NBA Player News

Having scored at least 22 points in the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Siakam fell three points shy of that number in Game 4. Overall, Spicy P had a good series, averaging 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 55.3% from the foul line. Siakam being traded to Indiana rejuvenated him this season, with the former Raptor fitting in well with his new teammates. While he did finish ranked outside the top 75 in 9-cat formats, Siakam has proven in the past that he’s capable of more. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Pacers’ priority will be to re-sign Spicy P.

After serving primarily as a reserve during his first four seasons, Mann was a fixture in the starting lineup in 2023-24. Starting 71 of 75 games, he averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.9 3-pointers in 25.0 minutes. Mann didn’t offer great fantasy value last season. Still, Paul George’s departure and questions regarding Kawhi Leonard’s knee make him worthy of a late-round look in some leagues.

In addition to stars Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant only playing 863 minutes together last season, the Suns were also done in by their lack of a “true” point guard. The offseason signings of Jones and Monte Morris were meant to address this issue, with Budenholzer making it clear that the former would be a starter. “Certainly, we feel like Tyus has established himself as a great starting point guard in our league, and he will be our starter,” Budenholzer told NBA.com. “When you put him out there with Kevin, Brad, Book, and Nurk [Jusuf Nurkic], we feel like we’ve got a strong starting five. And a really strong bench behind them.” Jones being given that role means Grayson Allen will head to the bench after a career year, cutting into his fantasy value.

Bassey appeared in 19 games for the Spurs last season before a torn ACL put him on the shelf. The 2021-second-round pick agreed to a one-year deal with the Spurs in July, but he is not expected to figure prominently in the frontcourt rotation. There’s no need to consider drafting Bassey.

Collins underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder shortly after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. The expectation was that he’d be ready for training camp, and the Spurs confirmed that news on Friday. With Victor Wembanyama locked into the starting center role, Collins’ fantasy value will be low heading into the 2024-25 season. At best, he’s a late-round pick in deep league as insurance for Wembanyama.

Due to their overseas preseason games, the Nuggets have gotten a head start on the preseason. Unfortunately, they’re already shorthanded due to Watson’s hamstring injury. While the team did not provide an official timeline for his return, he’s expected to miss at least the two preseason games in Abu Dhabi. Watson’s absence means there will be more opportunities for Julian Strawther and Zeke Nnaji to make a positive impression on head coach Michael Malone. Neither is a must-draft player, which was also the case for Watson before the injury came to light.

Vassell averaged career-highs in points (19.5 points) and assists (4.1) last season while shooting 47.2% from the field and 37.2% from deep. He’s expected to play a significant role as a shooter and defender in 2024-25. Vassell’s absence makes Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes more viable as late-round options, with one likely filling the resulting void in the starting lineup.

Williams averaged 10.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 2023-24. He started in 33 contests. With GG Jackson (foot) already sidelined, this was an opportunity for Williams to cement his place within the Grizzlies rotation further. Vince’s absence opens up additional opportunities for Jake LaRavia, who has only played 70 games in his first two seasons.

Terry hasn’t made much of a fantasy impact through his first two years in the league since the Bulls took him in the first round, so this is an important season for him. He should see an extended opportunity with DeMar DeRozan gone, but he isn’t a player to target in standard leagues.

Rose, the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, won Rookie of the Year honors and was named the youngest MVP in league history when he won the award in 2010-11. Rose missed only three games across his first three seasons, but he tore his ACL just 39 games into the 2011-12 season and missed the entire 2012-13 campaign. Rose averaged just 44.4 games over the final 11 seasons of his career, and health concerns were the unfortunate hallmark of his NBA tenure. Rose is one of the biggest “what ifs” in NBA history, and he finishes his career (which includes stops in Chicago, Memphis, New York, Cleveland and Detroit) with averages of 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds.

Knox spent this summer with Golden State, and now he’ll compete for a roster spot during training camp. The former lottery pick hasn’t ever made a consistent impact in fantasy basketball, and if he makes the final roster, that won’t change.