NBA News

Ben Simmons • PG

Kings' Scott Perry Watches Ben Simmons Work Out

Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry was in Florida to watch free-agent guard/forward Ben Simmons work out, according to Sactown Sports, which confirmed Carmichael Dave's initial report. Jake Fischer had previously linked Sacramento to Simmons as part of its veteran guard search, and the fit is easy to understand with the Kings looking for ball-handling depth behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr. Simmons sat out all of 2025-26 while recovering from back and other injuries and is reportedly open to a minimum deal. He averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 22.0 minutes across 51 games in 2024-25. Even if Sacramento signs him, Simmons is more of a low-cost depth swing than a fantasy target.

Aug 26

Nikola Topić • PG • Thunder

Nikola Topic Faces Make-or-Break Year

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic enters a pivotal 2026-27 season with a 2027-28 team option hanging over his future. The 21-year-old has already dealt with a torn left ACL that wiped out his first NBA season, a testicular cancer diagnosis that delayed his debut until February, and offseason back surgery that he is expected to return from by training camp. Topic flashed late last season with back-to-back double-doubles, including an 18-point, 14-assist game against Phoenix that tied a Thunder rookie record. Oklahoma City moved Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe this offseason, but minutes are still not guaranteed with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso in the guard mix. Topic has passing upside, but he needs a steady role before becoming fantasy relevant.

Aug 26

DeMar DeRozan • SF • Nuggets

Kings are Stretching Out DeMar DeRozan's Salary

The Sacramento Kings have decided they will stretch out forward DeMar DeRozan's salary over the next three seasons. According to Michael Scotto, the Kings will take his $10 million salary and turn it into $3.33 million over the next three seasons. Doing this puts the Kings under the luxury tax line, and they now have enough space to fill out their final two roster spots. Neither spot can exceed the league minimum, but the Kings now have the funds to do it. The organization has until Saturday to get this done, so expect the Kings to be busy in free agency over the next few days.

Aug 25

Bennedict Mathurin • SG • Pelicans

Pelicans Aggressively Pursuing Bennedict Mathurin

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly a major player in the sweepstakes for Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin. According to Jake Fischer, Mathurin is expected to be sign-and-traded to the Pelicans or accept the qualifying offer with the Los Angeles Clippers. Fischer made the point that the Pelicans have been aggressively pursuing Mathurin over the offseason. He currently has a one-year, $8.8 million qualifying offer on the table from the Clippers. Mathurin is a restricted free agent, so the Clippers can match any offer sheet that Mathurin gets from other teams. A return to the Clippers seems to make the most sense, but it sounds like the Pelicans are still looking to acquire him.

Aug 25

Jalen Duren • C • Pistons

Jalen Duren Likely to Get Deal Exceeding $160 Million

According to Jake Fischer, free-agent center Jalen Duren is expected to re-sign with the Detroit Pistons for upwards of $160 million. It's no surprise that Duren is likely to receive a massive extension from the Pistons. It sounds like Duren could potentially sign a four-year deal that nets him more than $160 million over the life of the deal. Duren has shown he is worth the money with his play on the court over the last few seasons. This past season, Duren averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 28.2 minutes per game across 70 games with the Pistons. He's a core piece to this roster that the Pistons cannot afford to lose right now. He's the best free agent still available, but is fully expected to return to Detroit; however, the amount of money he'll get is unknown.

Aug 25

Brandon Miller • SF • Hornets

Brandon Miller Nearing a Return After Shoulder Surgery

According to Rod Boone, Charlotte Hornets guard Brandon Miller (shoulder) is nearing a return to action after having surgery. Miller underwent left shoulder surgery in May. Miller recently told Boone in an interview that his shoulder is more mobile after undergoing surgery. The Hornets haven't given a timetable on Miller's return to the court yet. He's still waiting to get full clearance to return to basketball activities. There is still over a month before training camp, so Miller still has plenty of time to get ready. The expectation is that Miller will be ready to play by the beginning of the season.

Aug 25

Georges Niang • SF • Warriors

Georges Niang Signs with Warriors

According to Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors signed free-agent forward Georges Niang on Tuesday. They've agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal for the upcoming season. Niang didn't play at all in 2025 after suffering a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot. He was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Memphis Grizzlies, but he didn't suit up for either team. Before that, Niang averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 21.5 minutes per game in 79 contests with the Cavaliers and Hawks in 2024-2025. He figures to have a role off the bench, but it's unlikely to offer much fantasy value.

