NBA Player News

While Bertans played 22 minutes off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Celtics, Richards and Williams did not play. Tre Mann, Nick Smith Jr., and Marques Bolden all played at least 29 minutes in Boston, and they are the safest options on the Hornets roster to target in active fantasy leagues.

After scoring seven points or less in each of Germany’s first three games at EuroBasket, da Silva got hot against an overmatched Great Britain squad on Monday. The Orlando Magic wing shot 5-of-7 from beyond the arc and was perfect from two, leading the way offensively with Dennis Schröder (19/2/5/1 with two three-pointers) and Franz Wagner (18/1/10/1 with three three-pointers) also hitting double figures. Da Silva may get most of his scoring opportunities as a catch-and-shoot option in Orlando next season, so the three-point shooting is noteworthy, especially after he shot 33.5 percent from deep as a rookie.

With Vučević averaging a double-double in each of his last seven seasons, the veteran center’s consistent recording of those stat lines at EuroBasket is unsurprising. He recorded his fourth in as many games on Monday, leading Montenegro to its first win of this year’s tournament. Also of note was the defensive production, with Vučević recording two steals and three blocked shots in the 87-81 victory. His name was mentioned in offseason trade rumors, but Vučević has stayed put thus far. This winter, he should be a relatively safe middle-round option in standard fantasy leagues.

There’s no shortage of players who take on starring roles for their national teams after being bit contributors for their NBA squads. That’s the case for Larsson, who’s leading the way offensively for Sweden after a solid rookie season with the Heat. He shot 50 percent from the field on Monday, including a 7-of-11 mark from two, while recording a complete stat line. What Larsson does in EuroBasket is unlikely to impact his fantasy value for the 2025-26 season, but adding confidence in his ability to handle scoring in a high-volume game isn’t the worst thing for the forward or the Heat.

Fontecchio broke out in a big way Sunday afternoon after shooting a combined 5-of-21 from the field in games against Greece and Georgia. The Italian forward shot 7-of-10 from beyond the arc on the day as his team beat Bosnia and Herzegovina despite its head coach being ejected early in the third quarter. Fontecchio’s role with Italy does not match what he’ll be asked to do with the Heat next season, but his catch-and-shoot ability will be critical. Sunday’s performance was a reminder of the value he can offer in that area, even if 39-point games have not been the norm for him.

Antetokounmpo, who sat out the entire 2024-25 season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in May 2024, is back with the Bucks on a one-year deal worth $2.9 million. While he is healthy and playing for Greece at FIBA EuroBasket, Thanasis is unlikely to be in a position where he’ll impact fantasy basketball next season. However, signing him to a guaranteed deal may curry favor with Giannis, whose future in Milwaukee has been a subject of the NBA rumor mill throughout the offseason.

France went cold in Sunday’s 82-69 defeat at the worst possible time, going more than four minutes without a point during the fourth quarter. They could not come up with an answer for Israel’s 2-3 zone, flipping the game on its head. The good news for France is that Risacher played relatively well on Sunday, providing solid value on both ends of the floor in his 24 minutes off the bench. He’ll look to help France rebound when it faces Poland on Tuesday.

Having lost to Poland on Saturday, Israel entered Sunday’s game against France needing a win to improve its chances of advancing out of the group stage. They got the job done, thanks to the offensive production of Avdija and former Boston Celtics draft pick Yam Madar (17/4/3/2 with two three-pointers) and the decision to switch to a 2-3 zone during the second half. Israel turned a 10-point deficit into an 82-69 victory, holding France without a point for more than four minutes during the fourth quarter.

Bogdanovic injured his hamstring during Serbia’s win over Portugal in the team’s second EuroBasket group stage game. According to the Serbian basketball federation, he has been diagnosed with a hamstring tear and has returned to Los Angeles to undergo treatment under the observation of the Clippers’ team doctors. The severity of the injury remains unknown, but at a minimum, Bogdanovic will not play again at EuroBasket. The question now is how long the recovery process will take and whether he’ll be healthy when training camp opens in late September.

After suffering losses to Poland and France in its first two group stage contests, Slovenia earned its first victory on Sunday. Unsurprisingly Dončić led the way, becoming the fourth player since 1995 to record a triple-double in a EuroBasket game. Also, he is now the youngest player to reach 400 points in a EuroBasket career, knocking Tony Parker out of the top spot. Dončić is one of three Slovenians to reach that milestone, with Goran Dragic and Jaka Lakovic being the others. While Sunday’s victory does not mean Dončić and Slovenia are out of danger regarding qualifying for the knockout rounds, it is a step in the right direction in a tight Group D.

As was the case in Greece’s win over Italy on Thursday, the Georgians had no answer for Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks forward, who did not play in Saturday’s rout of Cyprus, only missed two shots from the field on Sunday while also shooting a respectable percentage at the foul line. Games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Spain to end the group stage will likely challenge Giannis more than either of the first two contests he’s appeared in at this EuroBasket.