NBA Player News

Johnson finished last season on a two-way deal with the Nets, but he has played well enough this summer to earn a full contract. In four appearances, he has averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.5 triples per game. If the Nets end up tanking this upcoming season, Johnson may be able to provide some fantasy value later in the season.

Having injured his right knee during a pre-tournament friendly against Latvia, Dončić playing 36 of a possible 40 minutes on Thursday was a positive for him and the Slovenians. However, his gaudy stat line was not enough to get the win, as former Toronto Raptor Jordan Loyd went off for 32 points to lead Poland to a 105-95 victory. Even if most of his teammates struggled, Dončić looked sharp against Poland, cutting a slimmer figure than last season. The question for him heading into his first full season with the Lakers is whether the new physique will carry over, and if that will positively impact his durability. Dončić has played 70 games or more in two of his first seven seasons.

With this EuroBasket expected to be Danilo Gallinari’s (eight points, three rebounds and one three-pointer) final major international competition, Fontecchio is expected to figure prominently in Italy’s plans this summer and moving forward. Unfortunately, the Heat forward could not find his groove offensively, missing all six of his two-point attempts. Fontecchio will look to bounce back when the Italians face Georgia on Saturday in what stands to be another physical matchup. Traded to the Heat in early July, Fontecchio will look to carve out a consistent role when training camp opens in late September.

In his first action of the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket, Antetkounmpo was dominant as Greece held off Italy by a final score of 75- 66. Eighteen of his 20 field goal attempts occurred within the painted area, with the Bucks star shooting 1-of-2 on mid-range jumpers. Interestingly, Giannis only attempted four free throws on the evening, making three. Given the amount of time spent around the basket, one would assume Antetokounmpo would be forced to get more of his points from the charity stripe. Regardless of how far Greece goes in EuroBasket, fans will focus more on Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee after an offseason in which Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez exited and Myles Turner arrived. Giannis remains an elite fantasy option, especially in category leagues where managers are willing to punt free-throw percentage.

Having been called out before the tournament by his national team coach for being out of shape, Nurkić played well in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 91-64 win over Cyprus in the EuroBasket opener for both nations. In the veteran center’s defense, his 2024-25 NBA season may not have done him any favors regarding physical fitness. Nurkić’s season got off to a rocky start in Phoenix, and he only started nine of the 26 games he played for the Hornets after being traded at the February deadline. Charlotte traded him to Utah this summer, and Nurkić will back up Walker Kessler next season unless there’s a drastic shift. That doesn’t do him any favors regarding fantasy value, which was already low.

With multiple veterans sitting out FIBA EuroBasket, France will lean heavily on younger talent during this summer’s event. That means more opportunities for Risacher, who logged 18 minutes off the bench in Thursday’s 92-64 victory. After finishing his rookie season in Atlanta as a starter, he may need to get more acclimated to coming off the bench. The Hawks added Kristaps Porziņģis this summer via trade, which opens up the question of who will come off the bench. If Jalen Johnson can consistently defend small forwards, the Hawks could go with a bigger lineup that includes Porziņģis and Onyeka Okongwu, pushing Risacher to the bench. Or, they could start one of Porziņģis or Okongwu, bringing the other off the bench while Risacher remains a starter. Before worrying about that, a solid run at EuroBasket could be the springboard Risacher needs heading into his second NBA season.

Yabusele had a rough day from the field, making just one of his seven shot attempts, but it did not matter much as France rolled to a 92-64 victory. The Knicks forward was able to compensate for the shooting struggles by getting to the line often, as Belgium did not have a suitable matchup for the “Dancing Bear.” With Rudy Gobert and Vincent Poirier absent from EuroBasket, Yabusele served as the starting center with Alexandre Sarr (7/4/1 in 17 minutes) coming off the bench for France. Those roles are different from the ones they’ll fill during the NBA season, with Yabusele projected to come off the bench for the Knicks while Sarr starts for the Wizards.

Coulibaly and France cruised to a 92-64 victory in their EuroBasket opener, with no player exceeding 23 minutes. Coulibaly logged 22 as part of France’s starting lineup, and he looked healthy after his second season with the Wizards ended in March due to a hamstring injury. Last season, he experienced increases in points, rebounds, assists and steals, but efficiency remained an issue. Coulibaly shot 42.1 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from beyond the arc, limiting his fantasy value. Those areas can be issues for players on rebuilding teams, but Coulibaly’s defensive potential makes him a worthwhile late-round target in standard league drafts this fall.

Prosper, the 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft, has failed to carve out a consistent role in two seasons with the Mavericks. Also at play is Dallas’ need to free up a standard contract slot to complete the re-signing of Dante Exum. The latter issue is more impactful regarding the Mavericks’ reported desire to find a new home for Prosper. Guard Jaden Hardy was also mentioned as a player who may be on the move, but the Mavericks have limited draft assets to sweeten a trade for either of those young players. Another possibility for Dallas would be to use the waive-and-stretch provision on a player, but they only have until Friday at 5 pm Eastern to go that route per league rules.

Aldama and the reigning champions struggled on Thursday, failing to hold their own against a more physical Georgia squad that rebounded nearly 50 percent of its missed shots. As concerning for the Memphis Grizzlies forward/center as the lack of rebounds was his shot profile, with Aldama attempting 10 of his 15 shots from beyond the arc. While starting alongside Willy Hernangomez affords Aldama more face-up opportunities, Spain will need him to be more of a force offensively if they’re to medal in this event. As for his fantasy outlook for next season, Aldama is a must-draft player, especially since Jaren Jackson Jr. (toe) and Zach Edey (ankle) are recovering from offseason surgeries. In Edey’s case, he is not expected to be fully healthy when the regular season begins in October.

Bitadze was one of five players to score in double figures as George knocked off reigning EuroBasket champions Spain in the group play opener for both teams. While he hit a crucial fourth-quarter three-pointer (followed by a Sam Cassell-inspired celebration) to help the Georgians pull away, the Orlando Magic center was especially impactful on the offensive glass. Four of Bitadze’s five rebounds were of the offensive variety, and George finished with 16 offensive boards as a team. By comparison, Spain grabbed 18 defensive rebounds. Bitadze is another example of a player who will receive more opportunities with his national team than his NBA squad, as he’ll come off the bench in Orlando. However, in the past, he has been an effective streamer for stretches when the Magic were without Wendell Carter Jr.