarian work away from the court, with the NBA awarding Mutombo with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2001 and 2009. Among the groups Mutombo worked with were the Special Olympics and CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere).

Anunoby injured his hamstring during Game 2 of the Knicks’ second-round series against Indiana, with an attempted comeback during Game 7 failing after a few minutes on the court. His health is even more critical to the Knicks after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, as New York surrendered two key pieces in Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The issue for Anunoby in fantasy basketball has been his availability. Since appearing in 74, 67, and 69 games during his first three seasons, he’s surpassed 65 games just once (67 in 2022-23). Between Toronto and New York, Anunoby played in 50 games last season.

Brunson injured his hand during the Knicks’ Game 7 loss to the Pacers in the second round of the playoffs. His full clearance ahead of training camp is great news for New York, which will be working Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns (once his trade becomes official) into the rotation. Due to injuries, Brunson took on a significant workload last season. If all major players remain healthy, his scoring may decrease slightly, but the assists could increase due to the presence of Towns, Bridges, and OG Anunoby.

After appearing in 25 games for the Hornets, Mensah was waived in March. The move to San Antonio allows him to compete for a roster spot, although it’s more likely he winds up with the Spurs’ G League affiliate in Austin.

The third overall pick in the 2015 draft, Okafor last played in the NBA during the 2020-21 season, making 27 appearances for the Pistons. He’s played overseas since, most recently for Zaragoza in Spain’s Liga ACB. Given how stacked the Pacers’ roster is, Okafor faces long odds in this stage of his attempted NBA comeback.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported in mid-July that Middleton underwent surgery on both of his ankles. While he is, according to Haynes, making progress in his recovery, the Bucks wing still has not been cleared for 5-on-5 activities. Injuries in recent years have diminished Middleton’s fantasy value, and Saturday’s update does not help matters. Taurean Prince, who appears on track to start regardless of Middleton’s status, and Gary Trent Jr. become players worth taking a late-round flier on, especially in deeper leagues.

Morris and Okeke faced long odds to make the Knicks roster, and that was before the reported acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns. New York needs to clear some cap space for the deal to become official, hence the decision to move on from Morris and Okeke. However, this does not close the door to a potential return, especially in the case of Morris. Neither was in line to offer reputable fantasy value this season.

Nearly three weeks after signing Randle to an Exhibit 10 contract, the Timberwolves have decided to waive the veteran point guard. Per NBA rules, Randle would receive a $77,500 bonus if he remains with Minnesota’s G League affiliate for at least 60 days.

Undrafted out of college, Alvarado has carved out a consistent place for himself within the Pelicans rotation. Last season, “Grand Theft Alvarado” averaged 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 3-pointers in 18.4 minutes. He wasn’t an essential player to have rostered in fantasy leagues, and that’s unlikely to change this season with the Pelicans acquiring Dejounte Murray. In short, Alvarado is more valuable to Pelicans coach Willie Green than to fantasy managers, but occasionally, he will have streaming value. The second season of the contract (2026-27) is a player option.

Due to Karl-Anthony Towns’s contract size, New York has some shuffling to make the acquisition official. As a result, the Hornets entered the deal as the third team and will acquire DaQuan Jeffries. According to SNY, the Knicks may also have to include Duane Washington Jr. and Charlie Brown via sign-and-trade deals to get the Towns trade over the finish line. Bates-Diop wouldn’t impact fantasy basketball in New York, which will likely remain true in Minnesota.