Aug 25

Brandon Williams • PG • Warriors

Brandon Williams Agrees to One-Year Deal with Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have agreed to sign guard Brandon Williams to a one-year, $2.6 million deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Williams is coming off a career-best season in Dallas, where the 26-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 22.2 minutes across 66 games, including 15 starts. He shot 47.2 percent from the field but just 23.2 percent from three, so his fit will lean more on downhill scoring and ball-handling than spacing. Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody open some early perimeter minutes, but Williams still sits behind Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, and De'Anthony Melton. He is more of an injury-contingent streamer than a draft target.

Aug 25

TyTy Washington Jr. • PG

TyTy Washington Jr. Signs with ASVEL

Guard TyTy Washington Jr. has officially signed with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, moving the former first-round pick to Europe for his first EuroLeague opportunity. Washington, the No. 29 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, never secured a steady NBA rotation role, appearing in 74 games across four seasons with the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers. The 24-year-old averaged 1.3 points and 1.1 assists in 5.5 minutes across 16 Clippers appearances last season, but he was far more productive in the G-League, posting 21.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.0 rebounds for San Diego. His ASVEL move removes him from NBA fantasy consideration.

Aug 25

Aday Mara • C • Thunder

Aday Mara Works on Conditioning

Oklahoma City Thunder center Aday Mara is working on his NBA conditioning in Spain with Maral Javadifar, the team's athletic performance director, according to Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire. Javadifar spent the past seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was part of the Super Bowl LV staff that beat Kansas City. Mara, the No. 12 pick in June out of national champion Michigan, remains a long-term fantasy stash rather than an early contributor. He is set to compete with Jaylin Williams for backup center minutes behind Isaiah Hartenstein, while Chet Holmgren anchors the frontcourt. Mara is also on Spain's roster for World Cup qualifiers against Portugal on Friday and Greece on Monday.

Aug 25

Isaiah Joe • SG • Pistons

Isaiah Joe Brings Title Experience to Pistons Bench

Detroit Pistons guard Isaiah Joe is the only current player on the roster with an NBA championship on his resume, as Caden Handwork of SI noted. Joe won the 2025 title with Oklahoma City before Detroit acquired him from the Thunder for two second-round picks, giving the Pistons another proven shooter around Cade Cunningham. The 27-year-old averaged a career-best 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.5 threes while shooting 42.3 percent from deep last season. Joe still profiles as a bench specialist, so his fantasy value is tied mostly to triples unless Detroit gives him steady closing minutes.

Aug 25

Quentin Grimes • SG • Lakers

Quentin Grimes Eyes Key Lakers Perimeter Role

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Quentin Grimes has a chance to fill the perimeter role Los Angeles needs after signing a four-year, $60 million deal, with Jovan Buha of Buha's Block and Tony Jones previewing his fit. The 26-year-old should be asked to defend tough perimeter matchups while spacing the floor around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, a role that leans more on defense and off-ball shooting than shot creation. That keeps his fantasy ceiling in check, especially after he shot 33.4 percent from three with Philadelphia last season. Still, his 21.9-point surge after joining the 76ers in 2024-25 showed he can pop when touches open, leaving his value tied to minutes, steals, and whether the Lakers trust him in closing groups.

Aug 25

Nikola Vučević • C • Magic

Nikola Vucevic Downplays Celtics Rift

Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic pointed to Boston's expensive roster structure, not locker-room tension, when discussing the Celtics' offseason shake-up. Speaking to SKWEEK, Vucevic said the contracts for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, combined with the NBA's new financial rules, made it difficult for Boston to keep enough depth around its stars. He also said he sensed no issues between Tatum and Brown before Boston traded Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and multiple picks. The fantasy fallout is more about Boston than Vucevic, who returns to a crowded Orlando frontcourt. George should see cleaner usage next to Tatum, while Vucevic will need steady minutes before becoming more than a fringe fantasy name.

