Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Kyle Anderson hopes to return to Minnesota
    During his season-ending media availability, pending free agent forward Kyle Anderson said he hopes to remain with the Timberwolves.

    Advice: A reliable option off the bench for the Timberwolves, Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 79 games, SloMo averaged 6.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 22.6 minutes, shooting 46.0% from the field and 70.8% from the foul line. Anderson hopes that he and the Timberwolves come to terms on a new deal, with the fit being good on and off the court. “My family’s here,” Anderson said on Friday. “My son is on the spectrum. He’s doing really well here in the Minnesota school system, and his development is really key. And he’s doing so well, so, you know, that plays a part into it.” While he will have value among playoff-caliber teams, Anderson’s decision is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball significantly. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:05 pm
     
  • Minimal impact in loss
    Alexander-Walker recorded zero points (0-2 FG, 0-1 3Pt), one assist and two steals in 14 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 loss to the Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: Alexander-Walker averaged just 3.4 points, 1.6 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 15.4 minutes across the Western Conference. He also struggled mightily with his efficiency, shooting 28.6 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three across the five contests. However, the 25-year-old guard converted 39.1 percent of his 4.1 three-point attempts per game during the regular season and will head into the 2024-25 campaign under the last year of his two-year, $9 million contract. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 1:38 pm
     
  • Struggles with efficiency
    Anderson provided seven points (3-9 FG, 1-4 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal over 33 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 loss to the Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: Anderson's 33 minutes played in Game 5 were his highest of the series, largely due to his role in guarding Luka Doncic. Anderson will end the Western Conference Finals averaging 7.4 points, 3.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 22.4 minutes across the five contests. The 30-year-old forward will head into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Anderson's future in Minnesota is uncertain as he went from averaging 28.4 minutes across 69 appearances, including 46 starts in 2022-23, to 22.6 minutes across 79 appearances, just 10 of which were starts, in 2023-24. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 1:32 pm
     
  • Productive in return
    Lively posted nine points (3-3 FG, 3-6 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks over 25 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 win over Minnesota in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: Lively returned to action Thursday after missing Game 4 due to a neck injury. The rookie big man returned to his role of coming off the bench but splitting minutes at the center position with Daniel Gafford as a platoon. Lively averaged 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.0 minutes across his four appearances in the Western Conference Finals. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 1:06 pm
     
  • Mike Conley posts 7/4/2/2 line in Game 5 loss
    Mike Conley recorded a stat line of seven points (2-of-5 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 21 minutes in Thursday’s 124-103 loss to the Mavericks.

    Advice: Dealing with a strained right soleus muscle throughout the conference finals, Conley only played 21 minutes on Thursday. The nature of Game 5 had much to do with that, as Dallas blew things wide open during the first quarter and did not look back. This was a rough end for a veteran point guard who played in 76 games after injuries limited him to 24 the season prior. Conley’s scoring average decreased by over two points but still provided top 75 per-game value in 9-cat formats. Expecting that level of production from him would be unrealistic, especially since he’ll turn 37 in October, but Conley is undoubtedly capable. Rotoworld Thursday, 9:01 pm
     
  • Jaden McDaniels scores eight points in Game 5 loss
    Jaden McDaniels logged 21 minutes in Thursday’s 124-103 loss to the Mavericks, amassing eight points (3-of-6 FGs), one rebound, two blocks, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: McDaniels struggled with fouls in Game 5, playing a series-low 21 minutes as a result. After scoring 24 points in the series opener, the Timberwolves wing struggled in Games 2 and 5 while producing solid all-around efforts in Games 3 and 4. McDaniels is one of the top wing defenders in the NBA, but his fantasy value is capped due to his being no higher than fourth in the offensive pecking order on most nights. While his status as a starter led many fantasy managers to select Jaden with a late-round pick (Yahoo ADP: 114), he finished just inside the top 200 in 9-cat formats. McDaniels should be selected in most drafts, but managers must keep their expectations in check. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:53 pm
     
  • Naz Reid struggles in Game 5 blowout loss to Mavs
    Naz Reid shot 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-1 from the foul line in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks, tallying five points, four rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot in 27 minutes.

    Advice: Reid’s production tailed off considerably after scoring 14 points or more in the first three games of the Western Conference Finals. He only attempted six shots in Game 4, but Game 5 was arguably his most disappointing effort of the postseason. The five points were the fewest in a game for Reid since Minnesota’s Game 2 win over Phoenix in the first round, and he missed all four of his 3-point attempts. While Reid finished the regular season ranked outside the top 100 in fantasy, he was a dependable option despite coming off the bench. Minnesota would likely have to move Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert for his ceiling to be raised. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:45 pm
     
  • Dereck Lively II plays 25 MIN in return to action
    Dereck Lively II (neck sprain) finished Thursday’s win over the Timberwolves with nine points (3-of-3 FGs, 3-of-6 FTs), eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocked shots in 25 minutes.

    Advice: Lively was back in the rotation after sitting out Tuesday’s Game 4 defeat, and the rookie was impactful on both ends of the floor. He didn’t miss a shot from the field and was also effective as a playmaker in the short roll. Add in eight rebounds and three blocked shots, and Lively was one of the other difference-makers in Game 5. Starting center Daniel Gafford was also 3-of-3 from the field, tallying 11 points, nine rebounds, and one blocked shot in 20 minutes. Next up for Dallas are the Celtics in the NBA Finals, which begin on June 6. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:11 pm
     
  • Good to go for Game 5
    Conley (Achilles) will play in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas on Thursday.

    Advice: For the seventh game in a row, Conley will play through his right soleus strain. With Minnesota facing elimination with a loss, it's not a surprise to see Conley power through his injury again. Rotowire.com Thursday, 4:53 pm