Yahoo Sports

During his introductory press conference, Bulls guard Josh Giddey said his responsibility with his new team is to “make the game easy for everybody else.”

Advice: The writing was effectively on the wall for Giddey, as his role diminished during the postseason. His trade from Oklahoma City to Chicago was unsurprising, and the change of scenery may ensure the 2021 lottery pick has a marquee role moving forward. Giddey said Thunder brass wanted to move him into a backup role. While that may have increased usage, Giddey’s playing time likely would have decreased. “And I just said to [Thunder lead executive Sam Presti], at this point in my career, I’m 21 years old, it wasn’t something I was overly eager to do,” Giddey said on Tuesday. "(Presti) completely understood. Throughout the whole process, we were open and honest with each other. And I said to him, ‘Look, coming off the bench at this point in my career is not something I’m trying to do and take a reserve role.’ He got it. We worked together through the whole process. He got me to a great spot. I’m very, very excited to be here in Chicago.” Depending on what the Bulls roster looks like in the fall, the trade should raise Giddey’s fantasy ceiling after struggling with his role in Oklahoma City last season. Rotoworld Yesterday, 2:11 pm

Anunoby (hamstring) declined his $19.9 million player option for 2024-25 on Monday and will become an unrestricted free agent, Fred Katz of The Athletic reports.

Advice: It was inevitable that Anunoby would decline his player option, as he has a reported market value of around $35 million-plus per year going into free agency, which starts June 30. The 26-year-old has proven his worth as a solid wing defender and three-point shooter, but his injury history is another factor teams will consider before making him an offer. Anunoby was traded from the Raptors to the Knicks on Dec. 30, and he averaged 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks across 34.9 minutes in 23 regular-season appearances for New York. Rotowire.com Monday, 2:43 pm

The Thunder traded Giddey to the Bulls in exchange for Alex Caruso on Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Advice: After receiving a significantly reduced role in the playoffs, averaging just 12.5 minutes across six games against Dallas, Giddey's long-term future in Oklahoma City seemed uncertain. As such, it is not surprising to see the 21-year-old guard dealt for Caruso, who can offer better perimeter defense for the Thunder. Giddey could receive an opportunity to have the ball in his hands more often now that he is no longer playing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.2 minutes across 80 games in 2023-24. However, he will be competing for playing time in a crowded backcourt with Coby White, Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu and Lonzo Ball (knee). Rotowire.com Thursday, 2:18 pm

Jayson Tatum shot 11-of-24 from the field and 8-of-8 from the foul line in Monday’s 106-88 win over the Mavericks, tallying 31 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 45 minutes.

Advice: The Celtics wrapped up their 18th NBA championship on Monday, with Tatum leading the way as a scorer and creator. He made some history, becoming the first Celtics player to account for at least 20 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in an NBA Finals game since Larry Bird in 1986. The championship caps quite the journey for the Celtics star, who has been an elite fantasy option for most of his career. Tatum’s scoring average dropped by more than three points per game compared to his 2022-23 production, so he finished the regular season ranked 15th in 8- and 9-cat per-game value, according to Basketball Monster. That certainly isn’t “bad,” but most fantasy managers were hoping to get top 5 value out of the Celtics star. Tatum’s ceiling still makes him a player who should be selected in the first round of most drafts, but Boston’s depth slightly lowers his fantasy ceiling. Rotoworld Monday, 8:08 pm