Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Dereck Lively II unlikely to be ‘pick-and-pop’ big
    Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said on Friday that he does not envision Dereck Lively II turning into a “pick-and-pop” big man next season.

    Advice: While Lively hit his first career 3-pointer during the NBA Finals and showed off his range during workouts throughout the series, fantasy managers should not expect to see him offer Brook Lopez-like production in that area next season. Dallas does not need him to do that, especially with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving running the show. “He’s not going to be a pick-and-pop guy,” Harrison said of Lively. “He has the skill to do it, but for our team, that’s not what we’re going to ask him to do. He’s really good in the short-roll, he can pass to both sides of the floor. He’s just going to get better. I think there’s a lot of room for him to grow, and he’ll do it.” Rotoworld Yesterday, 5:36 pm
     
  • Mavs see keeping Derrick Jones Jr. as a ‘priority’
    Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said on Friday that re-signing Derrick Jones Jr. this summer is a priority for the franchise.

    Advice: Jones was a fixture in the starting lineup throughout Dallas’ run to the NBA Finals. While his production did not make him a great option in most fantasy leagues, he fits nicely into Jason Kidd’s rotation alongside star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Dallas’s issue is that they don’t have much room financially heading into free agency, but that does not impact their view on Jones and his importance to the team. “I don’t know how we’re going to do it,” Harrison said of re-signing Jones. “But he’s priority 1-A (and) 1-B. I think he fits in with our team. He loves it here. We have to figure out the dynamics to get him to stay. But yeah, that’s a priority. We’ll do what we have to do to get it done.” “Airplane Mode” should make considerably more than the $2 million he did this season, whether in Dallas or elsewhere. Rotoworld Yesterday, 5:32 pm
     
  • Luka Doncic expected to play in Olympic qualifiers
    Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said on Friday that he expects Luka Doncic to play for Slovenia in the nation’s upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

    Advice: While he was banged up during the Mavericks’ run to the NBA Finals, it takes a lot for Doncic to pass up on an opportunity to represent his country. Slovenia is playing in one of four Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, with play scheduled for July 2. Harrison said he expects the Mavericks’ star point guard to play “as long as he can walk.” Doncic played in the FIBA World Cup last summer, so advancing to the Paris Olympics would mean another “offseason” with limited rest. Rotoworld Yesterday, 3:16 pm
     
  • Report: Hornets open to Miles Bridges sign & trade
    According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Hornets are open to parting with Miles Bridges via sign-and-trade.

    Advice: After missing the regular season’s first ten games due to a league suspension, Bridges posted gaudy individual numbers for one of the NBA’s worst teams. Charlotte refrained from trading him at the February deadline, and Bridges will be an unrestricted free agent on June 30. According to Fischer, Bridges is expected to command at least $30 million per year in his new deal, and Charlotte would open to a sign-and-trade if the right opportunity presented itself. After pleading no contest to domestic violence charges in 2023, Bridges was sentenced to three years of probation. Three charges in connection to an alleged violation of a protective order taken out by the mother of Bridges’ children were dismissed in February 2024. Rotoworld Yesterday, 2:52 pm
     
  • Report: MIL exploring trade market for Brook Lopez
    According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Bucks have been looking into the trade market for veteran center Brook Lopez.

    Advice: After their first-round exit at the hands of the Pacers, the Bucks are reportedly open to retooling their roster around stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. As a result, Lopez’s name has been discussed concerning his value on the trade market. The veteran center, who turned 36 in April, finished this season as a top 50 player in 9-cat formats and once again ranked among the league leaders in blocked shots. If Lopez were traded, he would undoubtedly land in a spot where he would remain a starter. Remaining in Milwaukee does limit his offensive ceiling, as he’s no higher than fourth in the pecking order behind Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and Khris Middleton. Rotoworld Yesterday, 2:43 pm
     
  • Woj: Drew Eubanks decides to decline player option
    According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Drew Eubanks will decline his player option and enter free agency.

    Advice: Eubanks, who agreed to a one-plus-one deal before the 2023-24 campaign, served as Jusuf Nurkic’s backup. Appearing in 75 games, he averaged a modest 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 15.6 minutes. Eubanks would have made a little over $2.65 million had he opted into the final season of his contract. While he did say in mid-May that he hoped to return to the Suns for the 2024-25 season, the reported decision to opt out casts some doubt about Eubanks’ future in Phoenix. He’s likely to have a similar role wherever he lands in free agency, so fantasy managers in most leagues will only be considering Eubanks as a streamer. Rotoworld Yesterday, 1:03 pm
     
  • Set to hit free agency
    Eubanks announced Friday he is declining his $2.6 million player option from the Suns for 2024-25 and will become an unrestricted free agent, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Eubanks will hit free agency after averaging 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15.6 minutes across 75 appearances, including six starts, for Phoenix in 2023-24. Eubanks will likely continue to operate as a backup center for a different team if he finds a new destination in free agency. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 12:26 pm
     
  • Report: Knicks shopping Mitchell Robinson
    According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Knicks have been in contact with multiple teams in hopes of finding a trade partner for Robinson.

    Advice: Robinson was injured for a large chunk of 2023-24 and is currently viewed as less valuable than Isaiah Hartenstein. The big man could be moved ahead of the 2024-25 season to make room for Hartenstein to take over as New York’s starting center. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:41 am
     
  • Will stay with Sacramento
    Monk (knee) intends to sign a four-year, $78 million deal with the Kings, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Monk continues to recover from a knee injury, but that hasn't stopped him from reaching an agreement with the Kings. The sharpshooter averaged career-high marks in points (15.4) and assists (5.1) per game en route to finishing second in the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award voting. Even though Monk was expected to be a sought-after player in the open market, instead, he chose to sign with the Kings and is expected to make the deal official once the league year begins July 1. Rotowire.com Thursday, 8:23 pm