NBA Player News

Lopez had an interesting Saturday night. The points, 3-pointers, and blocked shots were there, but the 7-footer failed to grab a rebound. Lopez hasn’t been an elite rebounder for most of his NBA career, but the fantasy value remains high due to his production in other areas. He’s ranked just outside the top 25 in 9-cat formats, well ahead of his Yahoo ADP (80).

Sunday’s news adds another intriguing option to free agency, which officially opens on Monday at 6 PM Eastern. The Trail Blazers clearly needed to clean up their center rotation as far back as the February trade deadline, but they did not move Ayton or Robert Williams III. The need to move someone increased when Portland selected Yang Hansen with the 16th pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. Ayton was limited to 40 games this past season, averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 30.2 minutes. With Ayton no longer in Portland’s plans, the biggest fantasy winner is Donovan Clingan, who finished his rookie season as the starting center. Clingan could vie for top-100 value in fantasy leagues this year.

While Smith ended this past season as a reserve, he remains a key building block for the Rockets. Sunday’s development clearly indicates how the team thinks of the 2022 lottery pick. Smith averaged 12.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers per game in 2024-25, finishing well outside the top-100 in eight- and nine-cat formats. With Kevin Durant on board, Smith will likely take on a reserve role for the Rockets as they look to challenge Oklahoma City atop the Western Conference.

With Damian Lillard (Achilles) set to miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season, keeping its other key players on board is critical for Milwaukee in free agency. One of those players is Portis, a fan favorite who has been consistently productive throughout his time with the Bucks. The third year of his new deal will be a player option. Having finished the 2024-25 season ranked just outside the top-100 in eight- and nine-cat formats, Portis’ Yahoo! ADP will be elevated in 2025-26 due to Lillard’s absence.

Harden held a player option worth a little over $36.3 million for the 2025-26 season, which he declined. His decision to opt out and agree to a new deal gives the Clippers added financial flexibility, as the second year is a partially-guaranteed player option. Returning to Los Angeles has given Harden’s career a needed boost after disappointing stints with the Nets and 76ers. “The Beard” finished last season as a top-10 player in eight-cat formats and top-15 in nine-cat. Given his importance to the Clippers, Harden should again be an early-round pick in fantasy drafts.

Had the Wizards not waived Gill, his 2025-26 salary would have been guaranteed. While the veteran forward/center has been a valued presence in the locker room, the team faces a roster crunch regarding available spots. If Gill can catch on with another team as a free agent, he’s unlikely to be in a position to impact fantasy basketball.

Not long after deciding to decline Mitchell’s team option, the Thunder have secured his immediate future in Oklahoma City. The 38th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Mitchell averaged 6.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in his 36 appearances. A toe injury suffered on January 3 sidelined him for over three months. Mitchell does not offer much fantasy value in his role, but he’ll provide additional depth off the Thunder bench.

Acquired from the Suns at the February trade deadline, Nurkic is headed back to the Western Conference. His fit in Phoenix was awkward, and opportunities in Charlotte were somewhat limited after Mark Williams returned from injury and a failed trade to the Lakers. Nurkic appeared in 51 games last season, averaging 8.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.8 minutes. With Utah having Walker Kessler on the roster, there won’t be much room for Nurkic to impact fantasy basketball next season. He won’t be worth the risk in fantasy drafts.

After three seasons in Utah, Sexton is on the move, with the Jazz sending him and a future draft pick to Charlotte. The scoring guard appeared in 63 games last season, averaging 18.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.7 three-pointers in 27.9 minutes. Primarily a points and assists option, Sexton finished the season ranked outside the top 150 in nine-cat formats. With Utah’s point guard situation including Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier and first-round pick Walter Clayton Jr., Sexton being moved is unsurprising. His fantasy value in Charlotte may be limited, but there could be opportunities to provide value due to LaMelo Ball’s injury history.

Robinson possessed an early termination option worth $20 million. While the decision to exercise it will make the Heat guard an unrestricted free agent, it’s been reported that the door is not closed on a return. Charania says Robinson will work with the Heat on a new deal. While he can provide points and three-pointers, Robinson has primarily been a specialist in category leagues. That’s unlikely to change next season, regardless of where he signs.

A few days after it was reported that Naz Reid agreed to a new deal with the Timberwolves, Randle has reportedly done the same. His new deal will include a player option for the 2027-28 season. While there were some early hiccups, Randle had a productive debut season in Minnesota. In 69 games, he averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 three-pointers in 32.3 minutes. The returns of Randle and Reid will likely mean free agent guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker heads elsewhere, as other teams can offer him more than the Timberwolves can. Detroit is one team rumored to be highly interested in signing Alexander-Walker.