Player Notes

Wade (knee) acknowledged that his injured right knee has been more painful than it had been in the 2012 postseason, the Miami Herald reports. He hopes to play through the remainder of the postseason for the defending champions, as he doesn't believe extra rest will help at this point. "Time doesn't help me right now. It's unfortunate I've had to deal with this thing for two months now... Even though my knee isn't 100 percent, it [isn't] gone," Wade said.
Recommendation: Wade's struggles have been ailing him throughout the entire season, but it has not prevented him from being efficient for the Heat. He managed to pull off 19 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block in Game 1 against the Pacers and looks to continue to play effectively in the Heat's title run.

Landry is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Recommendation: Landry saw his role squeezed as the season went on, until he was playing just 20 minutes nightly in the playoffs. Though he's a decent offensive option, he lacks the defensive presence to justify playing starter minutes in the NBA. His option is for $4 million, but the lure in opting out of his final year is the ability to sign a multi-year at what may be a slightly reduced yearly salary. Landry's departure would open up more minutes for Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green next season.

James had a monster performance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, finishing with 30 points (12-of-24 FG, 2-of-6 3Pt, 4-of-7 FT), 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks in an overtime win against the Pacers.
Recommendation: James was able to put the exclamation point on his triple-double by blowing past Indiana's Paul George for the game-winning layup as the clock expired in overtime. His stellar play from the regular season has carried over to the playoffs, as the MVP is averaging 24.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.5 steals through 10 postseason contests.

Jones intends to opt into his player option with the Heat for next season, Fox Sports reports.
Recommendation: Jones averaged just six minutes of action in the 38 games in which he appeared with the Heat this season and has mostly become a forgotten man on the team's deep roster. If Mike Miller is released, as has been discussed as a very real possibility, and Ray Allen decides to retire or opt out of his contract, Jones could find himself playing a larger role next season.

Sullinger (back) is currently on a 10-week rehab program, ESPN Boston reports.
Recommendation: Sullinger started light workouts about two weeks ago and hopes to be 100 percent by training camp.

Coach Gregg Popovich said Parker is "fine," the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Recommendation: Parker's MRI came back as expected, and the contusion in his left calf is beginning to dissipate. It looks as though Parker should be fine for Saturday's Game 3 in Memphis.

Smith has fluid buildup in his left knee that may have contributed to his poor shooting performance in the playoffs, the NY Post reports.
Recommendation: Smith is supposed to get the fluid drained from his knee in the near future and should be fine after that. It is suggested that draining the knee and resting it for a short period of time should relieve any stiffness or swelling. Smith is expected to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He has said he wants to remain a Knick, but it'd be somewhat surprising if Smith isn't able to spin his Sixth Man of the Year Award into a decent long-term contract.

Vasquez is scheduled to undergo a cleanup procedure on both of his ankles, True Hoop reports. He could miss 3-to-4 months to fully recover from the procedure.
Recommendation: Vasquez is in a precarious position with the Pelicans. He was the starting point guard when healthy this season, but the team drafted Austin Rivers with the 10th pick in last year's draft, and Rivers believes his best position is point guard. Depending on the Pelicans' plans next season, Vasquez's inability to practice and improve for the better part of the offseason could open the door for Rivers to claim the starting point guard role next season. Vasquez is under contract with the Pelicans for at least one more season, and the team can extend him a qualifying offer in 2014-15 to keep his free agency restricted.

Duncan blocked four shots in Tuesday's Game 2 against the Grizzlies to become the first player in NBA history to record 500 blocks in the playoffs, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Recommendation: Duncan has played in 202 playoff games in his career. He's the all-time leader in blocks in the playoffs and is coming off one of his best seasons blocking shots in his career. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this milestone is the fact that it's merely an extra bullet point added to Duncan's illustrious resume.

Andersen scored 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting with five rebounds and three blocked shots in 18 minutes Wednesday night in Miami's overtime win over Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Recommendation: The Birdman brought a lot of hustle and defense to the game, but also had some key buckets in what was his playoff high in minutes and points.

Villanueva picked up his $8.5-million contract option with the Pistons for the 2013-14 season, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Recommendation: Villanueva has long stated his plans to opt in to the final year of his contract, so this news comes as little surprise. Despite this news, there's no guarantee Villanueva will suit up for the Pistons next season, as the team will likely explore trade options or could opt to use the amnesty clause to waive the veteran forward.