NBA News

Jaylen Clark • PG • Timberwolves

Jaylen Clark Returns to Minnesota on Three-Year, $10 Million Deal

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Jaylen Clark will re-sign on a three-year, $10 million contract, according to the Star Tribune's Chris Hine. The 24-year-old defensive specialist has carved out a situational role with his on-ball pressure after recovering from the torn Achilles that wiped out his rookie season. Clark, the 2023 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year at UCLA, averaged 4.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 13.1 minutes across 68 games last season. The jumper remains the swing skill, as he hit just 33-for-101 from three. Until that shot becomes more reliable, Clark profiles as a defense-first reserve with minimal fantasy appeal outside of very deep formats, especially with Minnesota's backcourt now headlined by Anthony Edwards and newly acquired LaMelo Ball.

7 hours ago

Isaiah Hartenstein • C • Thunder

Isaiah Hartenstein Agrees to a New Three-Year Contract with the Thunder

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein intends to sign a new three-year, $75 million contract that keeps him with the franchise through 2028-29. The deal brings his total guaranteed earnings with Oklahoma City to five years and $134 million. Hartenstein remained a key frontcourt piece last season, averaging 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 1.0 steals in 24.2 minutes across 47 games. His scoring ceiling is modest, but the rebounding, efficiency, passing, and defensive stats keep him useful whenever his minutes land in the mid-20s. The new deal confirms that Oklahoma City still views him as a central part of its frontcourt mix.

7 hours ago

Kevon Looney • C • Pelicans

Pelicans Expected to Move on From Veteran Center Kevon Looney

New Orleans Pelicans center Kevon Looney is expected to reach unrestricted free agency, with the team poised to decline his $8 million option for next season, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports. The three-time NBA champion spent his first 10 seasons in Golden State before signing a two-year deal with New Orleans last summer, but he never carved out a role. He appeared in just 21 games, eight as a starter, averaging 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 14.7 minutes. A departure would do little to reshuffle the rotation. The Pelicans already funneled the center minutes to rookie Derik Queen and Yves Missi, with Zion Williamson anchoring the four. Looney's fantasy value hinges on landing a real role elsewhere, which looks like a stretch for a non-scoring depth big.

7 hours ago

Gary Trent Jr. • SG • Bucks

Gary Trent Jr. to Decline $3.9 Million Option and Hit the Open Market

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. is expected to decline his $3.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season to enter unrestricted free agency. The 27-year-old had a quiet campaign last year, averaging 8.1 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 21.2 minutes per game, but he remained a capable floor spacer by shooting 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. With Milwaukee reshaping its roster following the blockbuster trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trent's departure helps clear a crowded backcourt. Newly acquired guard Tyler Herro will command heavy usage, but Trent's exit could open the door for younger pieces like Ryan Rollins to earn consistent rotation minutes. Fantasy managers can ignore Trent in standard formats until his new role is clarified.

7 hours ago

Jose Alvarado • PG • Knicks

Jose Alvarado Stays Home With a New $14 Million Knicks Deal

Point guard Jose Alvarado is trading a one-year option for long-term security with the NBA champion Knicks. He is declining his $4.5 million player option to sign a new three-year deal worth more than $14 million, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. Acquired from New Orleans at the deadline, the New York native endeared himself in his hometown with relentless ball pressure off Jalen Brunson's bench. In 28 regular-season games with the Knicks, he averaged 6.6 points, 3.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 16.9 minutes. The fantasy value is modest behind a Finals MVP, but Alvarado's steals give him a niche, and he is first in line if Brunson ever sits. His role thinned in the playoffs, yet his Game 4 spark during a record Finals comeback showed why New York brought him back.

7 hours ago

Isaiah Joe • SG • Pistons

Isaiah Joe Traded to Detroit for Two Second-Round Picks

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Oklahoma City Thunder are trading guard Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two future second-round picks. Detroit adds one of the league's better volume shooters, as Joe averaged a career-high 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.5 threes in 21.2 minutes while shooting 42.3 percent from deep last season. Joe should help space the floor for Cade Cunningham, although his fantasy value still leans heavily on points, threes, and efficiency rather than well-rounded production.

