Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Stays in Atlanta
    The Hawks exercised Mathews' $2.23 million team option for the 2024-25 season Saturday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

    Advice: In his first full season with Atlanta in 2023-24, Mathews averaged 4.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.3 three-pointers and 0.6 assists across 15.0 minutes in 66 regular-season games. While he doesn't project to see a major increase in playing time heading into Year 2 in Atlanta, Mathews' perimeter-shooting skills make him a valuable reserve. He connected on 44 percent of his attempts from downtown last season. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 10:55 am
     
  • Report: ATL exercise Garrison Mathews team option
    According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Hawks have picked up Garrison Mathews’ option for the 2024-25 season.

    Advice: After shooting a career-high 44.0% from three last season, Mathews’ option has been picked up by the Hawks. While Atlanta has added Zaccharie Risacher (draft) and Dyson Daniels (reported trade) this week, Mathews’ 3-point shooting ability will allow him to earn rotation minutes next season. However, he only played 15.0 minutes per game last season, so fantasy managers should not consider him a “must-draft” player in most leagues. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:52 am
     
  • Sticking around in Phoenix
    O'Neale is expected to sign a four-year, $44 million deal to return to the Suns when free agency officially opens July 6, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: The Suns acquired O'Neale on Feb. 8, and he averaged 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.9 steals across 25.0 minutes in 30 regular-season games for the team. The 31-year-old also shot an efficient 37.6 percent from deep in that span. Even with Phoenix fizzling out in the playoffs with a first-round exit and the team having since replaced Frank Vogel as head coach with Mike Budenholzer, O'Neale is still viewed as a core rotational piece for the club heading into 2024-25. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 10:45 am
     
  • Woj: Royce O’Neale to sign 4-year deal with Suns
    According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Royce O’Neale intends to sign a four-year, $44 million deal to remain with the Suns.

    Advice: With it being reported in mid-June that the Suns intended to re-sign O’Neale, Saturday’s news is unsurprising. Acquired from the Nets at the February deadline, the versatile wing averaged 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.0 3-pointers in 25.1 minutes with the Suns. O’Neale provided 12th-round per-game value in 9-cat formats from the trade deadline onward. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Royce will merit consideration as a late-round pick in standard leagues. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:41 am
     
  • Woj: Blazers pick up Dalano Banton’s team option
    According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Trail Blazers have picked up Dalano Banton’s team option for next season.

    Advice: Acquired from the Celtics at the February trade deadline (Boston received a trade exception), Banton’s play was one of the few positives for the Trail Blazers last season. In his 30 games with Portland, the 2021 second-round pick averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.9 3-pointers in 29.2 minutes. It should be noted that, by that point in the season, Portland had been decimated by injuries, freeing up additional minutes for Banton. Regardless of how the opportunities came about, he did enough with them to get his contract guaranteed for next season. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:05 am
     
  • Staying in Portland
    The Trail Blazers exercised Banton's $2.2 million team option for the 2024-25 season Saturday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Banton will return to Portland for his first full season with the Trail Blazers after he was acquired from the Celtics in Feb. 8. While Portland shut down several key contributors with injuries late last season, the 24-year-old stepped into a focal role for Portland, averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals over 30 contests with the club. Though he played well enough to stick around in Portland in 2024-25 and may even have earned himself a rotation spot, Banton is still expected to see a steep role reduction if the Trail Blazers have the likes of Jerami Grant (hamstring), Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) and Anfernee Simons (knee) available to begin the upcoming season. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:52 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