Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Testing free agency
    Love declined his $4.03 million player option for the 2024-25 season Saturday and will become an unrestricted free agent, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Though Love will hit the open market, he and the Heat are optimistic about negotiating a new deal in the opening days of free agency. The veteran big man has carved out a nice role off the bench in Miami, where he has been productive in relatively short-minute stints. Overall, Love averaged 8.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 triples across 16.8 minutes in 55 appearances in 2023-24. If Love does in fact re-sign with Miami, he'll face a new challenger for the top backup role behind starting center Bam Adebayo, as the Heat used its first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Indiana big man Kel'el Ware. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:02 am
     
  • Gets qualifying offer
    The Lakers tendered a qualifying offer to Christie on Saturday, making him a restricted free agent, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

    Advice: By extending Christie a qualifying offer, the Lakers will have the ability to match any offer the 21-year-old guard might receive from another team in free agency. The 21-year-old appeared in 67 regular-season games in his second NBA campaign in 2023-24, averaging 4.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists across 14.1 minutes per game. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:36 am
     
  • Mutual interest between Klay Thompson, Dallas
    There is “strong mutual interest” between Klay Thompson and the Mavericks, per Marc Stein.

    Advice: There have been multiple reports that talks between Klay and the Warriors haven’t been going well, and there have also been reports that Dallas is interested in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Both players would bring championship pedigree and deep range shooting, so it isn’t surprising that Klay is being linked to Dallas. Thompson would likely fill out the starting small forward spot if he joins the Mavs and see plenty of open triples, courtesy of Luka Doncic. Rotoworld Friday, 7:17 pm
     
  • Declines player option
    Caldwell-Pope declined his $15.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season Thursday and will become a free agent, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Caldwell-Pope was remarkably consistent for the Nuggets over the past two seasons, and he averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 31.6 minutes per game over 76 regular-season appearances last year. He'll test the open market this summer, and he should draw interest from multiple teams. Rotowire.com Thursday, 12:55 pm
     
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declines player option
    Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is declining his $15.4 million player option and will enter free agency according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

    Advice: Earlier rumblings from Nuggets GM Calvin Booth pointed to KCP departing in free agency, so this news is hardly surprising. His 3-and-D skillset should keep him in the deeper-league conversation for fantasy managers no matter where he lands. In his absence, Christian Braun could step into a starting role, which would be a monster boost to his fantasy value. Rotoworld Thursday, 12:54 pm
     
  • Eric Gordon to decline PO, set to hit FA
    Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Eric Gordon will decline his $3.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season and become a free agent.

    Advice: Gordon will turn 36 this season, but the veteran can still be a valuable part of a contending team thanks to his long-range shooting. Gordon averaged 11.0 points and knocked down 37.8% of his three-point attempts last season with Phoenix. Rotoworld Thursday, 12:07 pm
     
  • Declines player option
    Gordon declined his $3.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season Thursday and will become a free agent, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Gordon's output has declined over the past few seasons, but he shot 37.8 percent from beyond the arc during the 2023-24 campaign during his first year with the Suns. Over 68 regular-season appearances with Phoenix, he averaged 11.0 points and 2.0 assists in 27.8 minutes per game. He's expected to draw interest from multiple contenders as a free agent, so he could carve out another decent role next year, especially if he maintains his three-point efficiency. Rotowire.com Thursday, 11:35 am
     
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope might not be back in FA
    In a recent interview with Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports, Nuggets GM Calvin Booth alluded to a potential Kentavious Caldwell-Pope free agency departure.

    Advice: Booth said, “Yeah, I think you have to look at everything and the nature of free agency is that he’s unrestricted. So we can try to bring him back and if he doesn’t want to come back or opts to go somewhere else, that’s his prerogative so we’ll have to work with that.” That comment is innocuous, but his final word on the matter speaks to the possibility of KCP departing in free agency. According to Booth, “It would be nice if he’s back, we’d have a lot of continuity together, but all the stuff I’ve looked at with lineup stuff and everything, Christian Braun is one of the best net rating guys in the league — as is KCP. So I think if he’s to step into the starting lineup, I would project that we’ll be OK if KCP doesn’t return.” If Caldwell-Pope doesn’t return to the Nuggets next season, Braun is an intriguing late-round pick. He’s played well in limited minutes, and a starting role would do wonders for his fantasy value. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:39 am
     
  • Gets qualifying offer
    The Pacers issued Toppin a qualifying offer Wednesday, making him a restricted free agent, Tony East of SI.com reports.

    Advice: Toppin set career highs across the board during his first season in Indiana, as he averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 stocks in 21.1 minutes across 82 regular-season appearances. He also provided a spark off the bench during the postseason, scoring at least 10 points in six straight games at one point. During that stretch, Toppin averaged 15.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 3:03 pm