Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Declines player option Saturday
    Bryant declined his $2.8 million player option Saturday, and he will test free agency this offseason, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

    Advice: Bryant had a down year with the Heat, and if he were to have stayed his role likely would have diminished as the club drafted Kel'el Ware with the No. 15 overall selection in the 2024 draft. The 26-year-old appeared in just 38 games for the Heat, during which he averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists across 11.6 minutes per game. Rotowire.com Today, 2:26 pm
     
  • Knicks pick up team option
    The Knicks have picked up Sims' $2.1 million team option Saturday, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post reports.

    Advice: Sims will return to the Knicks for at least one more year. This comes amid uncertainty around Isaiah Hartenstein's future with the club, as the Knicks have reported interest in bringing the big man back. Sims appeared in 45 regular-season games last year, during which he averaged 2.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.4 blocks across a career-low 13.0 minutes per game Rotowire.com Today, 2:15 pm
     
  • To become free agent
    The Magic declined Wagner's $8 million team option for the 2024-25 season on Saturday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

    Advice: Despite this move by the Magic, Wojnarowski reports that there is mutual interest to negotiate a fresh deal in free agency. Wagner made 80 appearances for the Magic last season, posting averages of 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.5 three-pointers in 17.7 minutes per contest. Rotowire.com Today, 2:13 pm
     
  • Enters free agency
    The Pistons didn't tender a $7.74 million qualifying offer to Wiseman on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

    Advice: Wiseman was the No. 2 overall pick in 2020 for the Warriors, but he has struggled to find a significant role in his three seasons in the league. After being acquired from the Pistons at the trade deadline in 2023, the 23-year-old spent the entirety of the 2023-24 season in Detroit. When healthy, WIseman largely served as the No. 2 center behind Jalen Duren, averaging 7.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 blocks across 17.3 minutes. Wiseman's youth, size and potential should be enough to help him land at least a one-year deal in free agency. Rotowire.com Today, 8:55 am
     
  • Woj: Kevin Love to decline player option
    According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kevin Love is declining his player option for the 2024-25 season.

    Advice: Had he opted into the final season of his contract, Love would have made approximately $4 million in 2024-25. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent, but Wojnarowski also reported that Love and the Heat are “enthusiastic” about being able to work out a deal. Love will likely have limited fantasy value if he returns to Miami, as the Heat have Bam Adebayo as their starting center and selected Indiana’s Kel’El Ware with the 15th overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. Rotoworld Today, 8:15 am
     
  • Testing free agency
    Love declined $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 Today, 8:02 am
     
  • Report: Jaxson Hayes to exercise player option
    According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Jaxson Hayes has decided to exercise his player option for the 2024-25 season.

    Advice: Hayes is due to make approximately $2.4 million in 2024-25, and the decision to opt into his contract means the Lakers will have a full rotation at center. Anthony Davis prefers to play at power forward, and having Hayes and Christian Wood under contract will give new head coach JJ Redick more opportunities to make that happen. That said, Hayes and Wood don’t offer enough fantasy value to merit being selected in most drafts. Rotoworld Today, 5:09 am
     
  • Picking up player option
    Hayes informed the Lakers on Friday that he will exercise his $2.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Hayes likely would have been on track for a one-year contract at a similar salary level in free agency had he declined the option, so he'll stick around in Los Angeles with the hope that he can solidify himself as the top backup center under first-year head coach JJ Redick. Previous coach Darvin Ham deployed Hayes as Anthony Davis' primary backup in 2023-24, though the Lakers were without Hayes' main competitors for the position -- Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood -- for much of the season due to injury. Vanderbilt and Wood are both healthy again and are under contract for the upcoming season, so Hayes could struggle to reach the 70 appearances and 12.5 minutes per contest he averaged in 2023-24. Rotowire.com Today, 5:01 am
     
  • Shipped to Atlanta
    The Pelicans traded Nance, Dyson Daniels and two future first-round picks to the Hawks on Friday in exchange for Dejounte Murray, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Nance averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 19.9 minutes across 61 bench appearances for the Pelicans in 2023-24. His role in Atlanta is unclear, as Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu will likely both feature ahead of him at center. Regardless, Nance has displayed versatility on the defensive end as well as an improved outside shot, converting 41.5 percent of 1.1 three-point attempts per contest last season. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:59 pm