NBA Player News

The Pelicans are getting healthier on the perimeter, so Payton’s services are no longer needed. He averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in seven games. This transaction will not impact fantasy basketball.

Sharpe finished with 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds across 18.2 minutes in his fourth season, setting new career-best marks in all three categories. In Year 5, he’ll compete with rookie Danny Wolf for backup minutes behind Nic Claxton.

Ingles will be back for a 12th NBA season, and he’ll likely play a role similar to the one he played in 2024-25. The veteran logged just six minutes per game across 19 appearances for the Wolves a season ago, and he’ll be a locker room guy rather than an impactful, on-court option. Fantasy managers can safely leave him on the waiver wire in 2025-26 drafts.

Gillespie played his first season with Phoenix on a two-way deal, but he’ll get a standard contract after solid play in 2024-25. Gillespie could see meaningful rotation minutes for a new-look Suns team that’s still figuring out its identity post-Kevin Durant.

Over the last two seasons, the UCLA product has averaged just over eight points and 1.7 triples while shooting 38.4% from downtown. He should have no problem landing with a new team that can utilize his floor-spacing abilities.

Williams averaged 10 points and 4.3 boards across 63 games with Brooklyn last season. His impact in the realm of fantasy hoops was muted, and even on a rebuilding Brooklyn team, his impact in 2025-26 will likely be the same.

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.