NBA Player News

Wiggins’ disappointing 2023-24 season ended on Tuesday, and he lost minutes to Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski during the defeat in Sacramento. This game was a microcosm of his season as a player with a Yahoo ADP of 90 who finished outside the top 200 in 8- and 9-cat formats. Wiggins’ fantasy prospects for next season depend on his ability to bounce back and other areas of the roster. The Warriors have significant decisions to make regarding Klay Thompson (unrestricted free agent) and Jonathan Kuminga (extension-eligible).

Bogdanovic suffered foot and wrist injuries late last season, ultimately undergoing offseason surgery on both. Now with the Nets after being included in the Mikal Bridges trade, the veteran forward’s wrist is in good condition, but the foot has taken longer to heal. Bogdanovic did say on Monday that he’s been cleared for some on-court work, but not 5-on-5. He was unlikely to be a must-draft player if fully cleared, so Monday’s update does not significantly impact Bogdanovic’s value. He may have value as a streamer during the season, especially for managers needing points.

Giddey suffered a ruptured anterior talofibular ligament in his ankle during Australia’s finale at the Paris Olympics. This was an eventful offseason, as he was traded to Chicago for Alex Caruso. The move north should result in a more prominent role for Giddey, raising his fantasy ceiling. The ankle injury means he won’t be able to compete with his new teammates fully, but Giddey should not be limited for too long. Even with his struggles down the stretch in Oklahoma City, he’s worthy of top-75 consideration in standard leagues.

Exum injured his finger during Australia’s preparations for the Paris Olympics, sitting out the team’s group play opener against Spain. He played the remainder of the Boomers’ games without issue and is a full go for Mavericks training camp. While Exum wasn’t a significant fantasy asset last season, he did have a run in December in which he scored 11 points or more in 11 of 12 games. During this stretch, Exum averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.9 3-pointers in 31.5 minutes. He isn’t a player who needs to be drafted in most leagues, but there could be times during the season when Exum offers solid streaming value.

According to Pistons lead executive Trajan Langdon, the team is working with the NBA due to the type of injury that ended Thompson’s rookie season in March. He can go through non-contact drills, but that’s the extent to which Thompson will be allowed to participate in practice until cleared. Depending on how long this process lasts, Thompson is a late-round option at best in most fantasy leagues. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Simone Fontecchio are two players who could have increased opportunities to earn rotation minutes under new head coach JB Bickerstaff.

Williams only appeared in six games last season before having to undergo season-ending knee surgery. According to Cronin, the Time Lord has been playing 5-on-5 and will be ready to go when the regular season begins. However, the Blazers will likely hold Williams out of some preseason activities to keep him fresh. With Deandre Ayton still on the roster and Donovan Clingan being the team’s lottery pick, Williams isn’t in a great spot regarding fantasy potential. He’ll likely need a trade (either him or Ayton) to make himself relevant in standard leagues.

After being listed at 210 pounds for his rookie season, Wembanyama has added some weight. That’s to be expected, as Wemby won’t turn 21 until January and has a season of NBA experience. With Chris Paul now in the fold, the Spurs big man has the potential to be a dominant force as soon as this season. In fantasy, Wembanyama is on the short list of options for first overall pick in redraft leagues and the unquestioned 1.1 in dynasty formats.

Djurisic injured his foot during Summer League action and is not due to be re-evaluated until November. He’s yet to be signed to a contract, and Fields admitted on Monday that this could be a “stash” situation. Djurisic’s status won’t significantly impact fantasy basketball this season, and the injury likely makes him nothing more than a late-round “draft and stash” in dynasty leagues.

After two seasons of solid availability (68 and 66 games), a knee injury limited Embiid to 39 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. And he did not look like he trusted that knee during Philadelphia’s first-round series against the Knicks. With the goal being to be healthy when the postseason begins, Embiid claims to have lost 25-30 pounds this offseason and could lose more. That’s undoubtedly good news for fantasy managers, but it’s understandable if some refuse to trust that The Process will stay healthy entirely. Embiid remains a 1st-round pick in fantasy leagues but has slipped just outside the top 5 for many fantasy managers.

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. Mutombo built multiple hospitals and made numerous contributions to his native Democratic Republic of Congo and the world. 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.