7 hours ago

Dereck Lively II • C • Mavericks

Dereck Lively II Progressing Slowly as Mavs Camp Looms

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (foot) is still working back from December foot surgery and hasn't resumed running, The Athletic's Christian Clark reports. Speaking after a Mavericks youth camp, Lively said he is walking and lifting but in no rush. "I'm taking even more time than I need," he told Clark. Lively has shed the walking boot but isn't cleared to run or jump, with training camp roughly three months away. He is Dallas' projected starting center and a foundational piece of the rebuild alongside cornerstone Cooper Flagg, so his Week 1 availability is the question that matters. When healthy, he has averaged 8.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks as a lob threat and rim protector. The No. 9 pick, Morez Johnson Jr., offers frontcourt insurance if his ramp-up runs long.

8 hours ago

Jericho Sims • C • Bucks

Jericho Sims Secures $2.8 Million Option With Milwaukee

Center Jericho Sims is choosing the sure thing over free agency. The Bucks center plans to exercise his $2.8 million player option for 2026-27, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports. It lands him in a Milwaukee frontcourt that looks nothing like last year's after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Sims made the most of his first full season as a Buck, averaging 5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 19.7 minutes across 67 games with 19 starts. He is a rim-runner who shot a career-best 78.4 percent from the field and even logged a triple-double in April. With the rotation wide open and starter Myles Turner drawing trade interest, the backup center minutes are there for Sims to seize. He has to earn them, but the door is more open than it has been in years.

Yesterday

Mouhamed Gueye • PF • Hawks

Mouhamed Gueye Locked in on Fourth-Year Hawks Option

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports the Atlanta Hawks have exercised their fourth-year, $2.41 million team option on center/power forward Mouhamed Gueye. He's a defense-first big who can guard all five positions, a versatility Atlanta prizes more than his box score. Gueye set a career high with 77 games last season, averaging 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.3 minutes while filling in as a makeshift backup center in the playoffs. He flashed more with real minutes, posting 10.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while hitting 50.0 percent from three across eight starts. The fantasy catch is opportunity. Atlanta drafted Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar, with Onyeka Okongwu and Asa Newell also in the frontcourt mix. His value to the Hawks is real, but fantasy relevance likely depends on injuries opening the door.

Yesterday

Karlo Matković • PF • Pelicans

Pelicans Exercise Third-Year Option on Karlo Matkovic

Center/power forward Karlo Matkovic will be back in New Orleans next season. The Pelicans exercised their $2.30 million third-year team option on Matkovic, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports. The floor-spacing big fills a real need for a New Orleans frontcourt short on shooting. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 14.7 minutes across 62 games while connecting on 60.4 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from three-point range. There's little standalone fantasy value at that workload, but he produced more when the rotation thinned, posting 9.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 22.3 minutes over his final 32 outings. Stuck behind Derik Queen and Yves Missi, Matkovic's value hinges on minutes. Should New Orleans decline Kevon Looney's separate option, he could carve out a larger role.

Yesterday

Jamal Shead • PG • Raptors

Raptors Secure Jamal Shead on $2.30 Million Team Option

The Toronto Raptors have exercised their $2.30 million team option on point guard Jamal Shead for 2026-27, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports. It was a straightforward call on a backup point guard who appeared in all 82 games last season. Shead averaged 6.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.7 rebounds in 22.8 minutes, with an impact that ran deeper than the scoring line. He led the NBA in assists off the bench and finished second in offensive fouls drawn. With Immanuel Quickley entrenched as the starter, Shead's standalone fantasy value stays low, but it spikes whenever Quickley misses time. That played out in the postseason, when Shead made four starts and logged 32.0 minutes a night in Quickley's absence. The cheap option also keeps a defensive-minded mentor in place for rookie Jaden Bradley.

Yesterday

Kevin Porter Jr. • PG • Bucks

Kevin Porter Jr. Exercises $5.39 Million Option to Stay with Bucks

Point guard Kevin Porter Jr. is exercising his $5.39 million player option to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks for 2026-27, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports. The combo guard stays put as Milwaukee reshapes its roster following the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Porter was productive before the injury ended his season, averaging 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals over 38 games. He shot a career-best 46.5 percent from the field but just 32.2 percent from three-point range. Antetokounmpo's departure opens up shot creation, but the backcourt got crowded in a hurry. Newly acquired Tyler Herro projects to handle the ball, and Ryan Rollins played well as a fill-in starter, averaging 22.5 points and 5.8 assists when Porter was sidelined. His assists and steals keep Porter valuable, though his usage may not climb as much as the headline change implies.

