Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Memphis declines option
    The Grizzlies have declined Kennard's (knee) $14.8 million team option Saturday, but both sides are eager to strike a new deal in free agency, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Kennard put up a decent year, during which he averaged 11.0 points, 3.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds across 25.6 minutes in 39 regular-season games. Although, the sharpshooter did what he does best while averaging 45.0 percent from three in limited time due to injury. The Grizzlies will look to bring Kennard back, and avoid the injury bug that plagued their club in the 2023-24 season. Rotowire.com 29 minutes ago
     
  • To become free agent
    The Jazz did not extend a qualifying offer to Lewis on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Lewis will now be able to test the open market to find a new franchise. After Lewis was traded from the Raptors to the Jazz in 2023-24, he proceeded to make just 12 appearances with 3.8 points and 1.6 assists per game. Rotowire.com 36 minutes ago
     
  • Thunder decline team option
    The Thunder declined Joe's $2.1 million team option Saturday, but the team is expected to work with the 24-year-old on a long-term deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Joe proved to be a solid contributor in his second season with the Thunder, during which he averaged 8.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 18.5 minutes. The 24-year-old also got the starting nod in the team's final two playoff games, and he is expected to return on a long-term deal that will be agreed upon when free agency opens in July. By doing this, the Thunder allow themselves to spend $30 million before hopefully re-signing both Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Joe has produced his two best years with OKC, and has expanded his range to the point where he averaged a career-high 41.6 percent from deep in 2023-24. Rotowire.com Today, 1:22 pm
     
  • Headed for free agency
    The Pistons didn't extend Flynn a $5.81 million qualifying offer Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

    Advice: Flynn notably dropped 50 points off the bench in an April 3 game Atlanta, but that was essentially the only highlight of his season. All told, the 26-year-old averaged 5.5 points, 1.9 assists and 1.7 rebounds across 12.7 minutes in 69 regular-season games while bouncing around between the Raptors, Knicks and Pistons. Flynn will look to catch on elsewhere in free agency as a reserve guard. Rotowire.com Today, 9:03 am
     
  • Woj: Russell Westbrook to pick up player option
    According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Russell Westbrook will exercise his player option for the 2024-25 season.

    Advice: After making 21 regular-season appearances for the Clippers during the 2022-23 campaign, the 2023-24 was Westbrook’s first full season with the team. Appearing in 68 games, the veteran point guard averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 3-pointers in 22.5 minutes. He shifted to the backup point guard role after the Clippers acquired James Harden from the 76ers (he started James’ first five games with the team). Westbrook’s fantasy potential in 2024-25 will be impacted by multiple factors, including Harden’s free agency and whether or not the Clippers sign another point guard if The Beard re-signs. Also, according to Law Murray of The Athletic, there’s no guarantee that Westbrook will be with the team next season despite opting in. Rotoworld Today, 8:11 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 Today, 8:05 am
     
  • Staying in L.A.
    Westbrook exercised his $4 million player option for the 2024-25 season Saturday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: The nine-time All-Star hasn't been a regular starter in the past two seasons, but he appears to have become comfortable in his role as a lead guard off the bench. Since he would have been unlikely to fetch much more than $4 million on the open market, Westbrook will stick around for a second full season with the Clippers, coming off a 2023-24 campaign in which he averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals across a career-low 22.5 minutes in 68 appearances. Westbrook's role could expand during the upcoming season if the Clippers aren't able to retain Paul George -- who is expected to decline his $48.79 million player option for 2024-25 and become an unrestricted free agent -- and don't replace him with another high-usage star. Rotowire.com Today, 7:59 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 Today, 7:52 am
     
  • Bound for free agency
    The Nuggets are declining to extend Gillespie (knee) a $1.87 million qualifying offer prior to Saturday's deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette reports.

    Advice: Along with Gillespie, the Nuggets also opted not to extend a qualifying offer to fellow two-way player Braxton Key, opening up a pair of two-way slots for undrafted rookies Trey Alexander and PJ Hall. Gillespie had served as a two-way player for the Nuggets for each of the past two seasons, though he didn't appear in the NBA or in the G League during his first professional campaign in 2022-23 while he recovered from surgery to repair a fractured right leg. Gillespie proceeded to make 24 appearances for the Nuggets in 2023-24, averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 9.4 minutes per contest. He missed the Nuggets' final game of the regular season due to a left knee sprain and then was ineligible for Denver's postseason run because of his status as a two-way player, but the expectation is that Gillespie will be back to full health for the start of NBA training camps in the fall. Rotowire.com Today, 5:48 am