Fantasy Basketball

McGriff and Mangas have been added to the roster for training camp, which will begin in late September. Given the current state of the Pacers roster, with all three two-way slots and all 15 standard contract slots filled, McGriff and Mangas face long odds to make the opening night roster. Look for them to land with Indiana’s G League affiliate ultimately.

Ryan averaged 5.4 points per game with the Pelicans last season and shot 45.1 percent from deep. His release comes following the announcement of Javonte Green’s one-year deal with New Orleans.

Windler was the 26th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but he never established himself as an NBA player due to injuries. Seeing action for the Knicks, Lakers, and Hawks, he appeared in 17 NBA games last season, posting averages of 2.5 points and 0.9 rebounds in 6.4 minutes. Windler will look to rejuvenate his professional career in Australia, with Perth being one of the NBL’s top teams.

Nearly three weeks after being waived by the Bucks, Galloway rejoins the team with which he began his professional career. The 6-foot-6 wing played well for the Kings during the 2023-24 season, averaging just over ten points per game. After the NBL season, Galloway agreed to a two-year, two-way contract with the Bucks, spending most of his time with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate. With the Bucks’ focus on winning now, Galloway was unlikely to factor into the rotation had he not been waived in early August.

Phoenix had 16 players under standard contracts for the 2024-25 season, so something had to give. Liddell’s reported exit is unsurprising, as he was not believed to be in the Suns’ plans after being acquired from the Hawks earlier this summer. As for Little, the 2019 first-round pick only appeared in 45 games last season, posting averages of 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes. His departure will have a financial impact, as the Suns will stretch the remaining $22 million on Little’s contract. Rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro are expected to be given every opportunity to earn rotation minutes next season.

The 23rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Garuba failed to make an impact with either the Rockets or Warriors. While it was reported as early as May that he would ultimately sign with Real Madrid, the move did not become official until Tuesday. Garuba’s exit will not impact fantasy basketball, as he struggled to earn rotation minutes in the NBA.

After spending his rookie campaign on a two-way contract, Bates will return to the Cavaliers on similar terms. He appeared in 15 NBA games in 2023-24, averaging 2.7 points and 0.9 rebounds in under nine minutes. Even if Cleveland does not bring back Isaac Okoro, who remains a restricted free agent, Bates is unlikely to get the run needed to make a dent in fantasy basketball.

Not selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, Hauser agreed to a two-way deal with the Jazz in July 2023 but was waived just before the start of the season. The Clippers signed him on an Exhibit 10 deal shortly after that, but the former Michigan State forward was waived on October 21 and spent last season in the G League. Hauser may wind up spending most of his time with Atlanta’s G League affiliate, so there’s little need to consider drafting him.

Omoruyi’s contract wasn’t guaranteed for this season, so it isn’t surprising to see Washington make this move. Omoruyi played less than 10 minutes per game last season, so this won’t impact their rotation much.

Johnson played sparingly as a rookie and averaged 1.2 points and 1.1 rebounds through nine games with OKC. It’s unlikely that he’ll play a significant role for a healthy Hornets team.