Yesterday

Mark Williams • C • Suns

Mark Williams Agrees to a Three-Year Deal With the Suns

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams intends to sign a fully guaranteed three-year, $38 million contract to return to Phoenix. The 24-year-old is coming off the healthiest season of his career, averaging 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 0.9 steals in 23.6 minutes while shooting 64.4 percent from the field. He still carries availability risk after missing the first-round series with a left foot stress reaction, but the deal gives him the inside track to remain Phoenix's starting center. Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro are worth monitoring behind him, although Williams should remain the preferred fantasy option if he holds the top role.

Yesterday

Coby White • SG • Hornets

Coby White Returning to Hornets on Three-Year Deal

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White intends to sign a three-year, $74 million deal to return to the team, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. White is expected to step into a larger role after Charlotte agreed to trade LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid and draft capital. The 26-year-old averaged 17.4 points, 4.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 threes while shooting 44.6 percent from the field last season. His assists should climb as the new starting guard, while Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel also project for bigger creation roles in Charlotte's reworked offense.

Yesterday

Al Horford • C • Warriors

Al Horford Staying with Warriors for 20th NBA Season

Golden State Warriors forward/center Al Horford is declining his $6 million player option and intends to sign a new two-year, $14 million deal to stay with the team, according to ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater. Horford is also set to become the 13th player in NBA history to reach 20 seasons. The 40-year-old averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.6 threes in 21.5 minutes last season. His fantasy ceiling is limited at this stage, but Horford can still help in threes, blocks, and low-turnover production when Golden State needs a veteran frontcourt spacer around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

2 days ago

Josh Green • SF • Timberwolves

Josh Green Traded to the Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired guard/forward Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets as part of the trade involving LaMelo Ball and Naz Reid, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Green had a limited offensive role in Charlotte last season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. He will not be a high-usage fantasy target with Ball and Anthony Edwards now in the same backcourt, but he gives Minnesota another defensive wing who can run in transition and space the floor in bench-heavy units. Green's value would likely need injuries or a larger-than-expected rotation role to move beyond a watch-list profile.

2 days ago

Naz Reid • C • Hornets

Naz Reid Traded to the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets acquired big man Naz Reid as part of the blockbuster trade sending LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 26-year-old averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from deep for Minnesota last season. Reid's fantasy outlook gets more interesting with the Hornets, especially if Charlotte gives him a bigger frontcourt role after years of sharing touches in Minnesota. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel should see more creation chances with Ball gone, but Reid gives the roster a proven floor-spacing big who can score without needing plays called for him.

2 days ago

LaMelo Ball • PG • Timberwolves

LaMelo Ball Traded to Timberwolves in Blockbuster Deal

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is headed to Minnesota with Josh Green in a blockbuster deal that sends Naz Reid and a large draft-pick package to Charlotte, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Ball had a healthier 2025-26 campaign, averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 72 games for the Hornets. The move puts him next to Anthony Edwards, which should cut into Ball's on-ball dominance but may help his efficiency if he gets more catch-and-shoot looks and easier transition chances. His fantasy ceiling remains tied to assists, threes, and steals, but this is no longer a situation where every possession has to run through him.

2 days ago

LaMelo Ball • PG • Timberwolves

Hornets Entertain Trade Offers for LaMelo Ball

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Charlotte Hornets are engaged in trade talks involving guard LaMelo Ball. Charania reports that multiple teams are "strongly" pursuing the star point guard, with some making "aggressive" offers. He added that there's a legitimate chance Ball could be moved if a team is willing to meet Charlotte's asking price. NBA insider Marc Stein also reports that the Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors have emerged as two of the teams interested in the 24-year-old, who averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 28.0 minutes across 72 games last season.

2 days ago

Isaiah Stewart • PF • Grizzlies

Isaiah Stewart Gets Traded to Grizzlies

Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Stewart will make his way to Memphis in exchange for three future second-round picks. There has been speculation for weeks that Stewart could be moved as part of a cost-cutting decision. The expectation is that Paul Reed will slide into his role behind primary center Jalen Duren. The Pistons could potentially add another forward or center on a cheaper deal in free agency. As for Stewart, he should play significant minutes off the bench as the backup to Zach Edey. This past season, Stewart averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 22.7 minutes per game in 58 contests with the Pistons last season. The assumption is that his value should increase with the move to Memphis.

2 days ago

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