Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Pelicans ‘dangling’ Brandon Ingram in trade talks
    The Pelicans are reportedly “dangling” Brandon Ingram in trade talks and have contacted both Houston and Philadelphia about a potential deal, per The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.

    Advice: Since their season ended, rumors have been swirling about a BI trade, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time before he is with a new organization. New Orleans looked into a deal that landed them Alperen Sengun, but the Rockets reportedly have no interest in that. Philly is in the market for a third star and have already been tied to wings like Paul George and Jimmy Butler. It wouldn’t be a shocking landing spot if they aren’t able to acquire either of the other two. Rotoworld Thursday, 7:56 am
     
  • Report: Gary Payton II to opt into player option
    According to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Gary Payton II will opt into his $9.1 million player option for the 2024-25 season.

    Advice: By opting in, GPII has the flexibility to sign an extension with the team this offseason according to Andrews. Payton II has played a key defensive role for Golden State in recent seasons, but he’s much better in real life than he is in the realm of fantasy hoops. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:14 am
     
  • Picks up player option
    Payton exercised his $9.1 million player option for the 2024-25 season Wednesday, Kendra Andrews of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: By exercising his player option, Payton will be on the books for the upcoming season and will now be able to negotiate a possible contract extension with the Warriors. Payton has had some tough luck with injuries in recent seasons, but he's invaluable to the Warriors for his perimeter defense. In 44 regular-season appearances in 2023-24, Payton averaged 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 steals in 15.5 minutes per contest while shooting 56.3 percent from the field. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 9:11 am
     
  • Efficient in Game 5 loss
    Jones provided 10 points (4-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT) and one block in 22 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Jones started all 22 playoff games for the Mavericks and averaged 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 48.1 percent from the field. The 27-year-old came into his first season with the team after struggling to carve out a role with the Bulls during two years in Chicago. Jones will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, and his play throughout this season will likely earn him more interest around the league than last summer. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 12:21 pm
     
  • Scores eight points in Game 5 win
    Hauser delivered eight points (3-7 FG, 2-6 3Pt), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 17 minutes in Monday's 106-88 Game 5 win over the Mavericks.

    Advice: While Hauser is known as a three-point sniper, he provided Boston with plenty of hard-nosed defense throughout its championship run. Dallas periodically hunted Hauser during the Finals, only to learn the reserve forward was up for the challenge. Hauser averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 boards and 2.2 triples over 15 minutes per contest in the Finals. This offseason, expect Boston to exercise its club option to retain Hauser. The Wisconsin product could again be a key contributor in the quest for Banner 19. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 7:29 am
     
  • Efficient from deep in Game 5 loss
    Green notched 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-6 3Pt) and two rebounds across 22 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Green produced his best game of the playoffs Monday despite the Mavericks losing Game 5 and the series by a 4-1 deficit. The 23-year-old averaged 5.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.4 steals across 19.2 minutes in five NBA Finals games. Green's four three-pointers were his most since Feb. 5, and with the 23-year-old under contract with the Mavericks until 2026, he will look to possibly take on a larger role with the team next season as the Mavericks attempt to make it back to the Finals. Rotowire.com Monday, 9:55 pm
     
  • Takes home NBA Finals MVP
    Brown had 21 points (7-23 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 5-6 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and two steals across 44 minutes during Monday's 106-88 victory over Dallas in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Brown won the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award after averaging a well-rounded 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks across five NBA Finals games. The three-time All-Star helped lead the team to title No. 18 after a dominant season, during which the Celtics boasted the best record in the league. Brown was a force in the 2023-24 playoffs, averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting an extremely efficient 51.6 percent across 19 games. The Celtics will look to run it back next season with Brown and Jayson Tatum at the helm. Rotowire.com Monday, 9:11 pm
     
  • Does it all in Game 5 victory
    Tatum had 31 points (11-24 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals across 45 minutes during Monday's 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Tatum had an all-time classic of a game to help deliver Boston banner No. 18 on Monday. The five-time All-Star was the first Celtics player since Larry Bird in 1986 with 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and five-plus rebounds in an NBA Finals game. The 26-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks across five contests in the Finals. Overall, Tatum was spectacular in the 2023-24 playoffs, averaging 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 42.7 percent from the field. The Celtics will look to repeat their success next season, as Tatum and Jaylen Brown will attempt to lead the team to back-to-back titles. Rotowire.com Monday, 9:09 pm
     
  • Derrick Jones Jr. scores 10 PTS in Finals finale
    Derrick Jones Jr. shot 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line in Monday’s 106-88 loss to Boston, amassing 10 points, one blocked shot, and one 3-pointer in 22 minutes.

    Advice: Despite hitting double figures for the second time in the series, Jones’ performance on Monday was not impactful. Besides the points, he only supplied one blocked shot and failed to grab a rebound in Game 5. Jones entered the season competing for a place in the Mavericks starting lineup but remained off the radar in most fantasy drafts. While “Airplane Mode” started 66 of the 76 regular season games he appeared in, he did not offer consistent fantasy value. Jones finished the year ranked well outside the top 200 in 8- and 9-cat formats, which surprised no one. He’ll be a free agent this summer, and regardless of where he lands, Jones is likely to be more valuable to his team than to fantasy managers. Rotoworld Monday, 8:52 pm