NBA Player News

After being waived by the Suns on August 21, Little will have another opportunity to solidify his NBA standing in Miami. While the Heat have an open standard contract slot, signing Little to a standard deal now would significantly impact the team’s luxury tax standing. He may have agreed to a partially (or non) guaranteed contract. Little appeared in 45 games last season, averaging 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes. His addition to the Heat roster will not impact fantasy basketball.

After one season in Memphis, the former NBA MVP is looking for a new home. Injuries limited Rose to 24 appearances last season, averaging 8.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes. While Rose’s exit (which is Memphis letting him out of his contract) will not impact Ja Morant’s fantasy value, as he’s firmly entrenched as the starting point guard, this may free up additional opportunities for Scotty Pippen Jr. to earn rotation minutes. He played well for the Grizzlies after a rash of injuries pushed him into the rotation, and there may be some late-round value in deep leagues.

Atlanta signed Hauser to an Exhibit 10 contract on August 21. That designation allows him to earn a $77,500 bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Hawks’ G League affiliate. This transaction will not impact fantasy basketball.

The Bulls recently got together in Miami to get some on-court time before the start of training camp, and that should have been good for Williams. Unfortunately, he reportedly experienced discomfort in the foot that was operated on in late February, and there are now questions regarding his availability for the start of camp. With DeMar DeRozan no longer in the picture, Williams is one of the players in line for added responsibility. But that will only happen if he’s healthy. Williams is a late-round option in drafts, but Monday’s update makes him more of an option to leagues that have ample IL+ slots to work with. Rookie Matas Buzelis is someone to be mindful of if the Bulls announce that Williams suffered a significant setback.

The Knicks don’t want to rush Robinson back to the lineup, which means that they’ll have to turn to other options at center. Precious Achiuwa should get the first crack at extra minutes and could slide into the starting unit, which makes him an intriguing late-round target. Jericho Sims should also provide some center depth, but he won’t play enough minutes to be worth drafting. Julius Randle may also see some minutes as the center in smaller lineups, which should be intriguing for his fantasy value. They’ll still need Achiuwa and Sims to combat some of the bigger centers, but they don’t have any plans to make a trade for another big at this time.

Giles spent the end of last season on a two-way deal with the Lakers, and now he will have a chance to make Charlotte’s roster. The former first round pick hasn’t ever found his footing in the NBA, and even if he ends up remaining with the Hornets to start next season, he won’t impact fantasy basketball.

After four seasons in Dallas, Green was sent to Charlotte as part of a six-team trade headlined by Klay Thompson. And the move may net him a consistent role, with Boone opining that Green will be the choice to start next to LaMelo Ball this season. Green made 33 starts in Dallas last season, averaging 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 steals in 30.1 minutes per game. Depending on the system run by new head coach Charles Lee, Green is one player who could benefit from an up-tempo style, especially if Ball can stay healthy, and his defensive versatility will help the Hornets on the perimeter. He isn’t a must-draft player, but Green is someone to watch in the latter rounds of drafts.

After two seasons with the Guangzhou Loong Lions, Cui was not selected in the 2024 NBA Draft. Playing with the Trail Blazers’ summer outfit in Las Vegas, the 6-foot-6 wing made three appearances. Look for Cui to spend most of his time with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate on Long Island.

Collins and Johnson were both signed to Exhibit 10 contracts earlier this week, which only guaranteed them a place in training camp. The Warriors requesting waivers on both makes them eligible for a bonus of $77,500 if they remain with the team’s G League affiliate for at least 60 days. These transactions will not impact fantasy basketball, as the Warriors aren’t expected to fill their 15th standard contract slot.

Simmons has struggled with back issues for a couple of years, most recently undergoing a microscopic partial discectomy in mid-March. According to his agent, the Nets forward will not be under any restrictions when training camp begins. While this is good news, experienced fantasy managers may hesitate to trust Simmons, and with good reason, given the track record. At best, he’s a late-round dart throw in standard league drafts. A healthy (and productive) Simmons would impact multiple players within the Nets rotation due to his ability to impact games as a distributor and defender.