Aug 25

Jaden Hardy • SG • Lakers

Jaden Hardy Being Discussed in Sign-and-Trade Talks

According to Evan Sidery, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly using guard Jaden Hardy in sign-and-trade discussions with the Atlanta Hawks. The two teams have been talking sign-and-trade this summer involving forward Jonathan Kuminga. It sounds like Lakers' guard Jaden Hardy or forward Jared Vanderbilt could be part of that deal, if it ever happens. It doesn't sound like the discussions got too far because the Hawks don't want to add payroll and actually need to make cuts with 17 players on their roster right now. A move elsewhere would probably help Hardy's fantasy value, but he's staying in Los Angeles right now.

Aug 24

Shaedon Sharpe • SG • Trail Blazers

Shaedon Sharpe Suffers Torn Meniscus

According to Shams Charania, Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (knee) has suffered a torn meniscus and will be sidelined for the next six months. This is unfortunate news for the Blazers, considering Sharpe was likely going to play a significant role this upcoming season. Now, Sharpe isn't expected back until around the All-Star break. The loss of Sharpe means that Ja Morant, Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Scoot Henderson will all see an uptick in playing time. It's unclear how the Blazers plan to split up the minutes, but this is a situation fantasy managers should continue to watch. Henderson and Morant might end up benefiting the most out of everyone.

Aug 24

Simone Fontecchio • SF • Heat

Simone Fontecchio Explains Why He Stayed with Heat

Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio re-signed on a reported one-year minimum deal this summer, and he said returning to Europe was never part of the plan. "We didn't even consider the idea of returning to Europe this summer," Fontecchio told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "When this opportunity in Miami came along, I just accepted it." The 30-year-old also valued keeping his family settled, describing Miami as the place where he feels "wanted and appreciated." Fontecchio averaged 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 37.5 percent from three across 70 games last season. His shooting should help space the floor around Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but a crowded wing rotation keeps him off fantasy radars unless injuries open steady minutes.

Aug 24

Chaney Johnson • PF • Nets

Chaney Johnson Eyes Standard Contract with Nets

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Chaney Johnson is working to turn his two-way contract into a standard NBA deal, according to Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Nets Wire. Johnson told NetsDaily's Connor Long on The Brooklyn Boys Show that he is focused on buying into whatever development plan the coaching staff has for him, and his Summer League production helped his case. The 24-year-old undrafted Auburn product averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.5 steals across six games between the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League while shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three. Still, his two-way role points more toward Long Island Nets minutes than a steady NBA run, leaving him off fantasy radars unless injuries open a path.

Aug 24

Dejounte Murray • SG • Pelicans

Dejounte Murray Declares Himself Healthy

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray says he is healthy and ready to show a better version of himself in 2026-27, he told HoopsHype's Cyro Asseo. Murray said his Achilles rehab was mentally harder than his earlier ACL recovery, but his 14-game return last season was not just a late-year cameo. The 29-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals in 27.8 minutes over that stretch after tearing his right Achilles on Jan. 31, 2025. A full runway puts Murray back in New Orleans' starting backcourt under Jamahl Mosley, which should trim Jeremiah Fears' on-ball ceiling while giving Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Derik Queen a steadier table-setter.

Aug 24

Klay Thompson • SG • Heat

Klay Thompson Praised by Pat Riley After Heat Signing

Miami Heat guard/forward Klay Thompson drew strong praise from team president Pat Riley after signing with Miami following his Dallas Mavericks buyout. Riley called Thompson "one of the most iconic players to ever suit up in the NBA" and pointed to his value as an all-around player, not just a shooter. The 36-year-old five-time All-Star is coming off a reduced role in Dallas, where he averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 21.7 minutes across 69 games while shooting 38.3 percent from three. Thompson's fantasy value should still lean heavily on triples, and Miami's crowded rotation caps his counting-stat ceiling despite the cleaner spacing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Aug 24

Jimmy Butler III • SF • Warriors

Jimmy Butler III Has No Firm Timeline for Return

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Jimmy Butler III (knee) remains without a firm return timeline after undergoing ACL surgery in February, with Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard noting that it is too early to read much into a target date. Emerman floated a broad Christmas-to-March window, which fits the uncertainty around a long ACL recovery. Butler tore his right ACL on Jan. 19 after averaging 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals over 38 games. Until he returns, Gui Santos should have the cleanest path to extra wing minutes, while Brandin Podziemski carries more secondary creation next to Stephen Curry. Butler remains a stash with real age and rehab risk.

Aug 24

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